[9361]

Just wanted to see a show of hands of people who work or have worked in a vet, shelter, groomer, pet store ect. What do you think the pro's and cons are?

I have worked for a couple different vets in kennels, and worked for Petsmart during the holidays one year. When I was a kid I'd sometimes go with my mom to work too, she worked in kennels and as a vet assistant for awhile.

 

[Atlanta Bully Rescue]

I started working for a shelter in 1999. I've worked as a vet tech on and off since then for vets and shelters. I'm currently the shelter coordinator for Atlanta Bully Rescue (volunteer position), on the spay/neuter committee for PBRC, and I work at lowcost nonprofit spay/neuter clinic Monday through Wednesday. I love working with animals and I've had mostly great experiences in this industry. The vet clinic I work at now is great and I have a feeling I'll be there for a long time. It's nice to have a job I love and feel so passionate about

 

[aimee235]

I worked taking care of rats in a large facility. It was fun to work with the animals. Even after I got bit by one and got the rare rat bite fever. LMAO. I liked not having to deal with people. On the other hand it was sad to see the rats conditions and we had a lot of work cut out for us as the people responsible for their care before did not separate males and females or clean often.

 

[stusmom]

i work as a groomer, i love it. not only because i get to bring my dogs to work with me everyday but because i am constantly surrounded by people who truely care for their pets. i have a client who has a cocker and a schnauzer, she "trained" herself to cut her hair, her kids hair, and her husbands hair just so she'd have the money to groom her dogs every 3 weeks. i also love my job because i get to teach people about my pitty and make them realize that they aren't monsters. the majority of my clients are little old ladies who know no better than to believe the media hype. so not only do they get to meet him and see him interact with their beloved pets, but they get to listen to all the good reviews my boss and i have about him. priceless

 

[Runthru]

Family raised and raced greyhounds for 17 years, once I was 16 I was conditioner, and retired exercise manager.

 

[Carley]

I volenteered at a animal shelter about a year and my sister workes at petco she is one the floor and a groomer

 

[American_Pit13]

I worked for an exotic animal ranch for 3 years heading the baby animal and exotic bird departments. I have raised everything from Kangaroos to exotic deer and several species of birds.

I love working with animals however when lack of care started to become to common I no longer could stay and see some of the things I saw done to animals and they way some animals where used as breeding objects and nothing more. Unfortunately everything had a price of its head and I couldn't be around that any longer. Of course other issues caused my leaving before my notice was up, but thats a WHOLE other story lmao.

I love being with animals but not everyone has the same morals or expectations of animal care as I do.

With animals is where I belong and will be back again

 

[MY MIKADO]

I started working at age 13 as a kennel person at one of the vet hospitals in my home town. At age 16 the other vet hired me so I worked both jobs ( the vets hated each other but I didn't let them know I was working for both of them). I left the one hospital when I was 18 and went full time at the other vets. I moved up from kennel assistant to office manager. I also work as a vet assistant at the same job. Two hats one pay. I trained my self to be a dog groomer when I left my home town I had a clientel list of 200 they were sad to see me go. I have done animal rescue work for 29yrs.

I live for animals. I speak for those that can not speak for themselves.

 

[9361]

Some great stories everyone. I liked working at the clinic in kennels because I went to work everyday, had my own key, my boss didn't stand over my shoulder just let me go in and do my work. I liked the job, but, it was hard to see the condition some of the animals came in. One poor little dog came in very sick. He had injured his tail and the owner had let it go, to the point it had an abscess and maggots. The vet got him feeling better. He was with us a lil while and I really liked the lil guy. He went home but was back a couple weeks later. I guess the owner had a flea problem and poured 7 dust all over the dog. One of the tech's said when he came in, you could pat him and see the dust rise off his coat. He ended up getting so sick that he died. It was extremely sad. I was so angry about the people's ignorance. We also had an orange Persian named Pumpkin. This cat was so freaking sweet. His owner had brought him in to be put to sleep because they said he had kidney failure. The vet gave the cat a chance and got him well. He was still at the vet when I quit. We had a lot of animals dumped on us while I worked there. I wanted to take all of them home.

 

[aprilortego]

I have never worked with animals but I have taken in almost every stray I found and re-homed it lol, I have always wanted to start my own no-kill animal rescue, maybe oneday

 

[Xiahko]

I use to work at a non kill cat rescue in Highschool,called Purrfect pals.

Not a very hygienic place. Right now I volunteer at the local shelter,and walk dogs.

I use to want to be a vet,but I'd have issues putting animals down. I want to get a job with dogs though. I applied for one that's walking,feeding,and cleaning dogs.
I think it would be a good job for me. I mean,I do it already for free! Might as well get paid for it right?

 

[duckyp0o77]

i worked as a kennel tech at a vet hosp 11/12 years ago & loved it but cldnt deal w/ the smell long bc i was preg =| i did have my first "close" encounter w/ a pitbull type dog there. an amstaff named sarge. i quickly learned he was a lover & a people dog. i loved walking him. i've been hooked ever since. if i lost my current job i might persue it again.

 

[9361]

I am looking for a job again, have considered going back to work at a vet clinic.

 

[wild_deuce03]

When I was stationed in Puerto Rico, I was cross trained as a Vet Tech. Loved the work but hated it at the same time. There is a HUGE stray problem in PR, HUGE! We put down strays on a daily basis because 1) the tick problem is so bad in PR that a number of dogs would come in beyond care 2) like #1, even if the dog wasn't sick because of ticks it was a lot of times very sick and/or injured 3) wild dogs 4) just didn't have the money or facilities to treat and save that many. It was extremely hard for me at first having to put animals down. Even ones that I knew were better off. I hated the way it made me harden up. The job had positives though. I learned how to give vaccines, draw blood (I was the best in there. Could nail a toy chihuahua vein on the first try ). Had a lot of fun but it was very depressing at the same time.

 

[Firehazard]

Ever since.. ever since.. LOL

Started in wolf rescue, relocating wolves to colorado from oklahoma way back when, and soon to follow became vet tech for SPCA; From there I started my own Dog Whispering, I 've worked for 4 veterinarians total and still get inquiries about canine behavior and genetic placement esspecially with wolf dogs and APBTs(or what people think are APBTs)

still whisper for fun... and make cut man trips to visit various kennels, no longer WORK as in EMPLOYED but I WORK with dogs and animals consistantly with everyday life, here on 10 acres and in a very dog friendly town, life experiences has giving me enough knowledge that I don't need a vet for anything other than surgery and in some states and towns rabies shots..

 

[EckoMac]

I worked for Barkingham Palace twice and Pet Pros in Rockledge for about 2 years. I learned a lot from both places. I wish the animal industry paid more, then I wouldn't have to sell car insurance for a living. It's lame.

 

[Aireal]

Worked at a vet clinic for the last 6 yrs now, would love to pursue a full time job working with animals such as animal care and control officer or work at the zoo or something. I have been looking into that alot lately as i HATE my current full time as a CSR

 

[ultramagnus]

i used to be heavily into fish and worked at a mom/pop place then they expanded to 4 shops, i built all the aquarium stands and installed piping. the biggest aquarium i built was close to 800 gal reef system. this was close to 8yrs ago. I still love fish but not to the point that i would spend countless hours just redoing and resetting an aquarium. I wouldn't mind having another setup one day but at this point in my life i can't see it anytime soon.