Veterinary Assistant

City of Indianapolis; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 36,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Indianapolis is seeking an experienced Veterinary Technician to assist the Veterinarian in a shelter setting. The role involves performing exams, administering medications, and maintaining medical records for animals entering the facility.

The candidate will work with a diverse team and may require weekend and evening hours. The position emphasizes animal health, diagnostics, euthanasia decisions, and collaboration with veterinarians and shelter staff.

Qualifications

• Must communicate with a culturally diverse staff and public in a professional and courteous manner.
• Strong knowledge of animal health and diseases.
• Strong knowledge of veterinary medicine.
• Veterinary technician skills such as performing diagnostic tests and physical examinations.

Responsibilities

• Performs exams on every animal entering the building, including age, breed, sex, spay/neuter status, weights, pregnancy, vaccines, de-worming, flea prevention, nail trims and ear cleanings, and triage for the medical team.
• Administers medications to animals.
• Maintains clear and accurate records.
• Assesses the health of animals in the shelter.
• Provides input on euthanasia decisions for medical reasons.
• Provides feedback on animal behavior.
• Performs animal euthanasia.
• Performs diagnostic skin scrapes on animals.
• Performs diagnostic fecal parasite tests on animals.
• Clips and cleans wounds.
• Assesses animals for fleas, ear mites, and other parasites.
• Grooms severely neglected animals.
• Transports animals to veterinary clinics for spay-neuter or other treatments.

Skills

Cultural sensitivity

Animal health knowledge

Veterinary medicine knowledge

Veterinary technician skills

Professional communication

Tools

Shelter management system

Job description

Overview

Agency Summary

Job Summary

Position is responsible for assisting the Veterinarian.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The City of Indianapolis Marion County is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We value diversity in perspectives and experiences among colleagues and the residents of this city of whom we serve.

Position Responsibilities

• Performs exams on every animal entering the building, including but not limited to: identifying age, breed, sex, spay or neuter status, obtaining weights, assessing animals for pregnancy, administering vaccines, de-worming, flea preventative, performing nail trims and ear cleanings as needed and triaging animals for the medical team.
• Administers medications to animals.
• Maintains clear and accurate records.
• Assesses the health of animals in the shelter.
• Provides input on euthanasia decisions for medical reasons.
• Provides feedback on the behavior of animals.
• Performs animal euthanasia.
• Performs diagnostic skin scrapes on animals.
• Performs diagnostic fecal parasite tests on animals.
• Clips and cleans wounds.
• Assesses animals for fleas, ear mites, and other external parasites.
• Grooms severely neglected animals.
• Transports animals to veterinary clinics for spay-neuter surgery or other medical treatments.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities that management may deem necessary from time to time.

Qualifications

• Must have at least 2 years working experience in a veterinary clinic or animal shelter.
• Must be able to communicate with a culturally diverse staff and public and to display professional and courteous behavior at all times.
• Must be able to write legibly and learn to use the shelter management computer system.
• Weekend and evening hours may be required.
• Must have a strong knowledge of animal health and diseases.
• Must have a strong knowledge of veterinary medicine.
• Must have veterinary technician skills such as performing diagnostic tests and physical examinations of animals.
• Must be able to effectively communicate with veterinarians, managers, kennel and field staffing in a professional and courteous manner.

Working Conditions

Position will be responsible for working in loud and wet conditions, working with animals of unknown health, origin, or temperaments, and will sometimes be required to perform work outside in inclement weather.