Associate Veterinarian, Part Time - #440545

If you are committed to public service, enjoy collaborating with others, share our values and have a desire to learn and grow, join The City of Calgary. City employees deliver the services, run the programs and operate the facilities which make a difference in our community. We support work-life balance, promote physical and psychological safety, and offer competitive wages, pensions, and benefits. Together we make Calgary a great place to make a living, a great place to make a life.

The City is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and equitable workplace which is representative of the community we serve. We welcome those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and reconciliation. Applications are encouraged from members of groups that are historically disadvantaged and underrepresented. Accommodations are available during the hiring process, upon request.

As an Associate Veterinarian, you will ensure the health and wellness of impounded animals. You will provide general physical examinations, routine surgery, dentistry, diagnostics, emergency medicine, clinical and preventative medicine, contagious disease prevention, outbreak management in the shelter population, and euthanasia. You will also provide supportive care during recovery for any animal post-surgery. The Associate Veterinarian may also be called up as an expert witness to testify in Alberta court cases.

Primary duties include:

• Perform high quality, high volume spay/neuter surgeries, and emergency life-saving surgeries including wound repairs, abdominal and urogenital surgery, eye enucleation, limb amputation, soft tissue surgeries and other surgeries.
• Perform complete oral health assessments, dental surgeries and surgical treatments including extractions of the teeth.
• Provide sedation and general anesthetic planning and management.
• Perform physical examinations, prescribe medications, perform humane euthanasia, provide shelter animal nutrition guidance and manage emergency sick animals.
• Interpret radiographs, complete blood counts, blood chemistry results, histopathological reports and urinalysis to determine if further diagnostics, treatment or surgery is required.
• Review medical records to support and further diagnose animals.
• Complete daily health check rounds of animals, follow-up for emergency/trauma and sick patients, provide telemedicine advice to Animal Health Technicians (AHTs) after hours, detail treatment sheets and therapeutic plans.
• Provide guidance to staff on medical treatments required for animals in the shelter.
• Ensure that the clinic complies with all required licensing regulations.
• Stay current with veterinary best practices; teach and mentor locum Veterinarians, AHTs, Veterinary Assistants, Veterinary Assistant Lead Hand, and Animal Behavior Coordinators.
• Provide teaching and coaching to Community Peace Officers on zoonotic diseases, how to respond to pets in medical distress.

Qualifications

• A Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from an accredited university and a current licence to practice in the province of Alberta with active membership in the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA).
• At least 5 years of related clinical experience is required.
• At least 3 years of shelter experience in shelter medicine, high volume, high quality spay/neuter surgery, and dentistry specifically with cats and dogs will be considered an asset.
• The ability to articulate medical instructions, treatment plans and provide operational oversight to ensure the highest standards of animal care.
• Strong decision-making and organizational skills are required to expertly handle medical emergencies, prioritize treatments, and make ethical choices regarding animal care and resource allocation.
• A strong commitment to ethics and advocacy is essential and ensuring that all actions and decisions align with ethical standards and the shelter¿s mission.

Working Conditions: Extended exposure to major and minor conditions including but not limited to loud noise, bodily fluids and secretions, sharps, aggressive animals, anesthetic gas, sedatives, chemicals and disinfectants. Additionally, exposure emotionally distressing situations can result in compassion fatigue.

Pre-employment Requirements

• Successful applicants must provide proof of qualifications.

Pre-employment Drug Test: An offer of employment for this position will be conditional on an applicant passing a pre-employment drug test. This test assesses for use of drugs including cannabis. Failure to pass a pre-employment drug test may prevent an applicant from being hired into any safety sensitive position for a period of up to twelve months.