Chief Veterinarian

Foothills Animal Shelter - Golden, CO 80401

Start Date 11/05/2026

End Date 11/19/2026

• Salary Range: $140,000.00 - $165,000.00 Salary
• Position Type: Full Time
• Education Level: Graduate Degree
• Category: Veterinary Services

Foothills Animal Shelter is seeking an experienced, optimistic Chief Veterinarian who loves practicing shelter medicine, enjoys sharing their knowledge with others, and values being part of a collaborative team working to make life better for pets and people.
We're looking for a skilled medical professional who understands that excellent shelter care depends on the combined expertise of veterinary medicine, animal behavior, shelter operations, and community services. Our Chief Veterinarian brings an important medical perspective to organizational decisions while recognizing that the best solutions consider the needs of individual animals, the broader shelter population, and the organization as a whole.
This is an opportunity to remain actively engaged in clinical practice while providing medical leadership, mentoring fellow veterinarians, and helping shape the care provided to thousands of animals each year. With approximately 75% of the position dedicated to hands-on veterinary medicine, our Chief Veterinarian spends more time caring for animals than sitting in meetings.

Who We Are
Foothills Animal Shelter is an open-admission animal shelter serving Jefferson County, Colorado, and surrounding communities. Our work includes sheltering and caring for animals, helping lost pets reunite with their families, finding new families for adoptable pets, and providing services that support pets and people in our community.
Our veterinary team plays an essential role in this work, providing medical and surgical care for animals with a wide range of needs. From routine preventative care and high-volume spay/neuter surgery to complex medical cases and infectious disease management, our veterinarians practice medicine in a dynamic environment where their expertise makes a difference every day.
We believe excellent shelter medicine requires both sound clinical judgment and collaboration. Our veterinary professionals work alongside colleagues in animal care, behavior, shelter services, and community programs to support the physical and emotional wellbeing of animals throughout their time with us.

What You Bring

• You're a confident, capable veterinarian who enjoys the variety and challenges of shelter medicine. You understand that providing excellent care in a shelter requires consideration of individual medical needs, population health, available resources, and the realities of shelter operations.
• You bring optimism, curiosity, and a solutions-focused approach to your work. You see opportunities to improve care, strengthen programs, and help colleagues succeed. You enjoy collaborating with others, sharing ideas, and finding creative ways to make the most of the expertise and resources available to the organization.
• You enjoy teaching and mentoring others. Whether helping a fellow veterinarian work through a challenging case, sharing a surgical technique, or introducing a veterinary student to shelter medicine, you find satisfaction in helping others grow. You also recognize that successful learning opportunities require thoughtful consideration of educational value, available resources, and organizational needs.
• You understand that veterinary medicine is an essential part of sheltering, but not the only consideration in caring for animals and serving a community. You value the expertise of colleagues in other disciplines, contribute your medical perspective with confidence and respect, and recognize the importance of making decisions together.
• As a member of the leadership team, you're comfortable participating in difficult conversations, considering perspectives beyond your own, and supporting organizational decisions once they're made. You understand that effective leadership involves both contributing your expertise and helping the broader team succeed.
• Most importantly, you love being a veterinarian and want to continue spending the majority of your time practicing medicine.

What You'll Do
As Chief Veterinarian, you'll provide clinical care and medical leadership for Foothills Animal Shelter while supervising and mentoring our staff veterinarians and providing clinical oversight for relief veterinarians.
Your responsibilities will include:

• Practice veterinary medicine. Provide medical and surgical care for shelter animals, including spay/neuter procedures, dentistry, medical examinations, treatment planning, emergency care, and medical rounds.
• Guide medical standards and practices. Establish and maintain veterinary protocols, standards of care, and disease prevention and control practices informed by current shelter medicine research and best practices.
• Lead and develop veterinarians. Supervise, coach, and mentor staff veterinarians, supporting their clinical skills, professional growth, and accountability. Provide clinical guidance and oversight to relief veterinarians.
• Create valuable learning opportunities. Develop relationships with veterinary schools and training programs to identify mutually beneficial internship and externship opportunities that introduce future veterinarians to shelter medicine and support the Shelter's veterinary capacity.
• Support population health. Apply shelter medicine principles to infectious disease management, treatment planning, and the medical needs of individual animals and the broader shelter population.
• Collaborate across the organization. Partner closely with the Veterinary Services Manager and Director of Animal Behavior and Sheltering to align veterinary care with shelter operations, animal wellbeing, and organizational priorities.
• Contribute to organizational leadership. Bring veterinary expertise, optimism, and a solutions-focused perspective to organizational planning and decision-making. Collaborate with fellow leaders to navigate competing priorities, develop practical solutions, and support the implementation of organizational decisions.
• Share your expertise. Support the professional development of veterinary personnel and provide medical guidance and training to other shelter teams.

What We Offer

• At Foothills, you'll have the opportunity to practice a broad range of veterinary medicine while helping guide the medical care of a diverse shelter population. You'll work alongside dedicated professionals who bring different areas of expertise to the shared goal of making life better for pets and people.
• This position offers the opportunity to influence veterinary standards and practices, develop other veterinarians, and help introduce future professionals to the field of shelter medicine—all while maintaining a substantial hands-on clinical role.
• We strive for a healthy work-life balance, and we offer generous time off including six paid holidays, additional floating holidays (awarded annually on your employment anniversary), three weeks of accrued vacation, and paid sick leave.
• We offer a full spectrum of employee benefits to eligible employees including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, and a retirement plan with up to 4% employer match and immediate vesting. Currently, two of our medical plans and our dental and vision plans are offered at no cost for employee-only coverage.
• As a DVM, you'll also have access to Shelter VIN membership, PLIT insurance reimbursement, DEA license reimbursement, Colorado veterinarian license reimbursement with DORA, and a relocation allowance. Our CE reimbursement is $1,500 annually for this full-time position.
• The salary range for this position is $140,000-$165,000 depending on the depth and breadth of relevant experience.

Foothills Animal Shelter is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer.

Schedule
Variable, generally three 10-hour days with at least one weekend day preferred.
For a full list of duties and qualifications, see the complete job description.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM/VMD) from an AVMA-accredited school of veterinary medicine.
• Current veterinary license in good standing, or eligibility for licensure in Colorado.
• Must hold or be eligible to obtain a current DEA registration and maintain appropriate professional liability insurance.
• Minimum of five years of post-DVM clinical experience, including shelter medicine experience.
• Minimum of two years of experience supervising or providing clinical leadership to veterinarians or other veterinary personnel. Veterinary team management preferred.
• Demonstrated interest and ability in teaching and mentoring veterinary professionals, with sound judgment in developing learning opportunities that balance educational goals with organizational needs and resources.
• DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice) preferred.
• Fear Free Shelter certified or ability to obtain certification within 60 days of employment.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong clinical and surgical skills, including the ability to practice effective, resource-conscious veterinary medicine in a high-volume shelter environment.
• Thorough understanding of shelter medicine principles, including population health, infectious disease management, and the relationship between individual animal care and shelter operations.
• Ability to exercise sound independent medical judgment while recognizing when decisions require broader organizational collaboration.
• Genuine interest in teaching and mentoring veterinary professionals at varying stages of their careers.
• Ability to supervise, coach, and develop staff veterinarians, establish clear expectations, and provide constructive performance feedback.
• Ability to translate veterinary knowledge and current shelter medicine research into practical, effective protocols and procedures.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain medical considerations clearly to colleagues without veterinary training.
• Ability to collaborate constructively with professionals from other disciplines, value differing perspectives, and work toward shared organizational goals.
• Ability to navigate disagreements professionally and participate productively in difficult decisions involving animal care and wellbeing.
• Ability to balance clinical responsibilities, mentorship, and organizational leadership while managing time and priorities effectively.
• Ability to approach challenges with curiosity, flexibility, sound judgment, and a solutions-focused mindset.
• Ability to maintain professional composure and effectiveness in emotionally challenging situations, including emergency care and euthanasia decisions.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive medical, personnel, and organizational information.
• Ability to learn and use shelter management software and maintain accurate medical records.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods on hard surfaces with minimal sedentary work.
• Ability to bend, twist, kneel, and squat frequently throughout the shift.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move up to 50 pounds regularly throughout the shift.
• Ability to handle dogs of all sizes on leash, including dogs weighing over 100 pounds.
• Ability to work in confined spaces, including animal kennels and housing areas.
• Ability to work safely on wet and slippery floor surfaces throughout the shift.

Working Conditions

• Ten-hour shifts; weekend availability preferred; schedule may include holidays.
• Exposure to anesthesia gases, medications, controlled substances, and x-ray radiation.
• Exposure to noise, odors, chemical fumes, animal hair, and dander.
• Exposure to common allergens including animal dander, feathers, hay/straw, latex, peanut butter, dairy products, and other food items used for animal enrichment.
• Exposure to zoonotic diseases and infectious agents through contact with animals and bodily fluids.
• Exposure to cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, and sanitizing agents.
• Exposure to emotionally challenging situations involving sick or injured animals, euthanasia procedures, and end-of-life decisions.
• Frequent handwashing and use of personal protective equipment as required.
• Potential exposure to animal bites and scratches.
• Work performed in areas with high levels of noise.