# Jobs with animals



## spud's_mum (May 31, 2016)

So as some of you may know, I am still in school and need to start thinking of future career choices. I don't know what I want to do but I what I do know is that I want to work with animals.

I was wondering if you cold list any jobs that you know of that I could read into, also if you have any experiences, please share them 

Oh and one thing... I'm not too good with blood so I don't think a vet is a good idea for me.


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## Linhdan Nguyen (May 31, 2016)

https://www.petfinder.com/helping-pets/careers-with-pets/careers-animals-job/
I found this, a list & brief description if each


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## Linhdan Nguyen (May 31, 2016)

I was thinking animal control officers but i do remember watching a show when i was younger about some in texas & they would rescue dogs that are being neglected and abused, theres usually bad open wounds or dried blood. Im not sure how much you can tolerate & i think there was a different name for the officers.


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## wellington (May 31, 2016)

@Tom works with animals in the show his field. He trains them. He gets to work with all kinds and go to many places and meet many different people. He might be able to fill you in on what's required for this type of career.


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## spud's_mum (May 31, 2016)

Linhdan Nguyen said:


> I was thinking animal control officers but i do remember watching a show when i was younger about some in texas & they would rescue dogs that are being neglected and abused, theres usually bad open wounds or dried blood. Im not sure how much you can tolerate & i think there was a different name for the officers.


I thought of that. I was watching animal cops Huston today actually. A lot of the time they have to be put down though so that's the only down side


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## spud's_mum (May 31, 2016)

Linhdan Nguyen said:


> https://www.petfinder.com/helping-pets/careers-with-pets/careers-animals-job/
> I found this, a list & brief description if each


I like the look of wildlife rehabilitator.


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## spud's_mum (May 31, 2016)

I forgot to mention that I love photography but I suppose it would be hard to get a job as an animal photographer. I guess I could just do it as a hobby


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## JoesMum (May 31, 2016)

It depends on how you want to work with animals. 

My daughter is currently working as a field assistant in a national park in Canada researching Prairie Dogs. She graduated in Biology & Geography last summer from university. 

She is handling animals from the youngest pups upwards. She has also been out with the rangers helping them with Burrowing Owl and Sage Grouse. 

There is a huge range of careers open to you, many of which you may struggle to imagine. Everything from dog/horse grooming, kennel maid and veterinary nurse to blacksmith and conservation officer via animal trainer and pest control officer. 

Working hard at your science in school helps though. Biology is obvious, but also Maths and Chemistry.


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## JoesMum (May 31, 2016)

spudthetortoise said:


> I forgot to mention that I love photography but I suppose it would be hard to get a job as an animal photographer. I guess I could just do it as a hobby
> View attachment 175687
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> View attachment 175688
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And that's how Gordon Buchanan got started as a wildlife cameraman. 

Photography is pretty useful for the research role my daughter is doing too


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## spud's_mum (May 31, 2016)

JoesMum said:


> It depends on how you want to work with animals.
> 
> My daughter is currently working as a field assistant in a national park in Canada researching Prairie Dogs. She graduated in Biology & Geography last summer from university.
> 
> ...


That sounds amazing!

I am pretty good at science but will have to work on maths. 

As for the animals, I would prefer to work with a range of them, not just one type.


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## Linhdan Nguyen (May 31, 2016)

spudthetortoise said:


> I thought of that. I was watching animal cops Huston today actually. A lot of the time they have to be put down though so that's the only down side


Thats the show! But a wildlife rehabilitator sounds rewarding


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## JoesMum (May 31, 2016)

My daughter is only in Canada for the summer. While she was at university, she spent a summer out in South Africa doing research on Cheetah, but ended up getting involved in Rhino project as well. 

When she gets a proper job, she's looking for something conservation related. It's unlikely to just be simply one species as they're all inter-reliant.


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## JoesMum (May 31, 2016)

spudthetortoise said:


> I thought of that. I was watching animal cops Huston today actually. A lot of the time they have to be put down though so that's the only down side


Unfortunately dealing with deaths is a side effect. My daughter has found this tough too, but you have to learn to file it and move on.


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## spud's_mum (May 31, 2016)

JoesMum said:


> Unfortunately dealing with deaths is a side effect. My daughter has found this tough too, but you have to learn to file it and move on.


I know that it will happen in almost every job but with the animal cops, the animals are so badly neglected that they just seem to have so many being put down.


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## Rue (May 31, 2016)

JoesMum said:


> It depends on how you want to work with animals.
> 
> My daughter is currently working as a field assistant in a national park in Canada researching Prairie Dogs. She graduated in Biology & Geography last summer from university. ...



Grasslands?


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## wellington (May 31, 2016)

spudthetortoise said:


> I forgot to mention that I love photography but I suppose it would be hard to get a job as an animal photographer. I guess I could just do it as a hobby
> View attachment 175687
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> View attachment 175688
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I don't know, you have some great pics here.


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## JoesMum (May 31, 2016)

Rue said:


> Grasslands?


Yes. She's volunteering with the university.


