Veterinarian for BARCS’ Keeping Pets with Families Program

Classification: Full or Part Time – flexible schedule

Job Relationship: Reports to the Veterinary Medical Director, who reports to the Executive Director. Works closely with all departments and volunteers

Position Summary:

The Veterinarian will help BARCS expand its Keeping Pets with Family program. It is a unique opportunity to save lives and decrease shelter admissions, while helping people who are experiencing economic hardship keep their pets. This program seeks to keep pets in their loving homes, even when owners cannot afford veterinary care. The Veterinarian will see animals in an exam room in the shelter, as a service to the community, providing an alternative to people surrendering their pets. The Veterinarian may also go into the community to do wellness clinics in underserved areas. This position will also be responsible for foster appointments. BARCS has 150 to 400 animals in its foster program at any given time. The Veterinarian may also assist with regular shelter medicine as needed.

The Veterinarian helps oversee the health of the shelter population and the surgery suite in coordination with the Veterinary Medical Director. She/he works closely with the Director of Operations, other veterinarians, Veterinary Technician Manager, Surgery Manager, and Animal Care Manager to oversee standards of care and ensure the humane treatment of animals.

Employees in this position are required to receive pre-exposure rabies vaccinations upon employment and receive boosters as required thereafter.

Responsibilities:

• Grow BARCS’ Keeping Pets with Family program, helping to decrease shelter intake and reduce euthanasia.

• Help manage overall health status and disease control of the shelter’s animals

• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with local veterinarians for assistance with surgery

• Ensure the humane treatment of animals at the shelter at all times

• Support BARCS mission to lower euthanasia rates for healthy and treatable animals

• Perform physical examinations on animals in the shelter and evaluate bite cases

• Provide immediate medical diagnostics and response on animal health and safety concerns for animals in the shelter

• Administer medical and surgical treatment as needed and creates treatment plans for veterinary technicians to administer

• Work in coordination with management team to manage the shelter’s animal population and dispositions with the goal of saving all healthy and treatable animals

• Evaluate animals confiscated for investigations and provide written documentation of evaluation for these cases

• Maintain a clean and sanitary work environment

• Perform humane euthanasia

• Responsible for clear and accurate data entry and signage for proper communication
• Perform related work as required

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in an animal shelter that operates seven days a week, with exposure to conditions such as dust, wetness, odors, high noise levels, etc. Work requires physical exertion such as, but not limited to, standing most of the day, bending often to interact with animals, lifting animals of all shapes and sizes with an average weight of 50 pounds, lifting bags of litter and food, etc. There is exposure to animals of all kinds including domestic, wildlife, and farm animals. There is potential exposure to: sharp objects, cleaning agents, animal waste, zoonotic diseases, dangerous or fractious animals, and potentially hazardous conditions including the risk of animal scratches and bites. There is also exposure to friendly, loving animals in need of your affection.

Qualifications:

• Licensed DVM or VMD in the State of Maryland

• Strong surgical skills and a minimum of one year of practical surgical experience highly desirable

• Previous experience in shelter medicine and pediatric surgeries highly desirable

• Must be comfortable with, and demonstrate, the ability to handle dogs and cats and animals that are sick, injured, frightened and potentially fractious

• Demonstrated efficiency and effectiveness in math, writing, and data entry

• Certified in humane euthanasia

• Ability to modify work schedule to meet BARCS operational needs

Knowledge and Skills:

• Ability to follow both written and verbal directions concerning the care and handling and disposition of animals

• Ability to work both independently as well as with a team

• Ability to assess, detect and recognize animal behavior and health that is potentially dangerous for both humans and/or animals

• Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment with a variety of people

• Must be detail oriented and able to prioritize and perform duties efficiently and effectively

• Committed to supporting BARCS’ high standard of animal care and its overall mission