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Job Summary:  

The Veterinary Technician works hand-in-hand with veterinarians to ensure quality patient care, and to aid the doctors in achieving greater efficiency by relieving them of technical work. The Veterinary Technician assists in multiple procedures providing care for animals including physical examinations, dental procedures, surgeries, immunizations, euthanasia as well as client education, marketing and inventory maintenance. Technicians may also see their own appointments for procedures such as suture removal, nail trim, vaccine administration when a doctor exam is not required, labwork, surgery admission and discharge, and boarding entrance exams. This position requires a working knowledge of pharmaceutical drugs, common diseases; their symptoms, means of transmission, treatment and prevention, and other basic preventative health care recommendations. This is an overview of the position and the job responsibilities listed do not encompass the entire position. The Veterinary Technician is under the direct guidance and supervision of the Lead Veterinary Technician and Veterinarians.

Come join our team at Pepper's Senior Dog Sanctuary. We are committed to quality of life for our senior dogs and the humans who take care of them. We are able to work with our team members to create a schedule that works in the context of your life to help maximize work life balance, while providing our dogs with top quality care. Lets craft a role together to maximize your professional fulfillment and personal wellbeing. Our senior dogs need their human caregivers at their very best!

About Pepper’s Senior Dog Sanctuary:

We provide senior dogs with a compassionate, forever home, at our veterinarian-supervised sanctuary. We care for our dogs for all the days of their lives, including hospice needs. We are the premier “dog retirement community” for canines who need us most - forever. We fill a unique need and space in senior dog sanctuaries. While you won’t find shuffleboard at our sanctuary, our seniors have other amenities and supports that make Pepper’s a well-deserved luxury for senior dogs. We provide small group and one-on-one care; enormous space to play, lounge, and sleep kiddie-poolside; individual bedroom suites; professionally trained staff and volunteers; and dedicated physical therapy and medical care. Dogs who become part of the Pepper’s family win the retirement lottery. 

We will officially open in 2023, when construction is complete on our first-rate sanctuary. The dogs we’ve already welcomed, currently live between our leadership team and at the sanctuary. We are presently focused on raising the funds to complete our $5 million capital campaign. 

Pepper’s only adopts dogs from area shelters and rescues, helping to ease the burden of overcrowding. The ASPCA estimates that approximately 670,000 dogs who enter U.S. shelters each year are euthanized. Sadly, many of these dogs who are considered seniors and special needs dogs are prematurely or unnecessarily euthanized due to age, special medical needs, testing heartworm positive, or having a disability. At Pepper’s, age and appearances don’t matter – we’re specially equipped to care for elderly and special needs dogs for their entire journey. Please feel free to check us out on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@psds.

Benefits: 

• Health insurance after 90 days of full time employment. 
• Qualifies for PSLF student loan repayment. 
• Flexible scheduling
• PTO paid (holiday, vacation, sick)
• CE allowance
• Retirement account 

Responsibilities of the Veterinary Technician include, but may not be limited, to: 

• Assist veterinarians with veterinary medicine and surgery in any appropriate capacity
• Obtain and record patient histories, vital signs, and weights
• Perform in-hospital lab testing and prepare specimens for reference labs
• Dispense and administer medications, vaccines, serums and treatments as prescribed by veterinarians.
• Administer fluids and blood products as prescribed by the veterinarian; use and maintain IV pumps.
• Administer and monitor anesthesia under the direction of a veterinarian.
• Provide specialized nursing care for injured or ill animals.
• Prepare patients, instruments and equipment for surgery; clean, maintain and sterilize instruments, equipment, and materials.
• Assure that monitoring and support equipment such as anesthetic machines, cardiac monitors, scopes and breathing apparatus are in good working condition.
• Communicate with and educate owners in a compassionate, tactful, professional manner
• Take radiographs – processes rads, demonstrates proper positioning techniques
• Maintain knowledge of preventative healthcare recommendations in order to answer client/ veterinary questions, provide education on vaccines, flea and heartworm products, and assist in marketing veterinary services from which their pet would benefit, such as a dental cleaning, senior wellness, and spay and neuter 
• Educate clients on products and medications sold including dietary products and answer questions regarding product purchase/use.
• Assist Animal Care Staff 
• Maintain legally defensible medical records in cooperation with veterinarians
• Maintain inventory of pharmaceuticals, equipment and supplies
• Work well with all team members and ensure that your actions support the hospital, the doctors, and the practice philosophy.
• Help, coordinate, and monitor the care of PSDS residents. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Must have passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam
• Must be registered with the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians. 

Competency Requirements:

• Must be passionate about the humane treatment and care of animals
• Must be committed to the mission of PSDS
• Exceptional interpersonal skills
• Well-organized & must have a strong ability to multitask
• Highly ethical
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must be a self-starter with a high level of initiative
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team

Workplace Culture:

• Must be able to work in a dog-friendly environment
• Must be able to drive a motor vehicle locally to conduct sanctuary business; must have a valid driver’s license
• Must be able to frequently stand and move around the work areas (duties require sitting, bending, reaching, and stooping; manual dexterity, feeling and grasping is needed for keyboarding and other work tasks)
• Must be able to climb a flight of stairs to access upstairs business office
• Must frequently lift dogs and objects up to 50 pounds; may occasionally transport heavier pets and items
• Normal or corrected hearing and vision are required, along with speaking abilities
• Subject to moderate noise with typical work environments involving dogs (barking, computers, printers, & office traffic)
• Subject to exposure to radiation in association with performing radiological vet procedures
• Occasional out-of-the-area travel may be required for training, conferences, and to visit other sanctuaries