There are nearly 14,000 animal shelters and rescue organizations in the United States. Last year, they took in 5.8 million animals. And the number of veterinarians willing to support them as a veterinarian of record, the licensed professional a shelter relies on for protocols, prescriptions, and medical guidance, still falls well short of what is needed.

That gap is also an opportunity.

The role of veterinarian of record, known as VOR, is something most practicing veterinarians have not seriously considered. But those who have are finding it does something that continuing education credits and practice benchmarking never quite manage: it reminds them why they became a veterinarian in the first place.

What a VOR Actually Does

A veterinarian of record is a licensed veterinarian who provides medical oversight and support to an animal welfare organization, typically at a discount or through a structured agreement. The scope varies widely. Some VORs spend a few hours a month reviewing protocols. Others perform spay and neuter surgeries one day a week. Some do most of their work remotely, reviewing cases and signing off on prescription orders from a laptop.

Shelters and rescues need VORs for practical and legal reasons. Without one, they are ineligible to purchase prescription medications through discounted group purchasing programs. They cannot establish vaccination protocols or ensure compliance with licensing requirements. And they cannot move animals through the system as efficiently, since unaltered animals in shelters stay significantly longer than those already spayed or neutered.

In 2025, Shelters United members with VORs spent $60 million on veterinary supplies and saved $9 million through group purchasing, according to Shelters United founder Mal Schwartz. That math matters to a nonprofit running on thin margins.

What the VOR Role Does for Veterinarians

For many VORs, the draw is not primarily financial. It is professional and emotional.

Dr. Emily Kirkpatrick, a staff veterinarian in Park City, Utah, spends her day off each week performing spay and neuter surgeries at a local nonprofit. She has spayed or neutered over 3,000 dogs and cats in that role. "I really enjoy surgery, and in private practice nowadays, not everybody can afford surgery," she said. "It keeps my skills fresh." Those sharpened skills now benefit her colleagues in private practice, where surgery volume is lower.

Dr. Kwane Stewart, founder of Project Street Vet and CNN's 2023 Hero of the Year, found the VOR path at a moment of genuine burnout. Working with animals in need brought him back. "When you get back to the roots of why you're doing this, it does motivate you. This is a reality check on why we became vets in the first place."

For practices, the benefits extend beyond team morale. Shelters routinely refer adopters to their VOR's clinic for an initial exam, creating a pipeline of new clients who pay full price. As Dr. Terry Spencer, director of online learning for Open Door Veterinary Collective, noted: "There are advantages to working with your local shelter because it's one client with hundreds of animals."

For the practice itself, there is also the visibility. Shelters promote their VOR relationships publicly. When a VOR saves a dog that might otherwise have been euthanized, that story reaches the community. That kind of recognition builds trust in ways that marketing cannot replicate.

How to Start

VOR requirements vary by state, so reviewing the relevant Veterinary Practice Act is a necessary first step. Beyond that, the most common reason VOR arrangements break down is a lack of clear written expectations upfront. Both parties need alignment on scope, schedule, financial terms, and communication protocols before the relationship begins.

Shelters United launched a free VOR Toolkit with case studies, sample documents, and a one-hour RACE-approved online course. For 20 veterinarians joining their paid pilot program, Shelters United will match them with a shelter and facilitate the relationship for at least six months, tracking ROI along the way.

The flexibility of the role is one of its most underappreciated features. VOR work can fit around a full practice schedule, a mobile vet's calendar, a recently licensed graduate building community roots, or a senior veterinarian who is not ready to stop but does not want to be on their feet all day. As Dr. Jennifer Bennett of UC Davis' Koret Shelter Medicine Program put it: "You can open access to care through shelters and make a living too through a win-win VOR relationship."

What to Take Away

  • The VOR role is flexible enough to work with almost any schedule: from a few remote hours a month to a dedicated weekly surgery day.
  • Shelters need VORs to purchase prescriptions legally, write protocols, and reduce animal length of stay. The community impact is direct.
  • New client referrals from shelter adoptions can generate meaningful return on investment for the VOR's practice over time.
  • Burnout in vet med is real. The VOR role connects veterinarians to the kind of purpose-driven work that reignites why they chose the profession.

Find Work That Fits How You Want to Practice

Veterinary medicine offers more flexibility than the standard clinic model suggests. If you are a credentialed veterinarian looking for work that fits your life, find work you love on Hound.