[CrimsonAccent]

The title of this thread is pretty self-explanatory. I don't strictly need a summer job per se, but I figure the money earned there can be set aside for future dog expenses a few years down the road. Or gas money.

The pluses:

-Getting a dog fix
-Getting paid to do it
-Getting to observe dog behavior
-Hopefully (!) get more comfortable around strange dogs

I still need to swing by and see if they'll even have an opening this summer and apply if they do. But fingers crossed

Has anyone here had experience working a similar job? Or are small town vets themselves?

 

[Willowy]

You'll be seeing sick dogs and stressed dogs. Observing their behavior probably won't be useful in dealing with dogs who aren't sick or freaked out by going to the vet. If you're not comfortable with strange dogs I don't know if this will help the situation. What will your job be? If you're not a vet tech you probably won't be allowed to handle the animals other than cleaning out cages and stuff, maybe walking the boarders. You'll see a lot of sad things and things that will make you mad.

If you do plan to become a tech it'll be good experience. But with the reasons you gave, I don't know if you'll be satisfied.

 

[CrimsonAccent]

Maybe not. I just thought I could check it out and see what positions if any were available. I thought I'd see what I should expect. I know it's not glamorous by any means. I'm curious, if someone isn't a vet tech, is there any sort of position available? I mean, I'd think things like secretary work would be open to anyone.

Thanks for the reply though. Nothing wrong with a reality check. I'm not 100% about this and I'm still thinking it over. Other members (in a different thread) have suggested volunteering at a rescue, which I'm also thinking of looking into. In your opinion, is there a major difference between the two? (Aside from the job VS charity/volunteer aspect)

Not that this is really relevant, but I hear plenty of sad things from my mother (she's an elem. teacher) and I know I couldn't stand to be in her profession.

 

[Willowy]

I asked my vet about working there when I was a teenager and that's what she told me . There are kennel hands and other jobs like that (depending on the vet), but in my experience the small-town vets' receptionists are usually techs so they can be more multi-purpose.

Working at a rescue, you would be working more with healthy dogs in an almost-normal context. Is there a "residential" rescue in your area? Some of them only have foster homes and that might make it harder to volunteer.

 

[CrimsonAccent]

Just because you got your information from an actual vet, gosh lol.

Unfortunately, as far as I know there aren't any sort of rescues here, small scale or not Every time we've gotten a cat or dog, it's either from three sources. The nearest pound 30 minutes away, the neighbor's that didn't fix their pet, or they were dumped in our ditch. But I'm sure if I do some digging I might surprise myself.

 

[ladyshadowhollyjc]

+1 about seeing things that will make you sad and seeing things that will make you mad. A lot of times vet offices may have "volunteer" positions available (basically you get the experience of working in the veterinary environment without the dirty obligations it involves). That's where I would start if I were you... that way you can see if its the kind of environment you want to work in.

Working at a vet is not for the faint of heart. At all. You have to be able to hold your tongue....a lot. It's often frustrating beyond belief.

 

[Cafall]

I'm a vet tech and it took all of one day working at a small animal clinic to realise I couldn't take it (now I work with horses). If you are at all tender-hearted it can be very difficult. I will never ever forget the name and face of the dog I had to help euthanise. It can certainly be a valuable learning experience and I wish I'd volunteered at a clinic before committing to two years of college and becoming a tech because I probably would have done something else. The clinics I've worked at had both volunteers (typically high school aged) and employed animal care attendants who handled feeding, walking, cleaning and restraint as well as the techs and office staff.

 

[hanksimon]

I imagine that you're quite a distance from both the Metroplex and from TAMU. At a small Vet, I imagine that you'll serve as a second pair of hands, as someone to wash dogs, and as Cafall suggests feeding, walking, cleaning and restraint. It will be an education regardless... and maybe you'll work with someone who might motivate you to become a Vet...

 

[Abbylynn]

Where my dogs go there are receptionists and one person who handles all the payments in the front lobby... something to think about ... then there is someone who comes with the charts and weighs the dog ... then you go to the room and a vet tech takes vitals ... and then you wait for the actual veterinarian to see your dog. There are also people who bathe and do anal glands and nails, which I believe are the techs also. I have seen some pretty ill animals waiting at the vets ...... hard to watch. As a child I always brought home sick and injured animals ... fixed them up ... and wanted to be a vet ... as an adult things look differently.