Veterinary Assistant

Allegan County has much to offer, with 24 Townships, 9 Cities, and 2 Villages across nearly 900 square miles. The landscapes range from the lakeshore to beautifully wooded lands, our County’s natural resources are a gift to be treasured. Allegan County businesses, citizens, and employees are world-class, and we remain a welcoming, closely-knit community. We are one of the fastest-growing counties in Michigan.
Allegan County Government places high importance on our core values: Respect, Integrity, Commitment and Honesty.  A common thread among our leadership, employees and volunteers is a strong desire to serve and be part of something meaningful. We were recently identified as “Best in Class Winner” among mid-size companies for our excellence in optimizing employee and organizational well-being. We have also received the Impact Award for excellence in educating our employees about their retirement plans and overall financial wellness. We are looking for dedicated, caring, energetic people to join our team!

Job Summary

The Veterinary Assistant will be responsible for individual animal and overall population health through knowledge of normal physical and behavioral characteristics; Observes and identifies conditions outside normal limits and follows established veterinary protocols for reporting and addressing issues; Administers appropriate medical care, as directed by medical professionals.

Starting Wage: $20.72 per hour - Full Time 

Excellent Benefits Plan:  Health Insurance begins on the first of the month after your hire date

- Medical, Dental & Vision (3 medical plans to choose from, 2 of which have a $0 biweekly premium)

- County-funded Health Savings Account with our two high-deductible medical plans

- County-paid employee life insurance coverage

- County-paid short-term disability coverage, up to 52 weeks

- Generous retirement plan, including a county contribution of 7% of your annual earnings

- Tuition Reimbursement Program for college degree courses

- Generous PTO plan, including front-loaded hours into PTO bank at hire, and annually on January 1.

- 13 paid holidays

- FREE use of Allegan County government's two fitness centers 

Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Assists Licensed Veterinary Technician with all weekly animal medical exams by restraining animals for blood draws or injections, administering vaccines or medical treatments, assisting with weekly surgeries and recording patient history on medical forms.
2. Cares for shelter animals by administering monthly heartworm and flea/tick prevention, monitoring post-surgery healing, taking weekly weights, nail trimming, ear cleaning, giving medicated baths and giving vaccinations.
3. Administers treatments and medication to animals when medical professionals are off-site, recording animal health information, keeping medical team apprised of animal medical concerns reported by staff/volunteers.
4. Assists with euthanasia by restraining animals during premedication and final injection.
5. Assigns tasks to VoTech students working at the animal shelter.
6. Sterilizes medical equipment and notifies medical staff of medical inventory needs.
7. Provides recommendations to pet owners during adoption for any continued health care needed as directed by medical professionals.

Education:

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent

Experience / Qualifications:

• Previous experience in animal care and animal restraining preferred

Allegan County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. A copy of our EEO Utilization report is available on our website:

https://www.allegancounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/2802/637974740005930000