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## Linhdan Nguyen (May 31, 2016)

Piggy backing off of what JoesMum said, volunteering is a great way to find out what really speaks to you. 
Im studying to be a kindergarten teacher. I took child development 3 years with a half day internship when i was in high school. I LOVE it, the kids, the lesson plans; it can be tiring though, but I know i want to do it for the rest of my life. I know people that have taken child development and realized teaching kids is not their thing, and teachers have told me some go through school, get their degree and once they start teaching, they hate it and go back to school for something else. Volunteering and internships can really help you decide.


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## spud's_mum (May 31, 2016)

wellington said:


> I don't know, you have some great pics here.


Thank you


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## CathyNed (May 31, 2016)

Linhdan Nguyen said:


> Piggy backing off of what JoesMum said, volunteering is a great way to find out what really speaks to you.
> Im studying to be a kindergarten teacher. I took child development 3 years with a half day internship when i was in high school. I LOVE it, the kids, the lesson plans; it can be tiring though, but I know i want to do it for the rest of my life. I know people that have taken child development and realized teaching kids is not their thing, and teachers have told me some go through school, get their degree and once they start teaching, they hate it and go back to school for something else. Volunteering and internships can really help you decide.


Also a teacher here!


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## CathyNed (May 31, 2016)

spudthetortoise said:


> Thank you


Your pics are great. Hobby or career keep it up! Id say take part in volunteer programmes and internships etc and see what you like. Its very hard to decide careers with no experience of what you will actually end up doing once qualified. The more things you try out the clearer what you enjoy or dislike will become! Good luck!


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## Linhdan Nguyen (May 31, 2016)

CathyNed said:


> Also a teacher here!


Ooooh what grade ?


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## JoesMum (May 31, 2016)

Not sure where you are exactly @spudthetortoise, but you should research the Internet for voluntary opportunities where you are. 

The local naturalists' trusts and other wildlife organisations usually have young volunteer sections so you can join in and get involved. 

Then there's the more obvious places like animal shelters. 

As you're in the UK, I might be able to help you look - PM me your home town/first part of your postcode if you would like me to help. 

My interests, picked up by my children, started with my family joining a naturalists society in a town in Yorkshire. My sister and I used to spend weekends out on the moors helping qualified bird ringers. 

One of the biology teachers in my school also ran a natural history club because she was interested. We got to go small mammal trapping on the school field and all sorts. It might be worth getting to know your teachers and see if one of them might be doing it as an extra curricular activity. (Similarly with a camera club given your interest by the way)


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## spud's_mum (Jun 1, 2016)

JoesMum said:


> Not sure where you are exactly @spudthetortoise, but you should research the Internet for voluntary opportunities where you are.
> 
> The local naturalists' trusts and other wildlife organisations usually have young volunteer sections so you can join in and get involved.
> 
> ...


I was thinking of volunteering in a nearby cat home with my friend. I need to look into it and see what age we need to be.  thanks for the help


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## ColleenT (Jun 1, 2016)

I worked with a wildlife rehabber. Her days are crazy, bc she has to have a day job. The state does not fund the rehab. it is all on her and donations. It is not easy to keep donations coming in. So she is a teacher and then she works at the rehab, she has to have volunteers who want to deal with stinky animal poop, and vicious angry animals. I became the bat person bc i had gone to Texas to train for it. then she let me take them home and i worked off her license. it is a life without vacations. A life of waking up all hours to feed baby animals. of phone calls every hour of the day or night. It is a difficult life. I'm not saying it isn't rewarding, but once you get into it, it is difficult to get out. I would go with something like a vet or groomer, or have a doggy day care..


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## CathyNed (Jun 1, 2016)

Linhdan Nguyen said:


> Ooooh what grade ?


I work in a small school here in Ireland in a rural area. There are only three teachers and 74 pupils in the school. I teach 10, 11 and 12 year olds in the same classroom. I think thats 5th 6th and 7th grades in the U.S. We do not have a junior high school and senior high school system here in Ireland. Here children attend primary school/elementary until 12 and secondary school/ high school 13-17/18. I currently have 20 children in my classroom but the average is usually 25-30.


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## Linhdan Nguyen (Jun 1, 2016)

CathyNed said:


> I work in a small school here in Ireland in a rural area. There are only three teachers and 74 pupils in the school. I teach 10, 11 and 12 year olds in the same classroom. I think thats 5th 6th and 7th grades in the U.S. We do not have a junior high school and senior high school system here in Ireland. Here children attend primary school/elementary until 12 and secondary school/ high school 13-17/18. I currently have 20 children in my classroom but the average is usually 25-30.


Ive studied about teaching this way , probably in my first few early childhood classes. Is it difficult having different aged children to teach? Or is it easier, as you can plan for students on different levels, despite their age?


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## CathyNed (Jun 1, 2016)

Linhdan Nguyen said:


> Ive studied about teaching this way , probably in my first few early childhood classes. Is it difficult having different aged children to teach? Or is it easier, as you can plan for students on different levels, despite their age?


Imagine a 5th grade class of 25. You would have many differing abilities within that group of 25. Some of my 5th grade are as able as my high ability 6th grade. Somr of my 6th grade are preforming as well as or better than my 7th. I can group by abilty for some subjects/tasks and mix ability for other things. I have fluidity with my groupings. Kids dont really know im ability grouping they just see it as me mixing them up.


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