The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA)·Vancouver, British Columbia
The Associate Veterinarian provides high-quality medical care to pets and shelter animals while offering exceptional service to clients. Responsibilities include performing surgeries, interpreting diagnostics, and advocating for animal welfare through education and mentorship.
We welcome diversity, value differences, and foster inclusion in our employment practices.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion by reading our Foundational Principles on our website.
We invite applications from all qualified individuals who are philosophically aligned with our mission, vision and values.
The BC SPCA is a dynamic organization with facilities and services across the province of BC.
Join an expanding team in an exciting time of change in an organization that makes a difference!
Please read below for additional details and let us know if you have the skills and experience we are looking for by submitting your application.
If you are up for the challenge and would like to be considered for this position, we would like to hear from you.
The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) is looking to fill the following career opportunity: POSITION: Associate Veterinarian STATUS: Temporary; Full-Time with benefits (2 year term, ends on May 31, 2028) SHIFT: 35 hours per week.
Monday to Friday LOCATION: Vancouver Animal Hospital - Vancouver, BC CLASSIFICATION: Exempt WAGE: Salaried
Closing Date: Open Until Filled
Reporting to the Senior Director of Veterinary Services, the Associate Veterinarian delivers the highest quality of medical care and provides exceptional service to our clients (pet guardians) and patients (both pets and shelter animals). In addition to providing timely delivery of care, this position also advocates for animals and their quality of life, provides education to stakeholders on pet health and animal welfare, and supports practice and organizational goals by engaging in training, mentorship and professional development. Some specific duties: Duties include but are not limited to: Assimilate information gathered through effective history taking, physical examination, and diagnostic workup to arrive at an appropriate and effective clinical decision. Perform and interpret laboratory procedures and diagnostic tests, including parasitology, hematology and urinalysis. Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic equipment, and interpret the resulting images. Administer anesthetics, perform surgery, and monitor patients during surgery and recovery with the assistance of the technical team. Establish trust and gain the confidence and compliance of clients. This includes, but is not limited to: effectively delivering appropriate preventive care by developing thorough treatment plans, communicating home care instructions, and planning follow‐up; and dealing with clients in a manner that shows sensitivity, tact and professionalism; understanding and utilize the principles of incremental care when working with low-income clients, whenever possible. Understand the principles of shelter medicine and behaviour modification, and adhere to BC SPCA shelter medicine protocols (developed by Board Certified Shelter Medicine and Behaviour Veterinarians) when treating BC SPCA shelter animals. Provide guidance and leadership to the healthcare team about the daily schedule and caseload, and delegate tasks when necessary to positively influence the level of care and service provided. Contribute to client acquisition and retention efforts, when requested, including but not limited to participating in communications, media, and fundraising efforts. Support practice and organizational goals by engaging in training, mentorship (mentor or mentee), and professional development; attend team meetings and other pertinent in-house training. Advocate for animals and their quality of life by building strong relationships with clients and other BC SPCA departments including shelters and CID. Contribute to the development and maintenance of the human‐pet bond by educating clients, BC SPCA staff, and the public on all aspects of pet health and animal welfare. Participate in business development, as required. Collaborate with the health care team and practice management on daily schedule and caseload. Mentor health care team and fellow veterinarians when necessary and if applicable to positively influence the level of care and service provided. If requested, fulfill DR duties as defined in the CVBC Bylaws and any other duties related to DR requirements, including the use and security of controlled drugs, and maintenance of appropriate controlled drug logs. Perform other duties assigned. Qualifications you need to have: Licensed to practice medicine and in good standing with the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC), or the ability to attain licensure to practice in British Columbia before the date of hire. Knowledge and demonstrated abilities in the following areas: consistently practice quality veterinary medicine, commensurate with level of training and years of experience in the field; principles and processes for providing high-quality client and personal services; and principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling the right products or services for different client needs, including identifying their ability to adhere to treatment recommendations and choosing the right strategy and tactics for treatment. Demonstrated excellence in active listening, critical thinking, complex problem solving, time management, multi-tasking and timely completion of duties, good judgment and decision making skills. Strong computer skills in order to obtain and enter client information, order laboratory and diagnostic tests, and receive and send messages. Motivated and confident, with excellent verbal and written communication skills. Friendly, personable, and patient demeanor, with the capability to respectfully deal with a variety of situations and diverse clientele, discussing difficult topics such as costs, quality of life, etc. Ability to fulfill physical demands of the job which may include standing for long periods of time, walking, sitting, and lifting heavy objects up to 20kg, including patients. Commitment to and ability to work safely with and around animals, embracing low-stress handling techniques. Ability to speak a language or languages other than English that are represented in the community served is considered an asset; Philosophical harmony with the vision, mission and strategic directions of the BC SPCA
If you are interested in joining our team and are legally entitled to work in Canada, we would like to hear from you. Click on apply now or use the link to apply https://spca.bc.ca/about-us/careers/ We are committed to a transparent, human-led hiring process. While we use technology to support application management, applications are not screened, scored, or ranked by AI systems. All hiring decisions are made by human hiring managers based on skills, experience, and alignment with the organizational values. We thank you for your interest in the BC SPCA, however; only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls, please. The BC SPCA is a Registered Charity BN 11881 9036 RR0001
Candidates must be licensed to practice with the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia or be eligible for licensure. Required skills include proficiency in veterinary diagnostics, strong communication abilities, and a commitment to low-stress animal handling.
Market context
In British Columbia, associate veterinarian roles typically reflect steady demand across companion-animal and mixed-practice settings, especially where clinics need licensed clinicians who can manage diagnostics and client communication. These roles are competitive because employers often look for College of Veterinarians of British Columbia licensure or eligibility, plus low-stress handling skills and practical diagnostic experience. Before applying, confirm your licensure status and review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save time on the original posting.