VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE:
POSITION TITLE:
CLOSING DATE:
SALARY RANGE:
VETERINARIAN ASSISTANT (part-time)
Friday, March 13, 2015 @ 5:00 p.m.
$10.52 to $14.03 per hour
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is actively seeking qualified applicants for the position of Veterinarian
Assistant. This is a part-time position working up to 32 hours per week.
JOB SUMMARY:
The Veterinarian Assistant performs work assisting the Veterinarian in all aspects of veterinary care
including emergency care, restraint general anesthesia, surgery and treatment. The member performs
technical, operational, and public relations duties and tasks specific to the position. The member assists
in working cooperatively with rescue operations, facilitating adoptions, feedings and euthanasia. Must
be able to work with inmates.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATONS:
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High School Diploma or GED or equivalent.
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Must have a valid driver’s license
Ability to obtain Florida Euthanasia Certification within six (6) months of hire.
Must receive Inmate Work Program Training.
Applicants with two (2) years relevant experience with a licensed veterinarian preferred.
Works under the direct supervision of a licensed Veterinarian employed by WCSO, or fill-in
Veterinarians as needed.
Able to lift a minimum of 40 lbs., engage in repetitive motions of hands and arms, able to crouch
and kneel, able to walk and/or stand throughout a normal workday.
Regular exposure to animal odors, diseases, possible contagious conditions, animal bites and
scratches, moderate noise levels.
Must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
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Performs animal restraint, primarily on dogs and cats. Ability to assess situations and
animals for their personal safety, as well as that of others.
Understands standard veterinary terminology, abbreviations and recognize standard
veterinary medication names. Able to perform basic medical calculations.
Conducts daily kennel rounds to assess the general health of the animals and notify the
Veterinarian of any concerns. Monitors the ongoing well-being and maintenance
medical care of shelter animals.
Maintains quarantine of animals in isolation rooms until advised they are cleared to
return to general population by the Veterinarian. Follows appropriate isolation
protocols.
Conducts basic medical treatment, as directed by the Veterinarian-such as administering
medications (including by IM and SQ routes), wound dressings, subcutaneous fluids, etc.
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Operates specialized equipment, and administer medications (including by IM and SQ
routes), vaccines, and euthanization if needed.
Collects samples and performs basic diagnostic tests, such as heartworm, FeLV/FIV and
Parvo tests. Able to interpret results and reports them to the Veterinarian and
documents them in the electronic and paper medical record for the pet.
Performs intake and discharge of surgical patients. This could be to/from the animal
wards or to/from private citizens bringing an adopted animal back for services.
Prepare records for the surgical patients, including obtaining an accurate weight and
estimating age.
Draws up anesthesia-related medications for each case ahead of time per standing
Veterinarian orders.
Under the direct supervision of the Veterinarian, induces general anesthesia, intubates,
and maintains anesthesia (isoflurane).
Prepares the animal for anesthesia by proper positioning on the operating table, and
clipping and prepping of the surgical site. Assists the Veterinarian in opening the surgical
packs, providing suture or other materials, as requested.
Maintains sterile field at all times during surgery and alerts the Veterinarian to any
break in the field.
Monitors the patient before, during and after surgery to ensure appropriate anesthesia
recovery. Alerts the Veterinarian immediately at the first sign of concern.
Prepares appropriate vaccines and other preventive care medications and administers
per standing Veterinarian orders, or based on individual case direction from the
Veterinarian.
Clean, organize, wrap and sterilize surgical drapes, instruments and packs in a timely
manner to ensure an adequate supply is available at the beginning of the next day.
Maintain adequate levels of isoflurane and sodasorb in the anesthetic machine, and
restock the operating room and treatment rooms daily. Cleans used endotracheal tubes
daily per established protocol to prevent transmission of communicable diseases.
Follows cleaning protocols for prevention of infectious/zoonotic diseases and maintain
the operating room and treatment rooms.
Inputs all vaccination, surgical and medical records into ShelterPro and maintains any
working written documents during care. Inputs rabies tag numbers and affixes to the
written record after obtaining the written signature of the Veterinarian on the rabies
certificate. Distributes information to front desk personnel and, if pertinent, to kennel
technicians.
Care for, feed, monitor, medicate and perform minor treatment on animals in the
treatment rooms. Communicate closely with kennel technicians to ensure appropriate
continuity of care.
Place “No Feed” signs on the cages of the surgeries scheduled for the next day.
Communicate with kennel techs for the placement of applicable signs for surgeries
following a scheduled day off.
Inventory pharmaceuticals, equipment, supplies, and prepare order list for Veterinarian
to order.
Follow all veterinary care protocols for shelter animals-including medical, surgical,
behavior, nutrition, isolation and general care protocols for the health and well-being of
the individual animal and as a herd.
Outstanding communication skills with medical and nonmedical personnel as well as the
public.
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Educate clients on post-operative care, ongoing preventive care needs or other
discharge instructions per individual case needs.
Demonstrated multi-tasking skills, ability to handle diverse assignments, and attention
to detail. Should be able to identify own limitations and be willing to ask for help.
Resilient and flexible in the face of stressful situations and ability to work efficiently and
effectively under those conditions.
Interest in serving a rural area to combat pet overpopulation and improve animal
welfare.
Treat all animals humanely, safely and with compassion at all times, regardless of the
situation. Step back from the circumstance as necessary and ask for assistance.
Communicate via telephone, computer, and radio
Assists with kennel duties as needed.
Must be able to respond when called in.
Adheres to work schedule and attendance requirements.
TO APPLY:
External Applicants:
To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a Walton County
Sheriff’s Office Support Staff Application. Applications and instructions are
available online via the Agency’s website: http//www.waltonso.org.
Internal Applicants:
Current employees of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office may submit a
memorandum of interest in lieu of an application.
For assistant, please call the Walton County Sheriff’s Office Human Resources Office at 850-892-8186.
HIRING PROCESS:
Applicants will be required to successfully complete:
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Background investigation which includes, but is not limited to: criminal history, driving history,
credit check, previous employment verification
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Computerized test (CritiCall) administered by the agency
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Polygraph Examination
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Panel Interview
 Pre-employment Drug Screen (including nicotine panel)
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The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug Free Workplace. If you
need an accommodation to participate in the application/selection process because of a disability, please
notify the Human Resource Office in advance by calling 850-892-8186.
Florida residents seeking Veteran Preference must complete the Veteran’s Preference portion of the
application and submit a DD214.