Compassionate Veterinary Assistant — Animal Care

Oregon Humane Society; Salem (OR); On-site; USD 26,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision

Paid Time Off + Sick Time + Holidays

401(k) with employer match

Professional Development Opportunities

One free Oregon Humane adoption / year

Perks & Discounts

Job summary

The Oregon Humane Society is seeking a Veterinary Assistant at our Salem campus to join a collaborative medical care team. You will assist with exams, provide daily care, and support anesthesia, radiology and lab tasks in a busy hospital setting.

The role emphasizes compassionate patient handling, accurate documentation, and strong communication with staff and the public. Weekend/evening availability and adherence to safety protocols are required.

Qualifications

• 1 year related work experience providing direct care to animals in a veterinary medicine center or in an animal shelter environment.
• Hold or obtain Certified Euthanasia Certification within one year from the date of hire. Able to maintain certification throughout the course of employment.
• Able to exercise sound judgment and maintain a professional demeanor during all interactions with the public, partner agencies, donors, staff and volunteers.
• Proficiency using the Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills - able to communicate with a diverse population in a consistently informative, respectful and professional manner.
• Knowledge and experience working with a wide variety of dog and cat breeds.
• Intermediate experience with computer hardware and software programs.
• Available to work weekends, evenings, and holidays as needed..

Responsibilities

• Work daily with animals of varying size and temperament. Handle individual animals in a caring and respectful manner.
• Prep and set up surgical suites, administer pre-anesthesia drugs, and ensure that all surgical and medical areas are clean and organized.
• Perform the circulator role for surgical and dental procedures. Record and report physical signs of patients before, during, and after surgery.
• Enter medical notes and treatment notes into medical records in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensure that animals with infectious diseases are handled safely according to infectious medicine protocols.
• Clean and sanitize cages and hospital facilities, including exam rooms, treatment rooms and surgical suites.
• Monitor the medical consultation phone as assigned. Perform pre-adoption medical consultations as needed.
• Administer medications, topically and orally.

Skills

Excellent communication

Customer service

Teamwork

Education

Certified Euthanasia Certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Oregon Humane Society is seeking a Veterinary Assistant at our Salem campus to join a collaborative medical care team. You will assist with exams, provide daily care, and support anesthesia, radiology and lab tasks in a busy hospital setting.

The role emphasizes compassionate patient handling, accurate documentation, and strong communication with staff and the public. Weekend/evening availability and adherence to safety protocols are required.