Relief Veterinary Technician

Job Details: Job Location: Foothills Animal Shelter - Golden, CO, Position Type: Relief, Education Level: 2 Year Degree, Salary Range: $30.00 - $30.00Hourly, Job Category: Veterinary Services, POSITION SUMMARY: The Relief Veterinary Technician will work on an as-needed basis to fill-in for staff vacations or other planned time off. The Relief Veterinary Technician will assist the veterinary team with surgical procedures, treatments, and follow-up care for shelter animals and will also participate in public vaccine clinics. 

RESPONSIBILITIES
Surgery

Performs pre-surgical duties, conducts pre-surgical physical exams on patients, and alerts veterinarian to any concerns. 
Calculates, administers and records pre-anesthetic drugs.  Completes controlled drug logs as appropriate. 
Administers anesthesia and oversees monitoring animals under anesthesia in a high volume spay/neuter environment. 
Oversees recovery of animals post-surgery with the aid of volunteers.
Operates digital radiology equipment and follows radiology safety procedures.
Performs dental cleanings, including dental radiographs.
Responds to emergency situations, administering triage care.
Prepares laboratory samples and evaluates in-house lab work.
Performs euthanasia services.
Maintains appropriate surgical records, documents, and data entry for shelter animals.

Health Care

Collects samples for testing and performs laboratory tests. 
Performs daily health evaluations; medicates, vaccinates, and treats animals as prescribed by veterinarian.
Performs physical examinations and restraint on animals in a manner consistent with Foothills Animal Shelter’s commitment to fear-free sheltering and veterinary care.
Performs accurate data entry to update animal records and controlled drug logs.
Administers vaccines, including for public vaccine clinics.

Organizational Wellness

Interacts with volunteers in appreciative and respectful ways, providing assistance as needed.
Promotes teamwork by demonstrating a cooperative, flexible, adaptable, and helpful attitude with all staff and volunteers. 
Maintains a positive, solutions-oriented approach to the work environment, looking for the opportunities within each challenge.
Contributes to initiatives to improve processes and procedures. 

Safety

Follows all safety guidelines to ensure a safe work environment
Takes immediate action to address any safety concern or noncompliance with OSHA safety rules that could put an employee, volunteer, client, animal or the organization at risk.

OTHER DUTIES

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications: Education and Experience

Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) with three years of surgical experience
Experience in an animal welfare environment preferred
Experience in HQHVSN (High Quality High Volume Spay/Neuter) preferred
Fear Free Shelter certified or become Fear Free certified within 60 days of employment

Skills and Abilities

Ability to work in a fast-paced, team environment 
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and strong attention to detail 
Must have the ability to communicate and collaborate with a variety of people and personality types
Strong interpersonal communication skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs

WORKING CONDITIONS

Handling and restraining animals of various sizes, weights, and temperaments. 
Subject to animal bites or scratches.
Exposure to cleaning chemicals, fumes, gases, X-ray radiation, dust, animal dander, parasites, animal urine and feces, transmittable diseases. 
Working with medications/drugs both controlled and non-controlled.
Physical efforts require constant bending, stooping, standing, kneeling, climbing stairs, and walking. 
Ability to lift and carry 50lbs.
Work performed in high noise level areas.
Must be able to manage the emotional aspect of end-of-life services and humane euthanasia, and support employees in high-emotion circumstances. 

About Foothills Animal Shelter: As an open admission shelter, our doors are always open to pets in Jefferson County, and we are committed to serving our community as a socially conscious shelter. We care for more than 9,000 dogs, cats, and small animals every year with a compassionate team of staff and volunteers. We are a community resource and offer a variety of services including pet adoption, Jefferson County pet licensing, vaccinations, microchipping, and lost and found pets. The Shelter is established under an intergovernmental agreement between Jefferson County, the City of Arvada, the City of Lakewood, the City of Wheat Ridge, the City of Golden, the City of Westminster and the City of Edgewater.. 

Benefits: Relief employees earn paid sick time in proportion to hours worked.