Staff Spotlight: Dr. Bennett
Dr. Bennett with a shelter pup.
Meet Dr. Jennifer Bennett! Dr. Bennett is our Chief Veterinary Officer and supports an animal’s journey from the moment they enter the shelter until they get their second chance.
Q. What is your role at the shelter?
A. My position serves the shelter through oversight of the Veterinary, Foster, Adoptions, Receiving, Customer Service and Animal Service Teams with the assistance of our managers. I support an animal’s journey from the moment they enter the shelter until they leave and ensure we take care of their physical and mental needs along the way. I also support our efforts in community well-being through our programs that are designed to assist with keeping pets with their people and meeting pet care needs in our local community.
I am also a representative of the shelter at the state and national level through my work on veterinary and animal welfare committees and professional organizations.
Q. What does a day in your life at the shelter look like?
A. My time is typically split between planning and organizing shelter projects and implementing new processes, administrative work, and spending time on the shelter floor where I help mentor our veterinarians and other team members. Some days I may assist with an amputation surgery, while other days I may be working with our Dog Services Team to implement enrichment program updates. I love that my days are varied and never quite the same. My job is 24/7 and I am always available to assist my team members because the work we do is never done.
Q. What made you want to work at the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County?
A. Originally, I came on board as a consultant to assist with building the Veterinary Team and reviewing and updating some of the medical protocols. Through my work with the team, I became very invested in the new direction the shelter was moving in with our new leadership and the desire to grow and align with best practices in the animal welfare industry.
Q. What’s your favorite part of working here?
A. My teams! Each team provides me with daily inspiration and reasons to improve our animal care and outcomes. I am inspired by our like-mindedness towards a common goal and the trust that staff and volunteers have placed in me to take us in new directions even when the outcome isn’t familiar. Team collaboration often leads to better ideas!
Q. Why are you so passionate about the work we do?
A. I eat, sleep, and breathe shelter medicine and operations and have committed my work to alignment with best practices across the industry. I wake up excited about the work we are doing – there’s not enough hours in the day to accomplish all the things we have planned. I love being part of something so practical that touches most of our lives: preserving and supporting the human-animal bond.
Q. Any special stories you’d like to share?
A. Through our programs, we have been able to help many pets stay with their people and avoid a shelter stay – a win-win! We have also been able to open our doors to a collaborative program with local veterinary clinics to assist them in training new veterinarians on large dog spay surgeries, a partnership we plan to continue long-term.
Dr. Bennett showing one of her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Interested in a career at the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County Check out our careers page for opportunities and apply today!
