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Veterinarian – Arcata Animal Hospital

Arcata, California
Salary Range: $110,000 – $140,000 (DOE) (Pro Sal Base + Production = 21%) (No Negative Accrual for paid time off)

Schedule: 30–40 hrs/week | 4-Day Work Week | Rotating Saturdays

At Arcata Animal Hospital, we’re looking for a dedicated, compassionate veterinarian to join our collaborative, AAHA-accredited team. If you’re passionate about practicing high-quality medicine in a supportive and forward-thinking environment—with access to advanced diagnostics, a highly skilled support staff, and stunning natural surroundings—we’d love to hear from you.

Why Join Arcata Animal Hospital?

Rooted in Community, Growing for the Future

Established in 1950, our privately owned practice has a loyal client base and a strong reputation for excellent care. We’re currently expanding our facility by 1,700 sq ft to support a growing caseload and the addition of physical rehabilitation services.

Advanced Medicine, Full Support

We offer progressive care including:

  • Laparoscopic OVE and gastropexies
  • Endoscopy
  • Digital dental radiology
  • Acupuncture and integrative medicine
  • Abdominal, cardiac, and musculoskeletal ultrasound
  • In-house lab, digital cytology, Snyder ICU, and ventilator access
  • Rehabilitation services (coming soon!)

Our team includes experienced RVTs, veterinary assistants, and client service reps, maintaining a 5:1 support staff-to-doctor ratio.

Collaborative Culture

We foster a positive, inclusive, and mentorship-rich environment. Whether you’re a seasoned DVM or a recent graduate, you’ll have access to tailored training and ongoing professional development.

Incredible Location

Arcata is nestled between majestic redwood forests and the Pacific coast, offering unmatched access to hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures—plus a vibrant arts and food scene, all within a relaxed, small-town setting.

Compensation & Benefits

  • Base Salary: $110,000 – $140,000 DOE + 21% production (no negative accrual)
  • Relocation Assistance
  • Flexible Schedule: 4-day work week, rotating Saturdays
  • Insurance: Health, dental, and vision
  • Retirement: Simple IRA with 3% employer match
  • Paid Time Off: 3 weeks PTO + paid holidays
  • Continuing Education: $2,000 CE allowance + CE days off
  • Licensing & Dues: DVM license, DEA registration, AVMA/CVMA/VIN membership, and Fear Free certification covered
  • Other Perks:
    • Short-term disability insurance
    • Scrub allowance
    • Generous employee pet care discount
    • Reliable mentorship and support for specialized interests (exotics, integrative medicine, hospice care, rehab certifications)

What We’re Looking For

Preferred Experience & Skills:

  • General practice, surgery, dentistry, and/or emergency medicine
  • Strong communication and teamwork
  • Emotional intelligence and adaptability
  • Soft tissue surgery and hospitalized patient care

Required Credentials:

  • DVM or VMD
  • Licensed to practice in California (or ability to obtain)
  • Fear Free certification (or willingness to complete)

Our Core Values

We recognize and take action to alleviate stress, pain and suffering in our patients through healing medical services. We extend our compassion toward our clients and to each other. We seek to maintain a positive working environment that fosters encouragement and support.

We are committed to Excellence in all levels of patient and client care. This includes adhering to best medical practices, exceeding Standards of Care, maintaining a pristine level of cleanliness in the hospital and ensuring accuracy at all levels. To ensure we are able to maintain this level of Excellence, we embrace feedback, positive change, and accountability.

We will always conduct ourselves and engage in business practices with the utmost integrity and honesty. We advocate for the patient and client, showing respect and working within their means. We always offer the best in care, doing our best working within the financial constraints of our clients, avoiding judgmental comments or actions. We recognize the need to operate with integrity with respect to the financial health of the hospital, not engaging in practices that will reduce the financial solvency of the hospital and prevent us from offering superior medical care.

We are as efficient as possible in all areas of patient care, client care and hospital care. Bottlenecks in delivery of our services are identified and eliminated as quickly as possible. We avoid waste of resources. We are efficient in management of hospital inventory. We constantly look for better, more efficient ways to conduct business and deliver a stellar client experience, never hesitating to adapt and change to improve.

We exist to serve our clients, patients, and our team. We are here for them. The Arcata Animal Hospital Experience should be unique, unexpected and exceed client expectations.

Apply Today

Ready to thrive in a veterinary practice that truly values collaboration, innovation, and work-life balance?