WELLNESS CLINIC VETERINARY VOLUNTEERS, CLEVELAND, OH
a program from Friends of the Cleveland Kennel
216-505-5853
www.neighborhoodpetscle.org
Duties and responsibilities
Client Care
Greet clients in a professional and friendly manner
Review pet’s history
Determine client’s concerns (lumps, bumps, weight etc)
Review requested services
Answer client’s questions using plain, understandable language
Counsel clients in an inclusive, tolerant, accepting manner
Wellness Exam
Perform a through wellness exam
Discuss findings and recommendations with client, and document on exam form
Vaccines
Administer requested vaccines
Document vaccines on exam form
Eye/Ear/Skin Care
Clean eyes, ears, and/or skin when appropriate
Treat eyes, ears, and/or skin when appropriate
Nail Care
When medically necessary, assist vet techs as needed with nail trims
Qualifications
State of Ohio veterinary license required
Recent experience in shelter medicine or a low-cost clinic setting is strongly preferred
Awareness of pet retention programs including Pets For Life is helpful
Strong desire to empower clients to be great pet owners
Strong ability to communicate with clients in an inclusive, tolerant, accepting manner
JOB DESCRIPTION
Strong ability and desire to help clients feel comfortable conversing about their pet’s health regardless of their knowledge level
Ability to think outside the box to offer clients affordable solutions to common problems when appropriate
Must be comfortable working with all breeds and sizes of dogs and with restraint
Interest in low-stress, fear-free handling preferred
Strong desire to engage in work that creates personal fulfillment and purpose
A positive, open-minded, friendly attitude accompanied by a good sense of humor is necessary
Must be able to work as part of a team and pitch in where needed to ensure smooth flow
Flexibility with scheduling is required; must be available Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday afternoons
Working conditions
Wellness clinics are held 4-5 days per month (always on Wednesdays, Fridays, or Saturdays) for approximately 2-3 hours at a time and function on an appointment basis
Appointments are scheduled in 10-minute intervals, but sometimes run over
Wellness veterinary clinic services include exams, vaccines, flea prevention, dewormer, basic ear/eye treatment, and nail trims as needed
Counseling on a variety of topics including nutrition, behavior, spay/neuter, flea and parasite prevention, ear/eye/skin care, and dental care is common
Wellness clinics are held in high need, urban settings
Work is performed in a non-traditional setting; e.g. not in a vet hospital/clinic
Work is generally performed indoors, but outdoor work may be required under special circumstances
Staff and volunteers rotate their shifts, therefore you may work with different team members at each clinic
Each clinic is staffed with 1-2 vet techs and 3-4 administrative staff/volunteers
Whenever possible low-stress, fear-free techniques are used
Dogs are often undersocialized and many are seeing a vet for the first time; some pets are extremely fearful
Dogs and cats often have unknown vaccine history and are not spayed/neutered
Many clients are fearful of spay/neuter and need to develop trust before expressing interest
Physical requirements
Stand for extended periods of time
Perform repetitive tasks with extremely limited breaks
Assist with animal restraint as needed
Direct reports
Incumbent will lightly supervise the vet techs in a very informal manner.