Humane Society of Mason County Vet Assistant Belfair, WA · Full time

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The Humane Society of Mason County (HSMC) is a non-profit organization providing assistance and care to displaced or abused animals including control of pet and feral population. Additionally, the organization is working to provide an animal shelter for unwanted companion animals. History: The Humane Society of Mason County was founded in 1986 by a group of dedicated volunteers, many animals have been fostered over the years. Starting in December 2004, in response to community need and spearheaded by a local veterinarian, efforts to revitalize the organization began. We have many local supporters, a volunteer network and a strong plan for the future of HSMC.​ In 2022 HSMC hired their first two employees, a veterinarian and a licensed veterinary technician and began performing low cost affordable spay and neuter services to the public. Today: HSMC manages a small facility in Belfair, offering low cost veterinary services and performing over 75 spay and neuter surgeries weekly! HSMC's facility also offers a pet food pantry and resource center for pet owners and community members. HSMC also has an extensive foster program housing over 100 animals in care at any given time, dedicated to providing medical care and finding forever homes. Tomorrow: HSMC owns 5 acres of property in Belfair with plans to build a shelter that will benefit the community for years to come. Stage one, two and three have been completed with the installation of a well, power poles and clearing and fencing of the property. HSMC also conducted a needs assesment study for the building's future size and capitacy. Our next stage is to start construction on the building.

Essential Job Functions 

• Greets and determines needs of the clients and patients, completing check-in and check-out.  Effectively communicate with clients and team members to maintain an efficient workflow
• Demonstrates technical knowledge of products (flea control, special diet food, etc.) and performs appropriate sales to clients for their animals
• Invoices clients, along with collecting payment
• Assists with patient care and treatment
• Assists with preparation of animals for surgical procedures
• Maintains and sterilizes surgical instruments/equipment
• Cleans and disinfects cages, kennels, exam and treatment areas of clinic
• Administers medications, vaccines, microchips and other treatments with appropriate supervision
• Collects and records patient history for wellness exams
• Follows safety protocols to ensure safety of pets, clients and team members
• Restrains pets in a manner that allows necessary work to be performed while minimizing stress to animals
• Trains new clinic volunteers and employees
• Ensures the clinic is clean and prepped for next surgery clinic/wellness day to include laundry, cleaning floors, kennels, and restocking.
• Performs preliminary animal evaluations, including spay/neuter checks 
• Assists the veterinarian with exams of animals in foster care, collects medical history from foster parents and communicates discharge instructions
• Assists euthanasia technician as needed
• Perform other duties, as assigned

Education and Licenses

• High school diploma or GED
• Veterinary Medication Clerk License preferred, but not required
• Must possess a valid Driver’s license and clean driving record

Interpersonal Skills and Professional Attributes

• Models a professional and courteous manner with staff and clients. 
• Basic computer skills (Microsoft Office, e-mail and Clinic HQ preferred); comfortable with technology
• Proper telephone etiquette and client service excellence
• Basic veterinary medical knowledge, including products and services
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong organizational skills with ability to multi-task and still attend to detail
• Ability to handle animals with care and patience
• Ability to work well with others
• Should possess a strong work ethic and be able to  work well under pressure
• Experience in shelter medicine/HQHVSN preferred 
• Learning mindset with continual desire to improve skills
• Calm, consistent demeanor in times of stress
• Ability to receive feedback as a positive contribution to growth

Company Mission and Workplace Core Values 

All employees of HSMC are expected to embrace the organizational mission of providing a second chance for companion animals. In addition, adhering and contributing positively to our team core values is required. These values embody: Team over ego, solutions over blame, psychological safety, progress not perfection, and a “compassion first” approach.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

The offices and operations of a high volume spay/neuter clinic can be stressful and very busy at times. The work space is almost exclusively indoors, working in close space with others. The physical requirements of the job include:

• Work standing or sitting for 8 or more hours
• Lift and carry up to 50 pounds repeatedly throughout the day, with assistance
• Bend and kneel repeatedly
• Assess and view fine detail in a variety of situations
• Repetitive motions that include the wrists, hands and/or fingers
• Communicating with others to exchange information

Benefits include Health, Dental and Vision Insurance with Company Contribution, Annual clothing/uniform allowance, Professional Development Opportunities, Vacation/Paid Time Off accrual of 1.5 hours earned per 40 hours paid (increases over time), Sick Leave at 1 hour earned per 40 hours paid, 6 Paid Holidays per year, Bereavement Leave and more.

For questions about this position, please contact [email protected]