Summary:
The Medical Director’s primary duties include overseeing the health and welfare, including nutritional and behavioral needs, of all animals in the shelter and foster care. This position provides medical oversight of the medical care and surgery within the shelter, including ongoing development and evaluation of medical and surgical protocols. This position works in partnership and collaboratively with the Shelter Director, Animal Control Director and other shelter staff to coordinate animal operations within the shelter. This position requires knowledge and understanding of the mission of the Hall County Animal Shelter (HCAS). This position also requires a desire to engage in best shelter practices that are geared toward life-saving. The veterinary assistant team reports to the Medical Director. This is an excellent opportunity for a veterinarian who is innovative and interested in adopting best practices in sheltering, and who has a desire to really make a difference for the citizens of Hall County and in the lives of Hall County’s homeless animals.
Requirements and Responsibilities:
• Experience managing people and programs in the fast-paced environment of a municipal animal shelter is ideal.
• Experience revising, and as indicated, drafting and implementing standard operating procedures/protocols (SOP) and training protocols for shelter animal care, disease control, medical treatments, surgery, feeding and cleaning.
• Knowledge of current shelter medical protocols including vaccination on intake, risk assessment and infectious disease principles.
• Knowledge of various species, primarily dogs and cats, and familiarity with symptoms of diseases common to dogs and cats.
• Knowledge of preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic veterinary treatment of companion animals.
• Stay up to date with current medical information and changes in veterinary medicine by attending continuing education in medicine, surgery, managerial and specifically shelter medicine.
• Responsible for all diagnostic and treatment plans for animals under the care of the Hall County Animal Shelter, whether conducted by medical director or supervised assistants.
• Perform physical examinations, diagnostic, medical and surgical procedures on all animals that will deliver the highest quality of care within the allotted budget.
• Work closely with Animal Control Officers to aid in investigating and documenting cruelty cases and serve as an expert witness in court.
• Be on call 24/7 (holidays, weekends, overnight) to address emergencies with animals taken in by Animal Control.
• Be available to consult over the phone and meet staff at the shelter to provide emergency care if necessary.
• Be comfortable with High Quality, High Volume Spay Neuter principles and techniques.
• Responsible for the hiring, supervision, training, management and termination of veterinary assistants.
• Assign training topics and conduct monthly training of veterinary assistants.
• Responsible for hiring and scheduling per diem (relief) veterinarians.
• Oversee their surgical cases post-operatively.
• Oversee euthanasia training and certification process.
• Assure compliance with internal, state and federal regulations on this topic.
• Perform ordering and inventory of medical supplies, oversee accounts with medical vendors in collaboration with the shelter Program Coordinator and the Finance Department.
• Generate and follow annual budget for pharmaceutical supplies and medical equipment.
• Oversee partnerships with local Work Based Learning Programs to mentor high school students.
• Mentor/teach volunteer veterinarians, pre-veterinary students and veterinary student externs.
• Collaborate with the University Of Georgia College Of Veterinary Medicine’s Junior Surgery Coordinators to provide animals for their surgery classes and specimens for continuing education labs.
• Oversee and provide routine medical care for Hall County Sherriff’s Office and Correctional Institution canine officers.
• Be available 24/7 to triage emergencies and provide emergency care.
• Strong communication skills in an environment where multiple cases are managed concurrently and often requires communication with adopters, fosters, SO canine handlers and rescue partners.
• Be able to explain physical examination findings and communicate to adopters any diagnosis that will affect their adopted pet.
• Participate in weekly disposition pending meetings and managers meetings.
• Participate in off-site Rabies clinics, microchip clinics and educational events.
• Comfortable with electronic medical records, email communication and Microsoft office.
• The ideal candidate has experience with PetPoint shelter software program or other shelter software program, however training is available on the job and through web-based programs.
• Maintain records and communications to assure compliance with DEA, State Veterinary Board and any other relevant bodies of regulatory supervision.
• Oversee controlled substance protocol and oversee ordering, handling and recording of controlled substances.
• Ability to think out of the box to surmount challenges and find innovative ways to solve problems.
• Comfort and ability working with animals of unknown disposition and those who may exhibit medical and other problems, as well as aggressive tendencies.
• Ability to lift and move objects and animals weighing up to 50 pounds for short distances and to humanely restrain an animal when necessary
Related Experience and Education Preferred:
• Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine required.
• Must have current Georgia veterinary license and be in good standing with the state board.
• Must have or be able to obtain DEA controlled drug license.
• Extensive experience in spay/neuter surgeries preferred.
Salary is dependent on qualifications.
