MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT

Our mission is to provide animals with loving care and lasting homes, to partner with communities striving to do the same, and to advance our no-kill legacy. We envision a world where animals live in welcoming communities, that treat them and their human companions with care and compassion.  

 

SUMMARY

The Pets In Need (PIN) Staff Veterinarian is part of a dynamic and passionate team that provides excellent medical care to the thousands of animals that are served by PIN each year. Under the guidance of the Principal of Veterinary Medicine, PIN Staff Veterinarians plan and implement high-quality veterinary medical and surgical care for PIN shelter animals and animals in our community. Seen as leaders in all aspects of departmental operations, Staff Veterinarians also contribute to and promote medical department protocols, ensuring that prompt and humane treatment is delivered to all animals cared for by PIN. 

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Quality Veterinary Care 

  • Provide high quality veterinary medical and surgical care to PIN shelter & foster animals as well as public patients, community cats, and animals belonging to rescue groups. Provide limited veterinary care to pets belonging to staff and animal control officers, in accordance with PIN policy. 
  • Contribute to the monitoring, protection, and improvement of the physical and behavioral health of PIN shelter animals, both on an individual and population basis. 
  • Complete daily task lists, surgeries, and appointments. In collaboration with the medical team, prioritize tasks based on urgency, pathway plans, and adoptability.  
  • Strive to reduce length of stay (LOS) and maintain adoption-driven capacity. Contribute to estimates of medical capacity and help ensure that overall organizational Capacity for Care (C4C) is not exceeded. 
  • Perform high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter surgeries for dogs, cats, rabbits and neuters for guinea pigs.  Contribute to efficiency of spay/neuter operations. 
  • Perform other surgical procedures as needed, including hernia repair, enucleation, mass removal, amputation, etc. Oversee and ensure adequate pre- and post-operative care, anesthesia and analgesia for surgical patients, including those whose procedures are performed by visiting surgeons.  
  • Oversee dental procedures, interpret dental x-rays, and lead development of extraction plans.  Assist Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) with nerve blocks and extractions as needed. 
  • Recognize and appropriately respond to anesthetic and surgical complications and emergencies. Lead/oversee cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts as needed. 
  • Manage medical cases of varying complexity. Develop, document and communicate diagnostic, treatment and follow-up plans. Interpret diagnostic results and modify assessments and plans based on results. 
  • Perform appropriate physical examinations, including pre-anesthesia exams.  Establish veterinary-client-patient relationships as appropriate.  
  • Create and maintain medical records. Accurately, thoroughly, and promptly record all relevant history, exam findings, diagnostic results, assessments, plans, surgeries, and client communication in electronic medical records. Consistently use SOAP format. 
  • Obtain animal histories from staff, volunteers, foster parents, clients, previous veterinary records, and/or shelter monitoring and treatment records.  Review and summarize veterinary records from other clinics to ensure continuity of care. 
  • Contribute to and/or independently make euthanasia decisions in alignment with the organization’s approach to humane euthanasia and ensure timely and sensitive communication of those decisions. Perform humane euthanasia as needed, in accordance with PIN standards for care.
  • Humanely handle and care for animals and use Fear Free techniques. 
  • Evaluate the readiness of animals for adoption, document, and communicate this as appropriate. For animals with known medical conditions, create appropriate waivers to inform potential adopters of said conditions. 
  • Effectively communicate appropriate discharge instructions for surgical or hospitalized patients. 
  • Advise and consult with pet owners at PIN vaccine clinics and similar events. 
  • Provide on-call guidance for staff and consult with clinicians at local emergency clinics during evenings and weekends as needed. 
  • Perform necropsies and decapitations for post-mortem rabies testing, as required. 

 

            Leadership, Teamwork, Collaboration, and Communication 

  • Promote communication and cooperation between staff at PIN’s two clinics in Redwood City and Palo Alto. Collaborate with other PIN departments, including Foster, Adoptions, Animal Care, Intake, and Behavior.
  • Provide leadership, oversight and technical guidance for medical staff, other departments, and volunteers. Assist in directing completion of tasks necessary to achieve optimal medical department efficiency. 
  • Model best practices. Follow and promote all PIN standard operating procedures (SOPs) and protocols and contribute to development and maintenance of these.  
  • Model and promote full compliance with all state and federal laws regarding the practice of veterinary medicine, controlled substances, and animal welfare. 
  • Work cooperatively with and support volunteers and recognize the talent and commitment they bring to PIN. 
  • Consultation and collaboration: work and communicate with internal and external teams and stakeholders to ensure animals receive optimal and fiscally responsible diagnoses, care, and behavioral support.
  • Maintain effective communication with all staff during shelter rounds, scheduled meetings, informal conversations, and via written electronic means.  
  • Enhance professional knowledge and skills with a commitment to pursuing opportunities for continuing education. Promote development of veterinary support staff through coaching, mentoring, training, and sharing knowledge. 
  • Actively promote PIN’s mission, vision, programs, events, and fundraising efforts.  Embrace and exemplify PIN’s values and behavioral attributes. 
  • Provide prompt, courteous, and helpful customer service to clients, volunteers, and staff.  Professionally represent PIN to others in the veterinary and animal sheltering fields and the public. 

 

Administration

  • Provide guidance for ordering, storage, dispensation, and logging of controlled drugs.
  • Work with the Principal of Veterinary Medicine and the Director of Behavior and Medical Services to assess, create, maintain, improve and implement effective protocols for preventive care, treatment, population management, and operational processes. 
  • Contribute to creation, maintenance and organization of departmental documents, forms, and other files.
  • Participate in and assist with recording of notes from staff meetings as needed. 

 

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the education, knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree or equivalent and license to practice veterinary medicine in California.  
  • Current DEA registration permit.
  • Experience in high quality/high volume spay/neuter services.  
  • Experience with computerized medical records.  
  • Fear Free certification preferred.  
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain medical terms and conditions using simple language.  
  • Fluency in Spanish, Mandarin or Cantonese preferred.
  • Experience in Shelter Medicine strongly preferred. 
  • USDA Accreditation preferred.

 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:  

  • Ability to lift and move objects and animals weighing up to 50 pounds and to humanely restrain animals when necessary.  
  • Frequently sitting and performing desk-based computer tasks.  
  • Frequently stand/walk, grasp lightly and forcefully.
  • Twist/crouch/squat/crawl. Must be able to bend and kneel repeatedly.  
  • Must have good range of motion especially wrist, elbows, knees, and back. 

 

WORKING CONDITIONS  

  • Schedule may include shifts at both PIN facilities and occasional weekend shifts.
  • Regular performance of a high volume of spay and neuter surgeries. 
  • Working with potentially dangerous and fractious animals.  
  • Exposure to disinfectant solutions while in kennel area. 
  • Consistent exposure to animals in the workplace and animal allergens under conditions with limited alternatives available. 

 

Perform other duties as assigned.