Veterinary Assistant, Adoption Center

About the job Veterinary Assistant, Adoption Center

Summary:

If you are passionate about delivering high-quality care to animals in need, and you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic and complex environment, the position of Adoptions Veterinary Assistant at the ASPCA may be for you. The Adoptions Veterinary Assistant (AVA) is a key member of the medical team at our Adoption Center which provides care for the approximately 5,000 dogs and cats annually.

The AVA provides compassionate care and assists veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians with examinations, treatments, and monitoring of all cats and dogs utilizing low-stress handling guidelines and shelter medicine best practices, and following all ASPCA policies and protocols. The AVA ensures animals physical and behavioral needs are met, providing compassionate animal care that includes husbandry tasks, observation and reporting of signs of illness or injury, record-keeping and data entry, low-stress animal handling, and preparation and administration of a variety of medications. The AVA works closely with other medical team members to facilitate the delivery of veterinary care and to communicate information regarding animals health status to staff, volunteers, and members of the public.

The Center currently provides shelter and adoption for five groups of animals:

Animal victims of cruelty and neglect brought to us by the NYPD At-risk animals brought to us through our community engagement team At-risk underage kittens and other medically-compromised stray animals Animals surrendered by their owners and in need of adoption into new homes and Animals transferred in from shelter/rescue partners

All medical care is provided within the parameters of the Adoption Center shelter medicine protocols and aligned with ASPCA One Fund guidelines. To succeed in this role, the AVA will be a highly conscientious team player dedicated to delivering quality, compassionate care and assisting the medical team and the larger adoptions team in helping animals move successfully to new homes.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Nursing Care and Veterinary Support (60%)

• Utilize knowledge of veterinary medical concepts and terminology to provide compassionate and quality patient care at all times using low-stress handling techniques
• Closely observe animals for signs of illness, injury, and/or poor welfare. Document and communicate this information on monitoring sheets, in patient medical records, and/or directly to colleagues
• Ensure accurate and timely data entry to animals medical records, including transfer of information from other ASPCA departments software systems and diagnostic test results from outside laboratories
• Prepare samples for submission to run in-house or send to outside laboratories and follow-up as needed
• Treat animals, colleagues and volunteers with care and respect
• Handle and restrain animals for medical procedures utilizing the least-restraint and lowest-stress techniques possible
• Support sedated examinations and other minor procedures, including handling for injections, providing assistance to LVTs and veterinarians during the process, and monitoring during recovery
• Maintain an efficient flow of animals through the shelter
• Feed and medicate patients following veterinarian instructions and standard operating procedures
• Coach and support direct care staff to best meet the medical needs of the animals in our care, including medication administration, medical treatment and monitoring
• Assist with and/or perform humane euthanasia under the supervision of staff veterinarians
• Assist in the preparation of health certificates and copying of medical records
• Identify animals in need of grooming, including but not limited to those animals who are matted or whose coats are soiled; request or complete bathing and grooming procedures as needed
• Transport animals (using low-stress techniques) and their medical records within ASPCA departments for necessary care, including but not limited to transfers to the ASPCA Animal Hospital and/or Community Medicine
• Update animals statuses in Adoption Center electronic medical records when necessary, including but not limited to making animals available for placement per protocol or veterinary directives
• Understand multiple modalities of electronic or written medical records, or invoices to be able to articulate animal medical needs or concerns
• Competently and compassionately explain information veterinarians have documented about an animal condition to other Adoption Center staff members, volunteers, foster caregivers, and adopters with easily understood language; create Adoption and Foster Medical Discharges under the direction of veterinarians or licensed veterinary technicians
• Be an active member of the Medical Team on daily Medical-Behavior-Sheltering (MBS) rounds and in staff meetings and trainings
• Learn and follow Adoption Center philosophy, procedures and protocols

Housekeeping and Maintenance (40%)

