Shelter Veterinarian

Annual Salary: $110,000+ Depending on Experience

Position Summary

The shelter veterinarian is a vital part of Wayside Waifs’ shelter operations and supports our community outreach programs as needed. Both routine and advanced medical conditions and surgeries are part of the veterinary work we perform. We work together to formulate options for in-house as well as specialist treatment as needed. A shelter veterinarian is the primary source of medical needs for animals under the care of Wayside Waifs, 365 days a year, which allows for immediate and direct care. Additionally, the responsibilities of a shelter veterinarian extend outside the clinic and frequently require collaboration with many other departments to find the best outcome for the animals in Wayside’s care.

The approach the shelter veterinary team takes is one of exploring realistic treatment options and seeking improvements in standards that are sustainable. Flexibility and adaptability are cornerstones of shelter veterinary care and are required to meet the many changing variables. The veterinary team has a responsibility to make teamwork and supportive collaboration a priority.

Mentorship is available for all veterinarians with learning tailored to the individual's experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Basic and advanced medical exams with available equipment or justification for a specialist, as well as diagnosing, prescribing, and treating conditions.
• Routine alteration exams primarily for dogs and cats, and less frequently, for rabbits.
• Ability to triage and perform emergency examinations or surgeries for shelter animals as needed.
• Thorough and efficient medical charting for exams, surgeries, and advanced procedures through the PetPoint software platform to ensure efficient data tracking and animal flow from intake to adoption.
• Advanced surgical procedures with mentorship of the Chief of Veterinary Medicine or other veterinarians, if needed.
• Herd health monitoring for disease risks seen in a shelter environment, which can include parvovirus, distemper, upper respiratory infections, and parasitism.
• Medical responsibilities, assistance, and support of community outreach programs (vaccine clinics, spay/neuter events, and trap/neuter/release activities) as needed.
• Perform humane euthanasia for shelter animals with medical and/or behavioral challenges with an emphasis on safety and/or quality of life, and with our public Pet Memorial Center clients.
• Guidance, inclusion, and basic mentorship of rotating 4th year veterinary students in our 25+ year student externship program.
• Frequent professional and open-minded collaboration with other departments within Wayside Waifs, primarily behavior, adoptions, and admissions.
• Assistance in providing leadership, training, and education to veterinary clinic staff and volunteers.
• Assistance with and support of all Veterinary Clinic tasks.
• Compliance with all Wayside Waifs policies and best practices.
• Additional tasks as necessary.

Position Requirements 

• Schedule is 40 hours per week on average; occasional weekend and evening coverage may be required.
• Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) required.
• Current, or ability to acquire a Missouri Veterinary License with BNDD.
• Current, or ability to acquire a DEA License.
• Experience with companion animals.
• Excellent written and verbal communications kills and good problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work with people in a variety of challenging and emotional situations while maintaining a composed and professional demeanor.
• Demonstrate the ability to work efficiently as a team member in a fast-paced, high-stress environment.
• Shelter experience or demonstrated understanding of shelter medicine preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to lift 50 pounds to waist height for various tasks.
• Repetitive bending, kneeling, stopping, and similar movements required.
• Must be able to physically restrain animals weighing up to and including 125 pounds.
• Able to work with exposure to wet and/or humid conditions and outside weather conditions.
• Must be able to perform a significant amount of standing during a typical day, exposure to fumes, airborne particles, and possible zoonotic diseases.
• Noise level is moderate to high.
• Exposure to animal waste.