VCA Animal Hospitals logo
VCA Animal Hospitals
Palm Springs, California

Relief Veterinarian

VeterinarianIncludes callContract

Listed compensation

$1200 - $1400/shift

Listing transparency4 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about weekend coverage and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Contract · on-site
Call expectations
Includes call
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

VCA Desert Animal Hospital is in need of Relief Veterinarians! We currently are looking for relief veterinarians to help cover multiple shifts over the course of the next few months. Our hospital is located in Palm Springs, CA, and is a well-established small animal practice that does see some urgent care cases.

In this position you'll use your superior medical judgment combined with a high level of empathy, confidence and humility to build a loyal client base and heal pets.

As a member of the VCA family, your passion for medicine and compassion for pets and people is matched with a commitment to your professional growth. Among the reasons to consider joining VCA are:

  • Network of 4,500+ doctors, including more than 600 Specialists.
  • Largest provider of Private Practice Internships and Residencies in the U. S.
  • WOOF University, offering abundant CE for Doctors and Staff.
  • Robust Clinical Studies program.
  • Opportunities to give back through strong Shelter partnerships and VCA Charities.

The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development)

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com

Explore Location

If you are a current associate, you will need to apply through our internal career site. Please log into Workday and click on the Jobs Hub app or search for Browse Jobs.

Benefits: We offer competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and paid vacation/sick days, 401(k), generous employee pet discounts and more!

The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development)

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com

Key Responsibilities

As a Relief Veterinarian, you will provide medical care to pets and build a loyal client base. You will be expected to use your medical judgment and empathy in urgent care situations.

Requirements

Candidates should possess strong medical judgment and a compassionate approach to both pets and their owners. Experience in urgent care cases is beneficial.

Key Skills

Client Relationship BuildingPet Care

Veterinary Medicine Career Context

In California, the Veterinary Medicine weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$135k (96 salary observations; 110 listings), vs ~$127k nationally (429 salary observations; 1,045 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-02-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

Of the 47 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 9% are remote, 66% have no call, 55% require no weekends.

Veterinary Medicine pay on WeekdayDoc is down 20.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$130k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $117k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Veterinarian Jobs

20 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution20 jobs · 15 employers

10
<$180k
2
$180k-200k
5
$200k
1
$220k
2
$240k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks20 jobs · 15 employers

Sign-on bonus
95%
401k / retirement match
95% this job
CME allowance
75%
Relocation assistance
70%
Loan repayment
10%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Feline-Only Veterinarian – Full-Time or Part-Time

Confidential Employer · New Orleans, Louisiana

$80k-$240k
#2

Feline-Only Veterinarian – Full-Time or Part-Time

Veterinary Practice Partners · New Orleans, Louisiana

$80k-$240k
#3

Veterinarian, Partner & Equity Owner

$120k-$220k
#4

Veterinarian - Madera, CA

$150k-$200k
+ 18 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

1.5/ 10
Listing-based score

A signal to investigate—not a guarantee about the workplace.

  • On-site
  • Includes call
VCA Animal Hospitals logo

About VCA Animal Hospitals

Veterinary Services
Los Angeles, CA
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, vision
Paid vacation/sick days
401(k)
Generous employee pet discounts