Career Center

The Humane Society of Sonoma County (HSSC) has a longstanding tradition of giving hope to homeless animals and supporting our community through public facing and safety net programs. We are very excited to offer a newly created position for a Staff Veterinarian, Community and Shelter Medicine, who has a passion for community medicine as well as shelter medicine and surgery.  This is an exciting opportunity to work for an organization voted Best Nonprofit, Best Animal Adoption Center, and Best Charity Event (Wags, Whiskers & Wine) in Sonoma County by the North Bay Bohemian!

Our Veterinary team provides high-quality medical and surgical care to patients in our shelter population, and to animals in our community through our high quality, high-volume Spay/Neuter Clinic and also our low-cost Community Veterinary Clinic, which provides urgent medical care as well as life-saving surgery and dentistry to qualifying families.

We are passionate about bringing people and companion animals together for a lifetime of love, and we are dedicated to increasing access to veterinary care for our community to keep these families together.

Serving our community since 1931, the Humane Society of Sonoma County (HSSC) is a donor-supported safe haven for animals. If you love animals and people…you will feel right at home in our pack!

The HSSC DVM will be responsible for providing high-quality medical and surgical care to our patients by implementing standards of animal care and coordinating and managing treatments for animals in the care of the Humane Society of Sonoma County and through HSSC’s Community Veterinary Clinic.

Medical cases are both outpatient and inpatient with the majority being dogs and cats, and a small percentage of small mammals or other species.

Clinical responsibilities are primarily in our public-facing Community Veterinary Clinic (CVC) but also includes participation in our public Spay/Neuter program and our Shelter Medicine program.

• DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  · Examine, evaluate, perform diagnostics, and establish treatment plans for animals in the shelter population as well as through our Community Veterinary Clinic.

  · Perform medical and surgical procedures, ultrasonography, radiology, and oversee routine and critical anesthesia and analgesia plans.

  · Perform clinical and surgical veterinary medicine in a high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic, as well as general surgery and urgent care. Medical procedures include a wide range of diagnostics (digital radiography, point of care ultrasound, etc.), nerve blocks and epidurals, soft tissue and some orthopedic surgery (FHO, amputation), and dentistry.

  · Communicate exam findings, treatment plans, and patient care options to team members and clients; provide clear written discharge instructions for clients; help maintain standard protocols for team members.

  · Respond to client messages and report lab findings, answer medical questions from staff, and evaluate prescription requests.

  · See emergency and urgent care cases as needed.

  · Attend, participate in, and provide leadership in daily clinical rounds.

  · Provide limited weekend and evening on-call services on a rotational basis for post-surgical public animals and for HSSC animals in the shelter and in foster care.

  · Complete and maintain medical records in accordance with practice and state standards, documenting treatment plans, case summaries and other relevant communications using electronic medical database

  · Discuss quality of life with owners, provide palliative care when necessary, and perform euthanasia as indicated; participate in complex euthanasia decisions for client-owned and shelter animals.

  · Ensure that all state and federal laws, state regulations, and accepted standards regarding clinic operations, the practice of veterinary medicine, drug control, and animal care and handling are adhered to.

  · Maintain up-to-date knowledge on veterinary regulations, standards of care, and companion animal health issues.

  · Build effective relationships through positive interaction and communication with the community, volunteers and staff. Uphold team culture promoting positivity, compassion, and efficiency.

  · Conduct oneself in a professional and courteous manner with clients, staff, volunteers, and the referring veterinary community, and serve as an exemplar of the HSSC mission.

  · Ensure all services are accurately charged to clients; work with the CSR team to ensure accurate delivery of treatment plans and to negotiate payment plans.

  · Other duties as assigned.

  Supervision: This position reports directly to the Director of Veterinary Services.

   

  KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  · Experience and/or training in high-quality, high-volume spay neuter surgical techniques.

  · Ability to deal with staff and clients in a professional manner. Able to direct the work of others, train/develop employees, evaluate performance, and provide feedback.

  · Ability to communicate orally and in writing with staff and the general public.

  · Ability to work well under pressure and handle multiple tasks at one time.

  · Knowledge of the principles and practices of veterinary medicine.

  · Effective decision-making and diagnostic skills and interest in pursuing treatment options with limited funding.

  · Ability to exercise independent judgment, decisiveness and creativity to problem solve.

  · Desire to implement efficiencies on an on-going basis.

  · Commitment to practicing excellent medicine.

  · Team-oriented attitude; serve as a leader for staff.

  · Literacy in analyzing financial statements.

  · Bilingual in Spanish is preferred but not required.

   

  QUALIFICATIONS

  · Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited college or university and over one year of professional veterinary medical experience.

  · Possession of a current license to practice veterinary medicine in California.

  · Internship or experience in shelter medicine preferred; a passion for community medicine and access to care required.

   

  PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

  The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  · Must be able to interact with animals.

  · Must be able to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear, stoop, bend, squat, kneel, grasp, grip, put fingers together firmly and reach above and below shoulder level and lift, push or pull 50 pounds for situations of restraining or moving animals and lifting food and animal care supplies.

  · Ability to operate, maneuver and/or provide simple but continuous adjustments and repetitive movements on equipment such as surgical instruments, syringes, microscopes, diagnostic equipment, computer terminal, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

  · Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing movements requiring skill and training, such as performing surgery and giving injections.

  · Ability to use hands to operate computers; flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist.

  · Occasionally will be in situations requiring high stamina, such as training days and special events.

  · Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

  · Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

   

  Work environment: Work is performed in an animal shelter hospital with shared office space. There is potential for exposure to zoonotic diseases, dangerous and fractious animals, high noise levels, hazardous chemicals, anesthetics and sharp objects.

   

  NOTES

  Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time and the employee is expected to adhere to all company policies. The above information is representative of the work performed in this position, however it is not all-inclusive. The omission of a specific duty or responsibility does not exclude it from the position if the work is similar or related to the essential duties and responsibilities.

About Humane Society of Sonoma County

Serving our community since 1931, the Humane Society of Sonoma County is a donor-supported safe haven for animals. We’re dedicated to bringing people and companion animals together for a lifetime of love. The animals in our care receive medical treatment (including spay/neuter surgery), training services, and adoption assistance. We recently celebrated the 4th year anniversary of our Community Veterinary Clinic, offering low-cost medical care to community members with animals in need. We believe that no effort is too great when a life is at stake. With your help, we give hope to every adoptable animal. The Humane Society of Sonoma County is a no-kill shelter with two locations in Sonoma County; our primary Center for Animals is located at 5345 Hwy 12 West in Santa Rosa. Our Healdsburg shelter is located at 555 Westside Road in Healdsburg.

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