2 answers
Anthony
Student
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Questions
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What would be some up’s and downs to working with pets?
I am an 8th grade middle school student. I always found animals cute and interesting. I always see animals wandering off and in the streets looking for food or somewhere to stay. I also want to reconnect animals to their family. I used to have a dog and I would be always be scarred when my dog would run away from my house and I wouldn’t know where they are at. I would like to know what would be the best advice that I could use when I get a job in the future?
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Vianne Phan
Youth Development Teacher
316
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San Diego, California
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Vianne’s Answer
Working with animals can be very rewarding, especially if you care a lot about their safety and happiness. One of the best parts is helping animals that are sick, lost, or need a home. Many people who work with pets say the most satisfying moments are seeing an animal get better, find a new family, or return to its old one. If you like the idea of helping lost or stray animals, working at an animal shelter or rescue can be a great fit. However, it's important to know that this work can be both physically and emotionally tough. Not all animals are friendly right away; some might be scared or hurt. People in this field often meet animals that have been neglected or abandoned, which can be hard to deal with emotionally.
If you're thinking about this as a future job, a good start is to get some experience with animals. You can volunteer at a local animal shelter, help neighbors with pet sitting, or learn about animal care and behavior. This experience will show you what the job is really like and help you build useful skills for working with animals later on.
If you're thinking about this as a future job, a good start is to get some experience with animals. You can volunteer at a local animal shelter, help neighbors with pet sitting, or learn about animal care and behavior. This experience will show you what the job is really like and help you build useful skills for working with animals later on.
Cherilyn Garner
Medical Office Practice Manager; Certified Medical Assistant (
52
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Polkton, North Carolina
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Cherilyn’s Answer
Working with animals can be really rewarding, but it also comes with some emotional ups and downs. I always wanted to work with animals too, but I later learned I was highly allergic, so I ended up working with people in healthcare instead. One of the hardest parts of an animal‑related job is wanting to help every pet, even the very sick ones or the ones that need to be put to sleep — that can be really heartbreaking. It can also be tough to see animals who aren’t getting the care you wish they had. But the good parts are amazing: helping lost pets get home, keeping animals safe, and being someone they can trust. If you think you might want to work with pets someday, a great first step is to volunteer at a local animal shelter when you’re old enough. It’s a perfect “trial run” to see how you feel working with animals every day and whether this career path is the right fit for you.
Thank you for the advice that was given. I didn’t realize all the things that people can go through when taking care of animals. Is there any type of special requirements or certifications, such as extra classes in high school or college, that I would need to take in order to care for animals? One last question I have is, what is the most exotic animal that you had to provide care for while working?
Anthony
Unfortunately, I’m very allergic to animals, so I never got to work with them professionally. The most “exotic” I’ve cared for were freshwater fish, plus the usual cats and dogs. If you want to work with animals, classes like biology, chemistry, and math in high school are great prep because veterinarians are medical doctors for animals. You can also look into becoming a vet tech, which is like the nurse/assistant in an animal clinic. Volunteering at a shelter is a great way to get experience too.
Cherilyn Garner