Veterinary Assistant

Position Summary:
The Veterinary Assistant will provide support to the medical team and shelter staff in caring for animals, maintaining medical and kennel environments, assisting with treatment and diagnostics, and helping ensure high standards of welfare, cleanliness, and safety. This role is essential in helping us deliver quality care to animals in our facility and supporting the adoption process.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist the veterinary team with examinations, diagnostics (such as taking weights, vital signs, collecting samples), treatments, and pre and post‐operative monitoring.
• Prepare animals for treatment and surgery: restraining, cleaning, prepping, and ensuring proper handling.
• Maintain accurate medical and treatment records, ensure documentation is complete and up to date.
• Support shelter care staff: cleaning and sanitizing rooms, kennels, surgical areas, equipment, and supplies in compliance with infection control protocols.
• Manage inventory of medical/surgical supplies, alerting when restocking is needed.
• Assist with intake of new animals: documentation, initial health screenings, vaccinations, microchipping, and spay/neuter preparation.
• Provide excellent animal handling and socialization: walking dogs, interacting with cats/other small animals, enriching their environment and supporting behavioral assessments.
• Support adoption and public interactions as needed: escorting animals to meet adopters and answering basic animal health care questions under guidance.
• Follow all shelter protocols regarding biosecurity, animal welfare, safety, and occupational health (including use of personal protective equipment, safe animal handling, cleaning chemicals).
• Participate in staff meetings, continuing education, and training sessions to stay current on best practices in shelter medicine and animal care.
• Other duties as assigned in our multifaceted, fast-paced environment.

Qualifications & Skills:

• High school diploma or equivalent; some college coursework in veterinary technology, animal science, or a related field preferred.
• Previous experience in a veterinary clinic (especially in surgery) animal shelter, rescue, or similar setting is strongly desired.
• Comfortable and safe handling of animals of various sizes, temperaments, and species (dogs, cats, small mammals).
• Good observational skills: able to monitor animal health, behavior, and environment and promptly report concerns.
• Strong organizational skills, record keeping accuracy, and ability to follow protocols.
• Compassion for animals and dedication to animal welfare, with the resilience to work in a busy, sometimes emotionally challenging environment.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-based, mission-driven organization.
• Good communication skills (verbal and written), ability to interact with staff, volunteers, adopters, and the public.
• Physical ability to perform tasks such as: lifting animals or equipment, bending/kneeling, cleaning housing/kennels, walking dogs outdoors, working in variable temperatures.
• Flexibility in schedule: willingness to work occasional evenings, weekends, or holidays as needed.

Working Conditions:

• The role involves working in a shelter/clinic environment, which may include exposure to animal waste, cleaning chemicals, noise (barking, cats), and occasionally stressful or emotional situations (sick/injured animals, euthanasia).
• Physical demands include moving animals, being on your feet for extended periods, lifting heavy items, walking dogs in various weather conditions.
• Must adhere to all safety protocols, including animal handling, infection control, and use of protective equipment.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $18.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $18