Job description

About the Role

The Veterinarian – Wildlife Rescue Centre is responsible for providing veterinary care, medical oversight, rehabilitation support, disease prevention, and animal welfare leadership for all animals under the care of the Wildlife Rescue Centre.

The role supports the rescue, stabilization, treatment, rehabilitation, transfer, release, and long-term management of rescued wildlife, confiscated animals, surrendered exotic animals, orphaned wildlife, and other animals admitted to the facility.

The Veterinarian plays a critical role in ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, biosecurity, preventive medicine, clinical care, and humane treatment while supporting the safe operation of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation activities.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Veterinary Care

• Provide comprehensive veterinary care for animals housed within the Wildlife Rescue Centre.
• Perform physical examinations, diagnostic investigations, treatments, surgical procedures, and medical interventions as required.
• Develop and implement treatment plans for injured, sick, confiscated, abandoned, orphaned, and rehabilitating wildlife.
• Monitor patient recovery and adjust treatment plans as necessary.
• Ensure appropriate pain management, supportive care, and humane treatment at all stages of rehabilitation.
• Provide veterinary support during animal transfers, releases, and rehoming activities.

Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation

• Support rescue, triage, stabilization, and rehabilitation of wildlife admitted to the Centre.
• Conduct health assessments on newly admitted animals.
• Develop rehabilitation plans in collaboration with animal care and rehabilitation staff.
• Assess animals for release suitability and post-rehabilitation outcomes.
• Support decision-making regarding release, transfer, long-term placement, or humane euthanasia where necessary.
• Provide veterinary guidance during wildlife rescue operations and emergency responses.

Animal Welfare

• Act as a key advocate for animal welfare throughout the Centre.
• Ensure medical and husbandry decisions prioritize animal welfare and quality of life.
• Participate in welfare assessments and welfare improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with operational staff to optimize housing, enrichment, nutrition, and behavioral management.
• Monitor animals for signs of stress, injury, disease, or compromised welfare.
• Promote evidence-based approaches to welfare management.

Preventive Medicine and Population Health

• Develop and implement preventive healthcare programs.
• Establish appropriate vaccination, parasite control, screening, and monitoring programs where applicable.
• Monitor disease trends and emerging animal health concerns.
• Develop health surveillance programs for resident and incoming wildlife.
• Contribute to population health management strategies and veterinary planning.

Biosecurity and Disease Control

• Lead implementation of biosecurity and disease prevention programs.
• Ensure compliance with quarantine and isolation protocols.
• Develop procedures to mitigate zoonotic disease risks.
• Investigate disease outbreaks and implement control measures.
• Maintain infection control standards throughout veterinary and animal care operations.
• Advise management on health-related risks and mitigation measures.

Veterinary Records and Documentation

• Maintain accurate veterinary records and medical histories.
• Ensure proper documentation of treatments, diagnostics, necropsies, and clinical findings.
• Contribute to regulatory reporting requirements.
• Support accurate animal inventory and health record management.
• Prepare veterinary reports, case summaries, and professional recommendations when required.

Team Support and Training

• Provide veterinary guidance and support to animal care and rehabilitation personnel.
• Assist in training staff in animal health monitoring, safe animal handling, medication administration, biosecurity practices, and welfare assessment.
• Support development of species-specific healthcare and animal management protocols.
• Mentor veterinary technicians, veterinary nurses, interns, and students where applicable.
• Promote a collaborative approach between veterinary and operational teams.

Health, Safety and Safe Zoological Operations

• Ensure veterinary procedures are performed safely and in accordance with approved risk assessments and safety procedures.
• Support safe immobilization, restraint, transport, and handling of wildlife.
• Participate in emergency planning and response activities.
• Assist in investigations involving animal-related incidents, injuries, or disease outbreaks.
• Promote a culture of safety, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with occupational health, safety, and animal handling standards.

Conservation and Research

• Support conservation-focused veterinary initiatives and wildlife rehabilitation programs.
• Participate in research activities that contribute to wildlife health, welfare, rehabilitation, and conservation.
• Collaborate with zoological, academic, veterinary, and conservation partners.
• Contribute veterinary expertise to conservation planning and wildlife management programs.
• Support collection and analysis of health-related data to improve animal care outcomes.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent veterinary qualification recognized by the UAE.
• Eligibility for veterinary licensure and professional practice within the UAE.
• Minimum 5 years of professional veterinary experience.
• Experience treating wildlife, exotic animals, zoological species, or non-domestic animals.
• Experience performing clinical examinations, diagnostics, surgery, anesthesia, and medical treatment.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary animal care teams.

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification in wildlife medicine, zoological medicine, conservation medicine, pathology, surgery, or a related discipline.
• Board certification or specialist status in zoological, wildlife, avian, exotic animal, or conservation medicine.
• Experience within a zoo, wildlife park, aquarium, rescue centre, rehabilitation centre, conservation organization, or wildlife authority.
• Experience treating confiscated, rescued, orphaned, or rehabilitating wildlife.
• Experience supporting field rescue operations and emergency animal response.
• Experience with regulatory compliance and wildlife health management.