• Ensure that animals are kept in comfortable and sanitary conditions
• Ensure that exam rooms and medical staff work areas are kept clean and orderly and are stocked and ready for use
• Make certain the entire Adoption Center is kept extremely clean through the day
• Clean and disinfect kennels, equipment, and facility while utilizing appropriate PPE
• Follow all departmental PPE and cleaning protocols
• Work in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration policies and requirements
• Assist in keeping supplies stocked by noting when supplies are running low; taking inventory and stocking supplies as needed
• Advise Supervisor of any conditions that are unsafe including unrecognized hazards or infractions of safety rules
• Other tasks as assigned by supervisor

Exemplifies the ASPCA Core Values:

• Has Commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals
• Demonstrates Ownership and feels responsible for outcomes
• Believes in Team that we are stronger together
• Seeks to Elevate others and reimagine what is possible
• Focuses on Impact, specifically making change for animals

Qualifications:

• Knowledge of basic animal care, handling, and disease recognition; familiarity with veterinary hospital protocols and procedures
• Able to understand and communicate using veterinary medical terminology
• Able to provide appropriate care and handling for sick, injured, fearful, fractious, and/or aggressive cats and dogs
• Experience and knowledge of low-stress animal handling and restraint techniques
• Possess customer service skills to interact with fosters and adopters
• Able to quickly adjust focus and shift priorities based on Adoption Center and patient needs
• Strong organizational skills and a high level of attention to detailAble to maintain open mind regarding changes and be willing to learn, implement, and teach new protocols
• Ensure and maintain high quality standard of care, work ethic, and performance; work independently without supervision and as part of a team
• Work efficiently and calmly under challenging conditions; demonstrate flexibility with work assignments and unique tasks
• Communicate with team members successfully and courteously during in-person, phone, and email conversations
• Exhibit professionalism with stressful, time-sensitive and urgent situations
• Basic computer skills, including Excel, Microsoft Office, and email; familiarity with PetPoint or other shelter software systems a plus.
• Able to lift up to 40 pounds, walk, bend, stand and reach constantly throughout at least a minimum 8 hour work day

Compensation and Benefits:

The starting pay rate for this role is $24.00 and falls under a collective bargaining agreement.

For more information on our Benefit offerings, click here.

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Qualifications:
See above for qualifications details.

Language:
English (Required), Spanish

Education and Work Experience:
High School Diploma (Required)

Eligible for certification as a euthanasia technician in New York State, Experience working in an animal shelter preferred, Fear Free certified or obtained within 60 days of employment, Minimum of 2 years prior animal handling/veterinary experience, VECCS Recover CPR Certification obtained within 90 days of hire
Our EEO Policy:

The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA. Please inform the ASPCA People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).

About Us:
The ASPCA was founded in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment by humans and must be protected under the law. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States.

The ASPCA is headquartered in New York City, where we maintain a full-service animal hospital, spay/neuter clinic, mobile spay/neuter and primary pet care clinics, a rehabilitation center for canine victims of cruelty, kitten nursery, adoption center, and two community veterinary centers.

The ASPCA also operates programs and services that extend nationwide. We assist animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources.

At the ASPCA, we are committed to fostering a collaborative and compassionate culture and we welcome all voices to contribute to our lifesaving mission. Our staff represent a vast array of backgrounds and diversity dimensions, bringing with them valuable experiences and perspectives. They join the ASPCA to learn, grow, and continually do their best work on behalf of animals. We are inspired by our staff, partners, and the communities we support across the country who work to improve animal lives. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the ASPCA because it elevates our organizational culture, aligns with our Core Values, and enables us to move further and faster toward the ASPCA vision that all animals live good lives; valued by society, protected by its laws, and free from cruelty, pain and suffering.

Applicants that are residents of Colorado: Per CO Senate Bill 23-058, we cannot generally request or require any age-related information (i.e., age, DOB, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution) on an initial employment application; this includes any age-related inquiries in the initial interview. We are permitted to require/request additional application materials; if those materials contain any age-related information, an applicant may redact the information before submitting an initial employment application.

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