Careers that help animals?

Hi Sol. It's so great that you are thinking about helping animals as a career. I would suggest to keep your eye on www.ethicaljobs.com.au/animal-welfare-jobs . Maybe check it out every couple of weeks or so to get an idea of the kind of jobs that come up. Also www.animalsaustralia.org/jobs - It's where we advertise all our jobs  

Also, it is totally possible to become a vet without ever having to dissect animals, so don't let that turn you off being a vet if that's what you want to do. Teachers are obligated to offer you an alternative if you don't want to do the dissection experiment. Read this from one of our past bloggers Jane who completed her degree in animal science without ever harming an animal http://www.unleashed.org.au/blog/2010-04/Who-Hates-Exams

It is also well within your right to refuse to do dissection at school as well. If you need any more information about this or support, we can help you out

Thanks Amy
That cleared alot of things up for me

I don't suppose you know what University Jane studied at? I'm considering a career change from Vet Nurse to Vet, but the dissections aren't too appealing.

As far as I know, you don't have to do dissections to be a vet nurse (I haven't thus far). So that could be a good alternative to a vet. It's just not the right thing for me, because I want to do more than nursing.

If you decide to become a Vet you will have to face the fact that you will euthanaize animals that you see fit to live an extra year or so etc.

I'm not trying to put you off at all but do think past University, just because the University can be flexible on certain things wherever you find work as a Vet probably won't be I'm afraid. Just a thought anyways...

This article you may find interesting... http://www.benthamscience.com/open/toj/articles/V002/21TOJ.pdf

Unfortunately this is very true. There will always be people who think it is easier to put down an animal than to rehome, or to put down an animal that has a curable disease/injury because it is the cheaper option. I thought about doing vet science for a long time but the more time I spend at the vet the more I know that sort of work would gut me. Unless you are strong enough to put up with that for a few years and then open your own practice which is pro life. I would totally support a pro life vet if there was one accessible to where I live!

Thanks so much for that article - really good read!

I know where I stand on euthanasia, as the kitten in my photo (and the rest of her litter) were "euthanised" by the shelter at just 12 weeks old because of ear mites. An external parasite that's as easy to treat as fleas. I had them from 4 weeks of age, they were very sick and I spent a lot of time treating them and caring for them. Just for them to be euthanised for a ridiculous and unethical reason. The vet should not have done it.

A favourite book of mine is Redemption by Nathan Winograd. It talks about No Kill, and goes into detail about killing pets in shelters. My general opinion is that, if it is suffering and cannot be treated, and such suffering cannot be adequately alleviated, then euthanasia is appropriate. Also in the case of animals whose behavioural issues are so severe, that they cannot be rehabilitated and pose a danger to society, with the exception of wild animals such as feral cats, who should instead be subject to a TNR program.

I should also add that AWLQ run vet clinics that are part of their Getting 2 Zero program. There is one here in Tasmania. All animals brought into the clinic for unnecessary euthanisia are taken to a sanctuary instead.

Speaking as someone whos in an animal course.Thought I'd give you guys some hard truths as we all know the benefits

First off, the zookeeper, its a pipe dream. Unless you know someone in the industry ,you can do hundreds of hours of volunteer work and still not be considered for them.(my friend had to travel to Malyasia to get a job at one)

Anything surgical , such as Vet Nurse,Vet itself even some trained animal attendants, you will have to euthanase some animals, comes with the territory.

Pound/Shelters , differ from place to place but you will defineatley have to euthanase here, one of the highest going rates .

Animal Groomer, get yourself in an established buissness  as very few people can survive doing this on their own.

Animal attendant,three quarters of their work, is cleaning (enclosures as well as putting enrichments out) and observing animals whilst occassionaly dealing with medical problems & maybe on the odd occassion playing with the animal.

Anything to do with marine biology/zoology means you will have to go to Uni for it and from what I've heard from the industry theres been a vast shortage of jobs going around currently.

You could do something similar to what I want to do, bring wildlife animals around to schools and educate the youth about them. Cross of educational/conservational talk.

I think what should be noted , is that no place will force you to disect but you don't want to end up one day with an animal on the surgery table in front of you and you have never dealth with REAL flesh, real muscles,artieries and veins. No amount of book/model work can prepare you for the real thing. THink of it like this, all aspiring doctors must go to the morge and work with bodies given to science, your doing the same thing, though less ethical perhaps.

Also if you don't like handing meat your going to constrict where you could end up as a lot of animals out there are carnivores. Think crocodiles,snakes & even seals.

A lot of these jobs will conflict with your morales and that comes with the territory, other adapt or move on.

Nearly all animal jobs are not well paid so you must do it for the love.

p.s(sorry for bad spelling, on my phone )

Most of the Vets would love to make sure the animals live.  Why else would they become a vet if not for the love of animals ? It's more costs of keeping the animals around and they can only house so many.

A lot of patients from Wildlife Victoria end up euthanased. Simply because the animals couldn't survive in the wild again and the places that could provide rehab are normally packed .

You're correct. In addition to this if a wild animal is brought into a vets and would need treatment that consists for more than 24-48hrs the animal will be euthanised also. It's extremely distressing for the animal and will usually die from the stress. And if the treatment requires that length of time then it is most likely the animal would never be for enough to return to the wild. You cannot take a wild animal and place it in a cage it is far too cruel. Orphan babies are different as they can adapt and know no different, but ones who have been wild it is better to euthanise as they will eventually die from either stress or depression as there body gives up and shuts down.