Jobs with animals.....

suzanne4, RN · Dec 30, 2003

One recommendation that comes to mind. Not sure if their is a zoo in your area. If their is, talk to the lead vet or one of the vets there. With your experience as an RN, you would be an asset to a primate program if they would train you. Chimps actually have about one difference in their DNA/chromosome make-up from us.

Good luck.

LuvsOB · Dec 30, 2003

I'm with you! I too love being a nurse but I also love animals. Many times I find myself wishing I worked with animals. To bad they don't have animal midwives or a pet pediatricians! What great jobs those would be.

chihuahuagrl · Dec 30, 2003

To the poster above who recommended contacting a zoo, I'd like to add:

Working with primates is not something done on a whim. It requires much experience and/or education. They are extremely dangerous animals (although they are wonderful in their own way and can be great to work with if you know what you are doing and what to expect).

The zoo I worked at used keepers with tech experience (such as myself) and local vets for their procedures. Sometimes we utilized local doctors, hospitals, and dentists for procedures that our vet wasn't comfortable with (such as root canals and special dental work or bone repair). We even used a local hospital once to get an MRI on a tiger!

Volunteering your services can be a great way to get experience with exotic animals. It may be easier to get your foot in the door of a smaller zoo, they will be more apt to need your services. There most likely will be no real position for you (and most likely no real $$ either, it will be mostly for the experience). If you really want to try, I say Go For It! The best person to contact is the RVT or Vet on staff. Good Luck Finding an animal job! :)

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Dec 30, 2003

IloveSnoopy- we must be long lost sisters. I love nursing but am an animal lover through and through. We have 3 dogs, 2 cats, a turtle, and a buttload of fish. I love the medical field. I wish there were more things that involved veternary care. But then I would be taking every one of the them home with me.:)

IloveSnoopy · Dec 30, 2003

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful and insightful replies to my post. I think maybe I will go into a vet. tech program part time. I could always work part time as a vet. tech.....especially if I get too burned out from nursing. I like to try different things...and my love for animals is soooo great.....I think I'd like to try my hand at it. It's sad that vet. tech's get paid so poorly.....they really do a lot of important jobs. I know if anyone is like me, I consider my pets as a part of my family......and would want only the best, most qualified staff caring for them. Well...I'll think some more about it and get back to you all. My hubby thinks I'm crazy for wanting to go back to school to get a degree that pays half (less) than what I'm making now....I think he just married me for my moeny..LOL..just kidding. All I know is that I want to be happy....and I'm not 100 percent sure that I'm happy right now. Ok..I better go..lots of luv...

suzanne4, RN · Dec 31, 2003

I wasn't suggesting that you would immediately be allowed to work with the primates, but getting the info directly from one of the zoo vets would be a way to go. They would be one of the best resources available, if someone was already a nurse. Handlers and techs have to start somewhere, we had to as nurses. I always recommend getting the best info that is available to you. The vets at the zoos usually deal with a wider variety of animals than your local vet who either works with small animals (domestic pets) or large animal, such as cows and horses.

The number of animals are endless and a zoo vet could offer the most info.

(p.s. I used to work with monkeys, too.)

Alisha H.E. · Dec 31, 2003

Don't give up completely on your veterinary dream. I have a friend who was almost 40, divorced with 3 kids who decided to finish her BS and then went on to vet school (much more difficult acceptance process than even med school). She has graduated and is now a small animal vet.

Money is the issue for most folks - first the cost of school and second your earning potential in your new proffession. I know vets in small animal practices who make less than RNs, I also know a large animal vet in CA who is extremely wealthy.

I myself am 37 and just starting nursing school because my family's business is suffering a long slow death. I have been an animal lover all my life. I have bred and trained horses, and for the last 10 years I have bred, trained and hunted with dogs. So when I anounced that I would be going to nursing school everyone I know was shocked - they thought for sure I'd choose a career in the animal heath field. But for me, to become a vet would take too long as I really need employment now - and don't even mention money for school - as I still don't know what I'm doing for money when it is due next week for school. Vet techs just don't make enough and the schooling while less expensive takes as long as an RN program.

Folks in veterinary medicine do it because they love it.

justjenny · Dec 31, 2003

Well..... your question was:

"Does anyone know of any "medical/animal-e" jobs that pay decent and don't require a tremendous amt. of additional schooling??? "

IMHO - No. Any job that pays decent *will* require additional schooling/certification. I worked at a Vet for 4 1/2 years and that is one reason why I decided to become a nurse (weird, I know)

A zoo would require you to be a Vet or Vet tech... if they don't... I personally would question why. There are a lot of properly trained people (at least in my area) trying to get a job at our local zoo.... why on earth would they hire someone not properly trained?? (that is certainly not an insult - animals are *very* different than people!!!)

They *do* take the animals to local hospitals for MRI's, etc. as mentioned previously but that is either for a yearly checkup or only if truly needed. Medical care for zoo animals must be as stress free as possible.

Many of my friends are Vets and Vet Techs..... they all got their start "low" on the chain.... IE: Kennel Aide (cleaning cages, feeding animals, etc.)

YES the pay is bad for a Kennel Aide... and many Vet techs in this area have low pay - unless they are at a specialist.

Your first step should be to call a couple of local vets (perhaps the specialists) and explain your situation. However, don't get your hopes up.....

If this truly is your dream, the time and expense of schooling will be rewarded in the end!!!

Jenny

lllliv · Dec 31, 2003

how about an animal cop. the ones that investigate abuse/neglect and such. anyone know about these jobs???

do you have to be a police officer or is the training different??

i think i would like that job.

justjenny · Dec 31, 2003

The Animal Cops (the one based in Detroit) are agents from the Mich. Humane Society. You can call them to find out what they require to apply for a position like that...... I suspect they require a degree of some sort and I think a "field agent" is a higher ranking position than most..... you may have to start off working in the shelter, etc.

I personally don't think that would be a very good job at all!! In Mich. they don't have the police authority that the ones in New York have..... The job is day after day seeing animals in the worst possible conditions. What they don't tell you on the shows (sometimes they do) is that the majority of the animals are euthanised.

If you want to help animals - there are about a million different ways - call your local shelter. Have a fundraiser for a local rescue group, donate newspapers, dog food, etc to your local shelter, offer to volunteer at a local shelter... or make a bunch of phone calls to find something that would work better for you and your schedule.

Jenny

Ortho_RN · Jan 1, 2004

My first career was as a Certified Veterinary Technician. I went to school for 2yrs an got an associates degree out of it. The pay is horrible, especially for everything you have to do. At most vets you are the Veterinarians right and sometimes left arm. I did every job in that clinic, reception, radiology, lab work, surgery, kennel work, denta cleanings, assisted with exams, gave vaccinations, start IV's, and I did all of this for $9/hr.. I loved the animals, but I need to pay my bills. :) And I also got NO benefits... No insurances, no sick leave.. nothing... and I ended up working a whole lot more than 40hrs/week.

So I left the field after working for 1yr in it, started nursing school.. Worked as a PCA making 12.50/hr through school, graduated from RN school on Dec 12th, just got my temp license, and start on the 5th of Jan making double what I was at the clinic.

If you want to work with animals and money isn't an issue then I say go for it.. But if money AND benefits are an issue then don't bother.