Possible career change?

[ammayernyc]

Hi all.
I''m having a mid-life crisis (or part-life as seeing as I''m only 30)...
I''m thinking of changing careers from government to animals. Is there anyone out there who is a veterinarian or in the animal care field -- pet shop owners and breeders included?
I''m just looking for a little guidance...
Thanks!

Amanda

 

[Erin]

My best friend just quit as an accountant for ''supermarket to the world'' corporation to become a vet tech at a local small-time veterinarian. She couldn''t be happier in her whole life. I say go for it!!!!!!

 

[Kaleigh]

I agree go for it, you only have one life!!! Do what makes YOU happy. Good luck!!!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Can you handle looking at sick and neglected animals? I imagine working with animals will be rewarding, but you've got to handle quite a bit of heartbreak too.

My mom worked as a vet tech when I was little. . .later after I moved out of the house, she began adopting and caring for sick/abused/neglected parrots and other exotic birds. Certain birds (like Macaws), when neglected by owners, have a tendency to methodically pull each and every feather out of their body. They end up bald and I would expect in a lot of pain. . .this is terrible to look at. . .

Of course, I think there are positives to tending to animals, but you have to look at the realities too. I doubt I could stomach sad situations.

 

[Headerlyn]

Wow thats a big difference in career choices However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, you must do what will make you happy!!!! I wanted to be a vet once but I have a really good friend who works at our vets office and he tells me all the time different things that fill his day at the vets office. Most of the things I honestly do not think I could''ve handled. I am the type person who wants to rescue and help every dog and cat in the world. I do not do well seeing animals in pain or suffering. I can''t be naive and think that working as a vet would be helping and saving all of the animals in the world because it is not. IMO you have to want to have that desire to help animals but you also have to have "harder, stronger emotions" than someone like me. The same thing goes for a physician you have to have that desire to make things better for individuals but you can''t get wrapped up in your emotions when something goes wrong. There will be those moments. Moments when someone brings in a dog that got hit by a car, when someone discovers a litter of kittens with no mom in sight and the kittens are struggling for their life, etc. I don''t mean to scare you by my opinions those were just the issues I had problems with when trying to decide if that was the career choice for me. I am sure it is a very rewarding career it just takes a special person and if you are that type person I say definitely go for it.

There are always other alternatives (which I am sure you are aware of) such as a vet tech/asst. This of course wouldn''t pay near as well compared to the vet but everything wouldn''t necessarily be up to you, not near as authortative as the vet title. Goodluck in your career change.

 

[Nicrez]

I say do what makes you happiest!

I was headed to lawschool and I decided that I wanted to quit my well paying job and become a pauper, go back to school, and now could not be any happier in the diamond field. Honestly, if you ever have to gear up to go to work and psyche yourself up just to head in, maybe you aren''t happy doing what you are doing for a living. I was miserable coming into work at 9am. Now I am happy going into work at 7:30am! And I wake up at 5:00am for a long commute in... so ironic how overtime, just means more time to do what I love, AND get paid more!!!

GO FOR IT!!!!

 

[Blue824]

Sounds like it could be a really fun career change! Plus its always good to the other options around you instead of sticking to something just because.

Have you done any work volunteering with shelters just to get a taste of what might be involved in a more hands on environment? Just to get your feet wet? Sort of echoing what Michelle said, I know I''ve nursed sick animals on my own, pets and wild but when I volunteered sometimes I found the tasks quite difficult...as previously mentioned mostly dealing with sick and abused animals. It is heart breaking. On the other hand, I have a friend who is a tech at a vet''s office and loves it. I have 2 friends who have tried desperately to get into vet school, apparently it is harder to get into than a good med school...I guess I''d love to work with animals but I''d only want the positive fun experiences

If you''re not happy in your current position, you should definitely look into something new. Like Nicrez said: Do what makes you happiness! That''s really all that matters, in my opinion

 

[ecf8503]

I''m a vet - I''ll PM you.

 

[ammayernyc]

Thanks everyone for all of your help!

I am pretty sure that being a vet is not for me. I kind of knew that from the beginning... seeing sick animals just breaks my heart. But I figured that if I''m really going to investigate such a drastic career change, then I should look at the whole range of jobs.

I am probably more suited working in a pet shop or at a doggie day care (although I''m not so big about picking up poop)... I will probably start out by volunteering at my local ASPCA considering it''s literally across the street from me. That would be a cool commute! They are one of the few places in NYC that do not euthanize animals unless it is medically necessary. That is very comforting to me.

I''ll keep you all updated!

Amanda

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Good luck, Amanda. . .hope you find a career that makes you happy!

PS if you work in a pet store, stay away from Petco. . .they're known for neglecting the pets in their stores. (ETA - it appears that PETA has ended it's boycott of Petco, according to a quick search I did, BUT, I've been into Petco and have seen the neglect first hand - so I can't imagine this chain suddenly and miraculously becoming humane as a result of this truce.)

 

[Blue824]

Date: 6/16/2005 7:25:04 PM
Author: MichelleCarmen
Good luck, Amanda. . .hope you find a career that makes you happy!

PS if you work in a pet store, stay away from Petco. . .they''re known for neglecting the pets in their stores. (ETA - it appears that PETA has ended it''s boycott of Petco, according to a quick search I did, BUT, I''ve been into Petco and have seen the neglect first hand - so I can''t imagine this chain suddenly and miraculously becoming humane as a result of this truce.)

Sorry to go off on a tangent, that just reminded me of when I was looking for a new kitten, they had an adoption room at their store so I went to look there. While we were playing with the kittens a woman came to talk to us. Explained their policies and then was asking about our other cats. We told her we were looking because we had recently lost a cat and thought we should get a companion for our youngest. Well, she went on telling me about her cats and kittens and all this stuff. Nice conversation until I realized she was supplying the petstore with kittens...like, basically, she refused to fix her cats and just kept bringing her kittens to the store to be adopted out. She acted all self righteous and concerned when I said my cat died of a heart condition and how she didn''t know if my house was the right kind of home for a new cat and she''d want to inspect it a few times before they''d officially let me have the cat (pre-kitten, the day they brought the kitten and then after the kitten was brought) with the option to take the cat away. I was like woah baby, you''re the one that obviously can''t take care of your cats and you''re telling me how to take care of mine!? I was so offended. I just thought that was 1. an irresponsible pet owner and 2. irresponsible of the petstore to work with someone like that instead of a real shelter that needed to place needy cats. Ended up taking in a darling kitten who probably would not have lived much longer as he & his sister were orphaned at a barn. Even though that was like 4 years ago, thinking about that woman still makes me mad!