ANIMAL PROTECTION LEAGUE
We provide rescue services for animals sheltered in the Stockton Animal Shelter; We provide
medical treatment, behavioral services, adoption, and foster placement, all in the hopes of avoiding
being euthanized! All animals deserve a safe, secure, and loving home!
The Animal Protection League Shelter Veterinarian helps design and implements best practices in
humane population management and high-quality veterinary medical and surgical care for the
animals at the Stockton Animal Shelter. This position reports to the Animal Protection League
Executive Director and Veterinary Manager and works collaboratively with the Stockton Animal
Shelter management and staff.
Essential Duties and Functions: This job description reflects the assignment of essential functions: it
does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may or may not be assigned.
Veterinary Medical Care
• In collaboration with Animal Protection League Veterinary Manager, design and implement
medical and general care protocols for the health and well-being of shelter and foster
animals housed at Stockton Animal Shelter.
• Tend to all health and related aspects of care for shelter animals at the Stockton Animal
Shelter, including but not limited to diagnostic workups, humane health care, euthanasia,
and disease prevention in the shelter.
• Perform surgical procedures on shelter animals, as needed (for example, spay/neuter,
hernia repair, tumor removals, and ocular procedures).
• Lead daily medical rounds and organize treatment plans for shelter animals.
• Offer consistent leadership and coaching for the medical care team and animal shelter staff,
and sustain a strong commitment to teamwork, high professional standards and continuing
development among all shelter employees.
• Comply with all laws pertaining to controlled drugs.
• Enhance professional knowledge and skills.
• Participate in daily medical rounds during shelter medicine shifts.
• Maintain surgical and medical records.
• Work cooperatively across departments and with SAS shelter partners.
• Perform other duties as assigned and assist with special projects as needed.
Accurate Reporting & Documentation
• Ensure medical record keeping is up to date and completed accurately and appropriately.
• Maintain the Chameleon database to ensure accurate recording of medical records on
computerized patient charts (including, for example, treatments, examinations, test results,
surgeries, and outcomes) and other records as may be required by local and state laws.
• Provide direction to staff in regard to medical treatment plans and medical records and
ensure that medical summaries are properly prepared for animals requiring additional
documentation.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, including those pertaining to controlled drugs.
Strengthen Community Partnerships
• Maintain good working relationships with, and act as a primary liaison among, Stockton
Animal Services and the Animal Protection League.
Administrative Duties
• Act as a liaison between departments.
• Collaborate with administrative staff to ensure proper collection of data.
Staff Development
• Participate in SAS staff development through teaching, mentoring and training.
• Keeps staff informed on latest relevant medical techniques and information and encourages
stimulating interchange of medical knowledge.
Client and Community Services
• Investigate and respond to medical concerns and complaints internally and externally, and
report results.
• As requested by Supervisor provide internal and external community veterinary education.
Communication
• Ensure decisions, policies and procedures are effectively communicated.
• Facilitate good working relationships through teamwork and collaboration.
• Maintain effective communication with staff through daily contact in scheduled meetings,
daily medical rounds, informally or in writing as needed to coordinate and direct medical
functions of the Shelter Medicine and Spay Neuter Clinic.
Safety
• Ensure a safe work environment by following all safety guidelines and modeling safe work
practices.
• Take immediate action to address any safety concerns that could put a staff member,
volunteer, customer, animal, or the organization at risk.
• Maintain a clean, healthy, and sanitary work area; follow all pest and rodent control
protocols.
Volunteers · Work cooperatively with all volunteers and recognize the talent and commitment they
bring to the Stockton Animal Shelter and the APL.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
• Work effectively with individuals and colleagues from diverse communities and cultures.
Reporting Relationships and Contacts:
• Reports to Stockton Animal Shelter Veterinary Manager.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment:
• Regularly stands, bends, stoops and crouches while seeing patients.
• Regularly performs spay and neuter surgeries.
• Frequently lifts, carries animals weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Frequently exposed to animals under stress.
• Regularly sits at computer stations and operates electronic equipment.
• Consistently exposed to animals in the workplace and animal allergens under conditions
with limited alternatives available.
Education and Experience:
• Graduated from an accredited veterinary medical college – DVM or equivalent.
• Licensed to practice in the State of California.
• Experience in high-quality-volume spay/neuter clinic and/or post-graduate surgical
training.
• Experience with Shelter Medicine and herd health preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Commitment to the mission, values, goals, and success of the Animal Protection League.
• Demonstrated aptitude in clinical medicine and surgery.
• Experience in animal welfare and shelter operations a plus.
• Demonstrated success in managing a diverse team of professionals, skilled in managing
varied relationships and successful at facilitating collaboration and cooperation.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of staff management and the appropriate methods
and means of dealing with human behavior situations in a variety of business
circumstances.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing in a diverse range of audiences
and settings.
• Excellent communication skills including ability to mediate conflicts and give/receive
feedback • Working the hours necessary to accomplish targeted responsibilities.
• Delegating responsibility, achieving and measuring results with team members.
• Practices excellent quality medicine and upholds the veterinary code of ethics.
Salary and Benefits:
The starting salary for this position depends on the depth and breadth of experience. Regular, fulltime positions are eligible for a benefits package including paid time off, medical, dental, and vision
insurance, and non-employer contributing 401K.
The Animal Protection League requires pre-employment drug testing and background check. The
Animal Protection League is an at-will employer.

See above.

About Animal Protection League

The Animal Protection League supports the Stockton Animal Shelter and the community it serves. Every year the shelter takes in over 10,000 animals from the city of Stockton and areas of San Joaquin County. They are an open admission shelter. APL is committed to reducing dog and cat populations through a spay/neuter program, increasing the placement of animals through adoption events and rescue partners, and facilitating the return of lost pets to their owners, by micro-chipping and online information.

Connections working at Animal Protection League