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ANIMAL LOVERS ABUNDANT CAREER CHOICES
By Paula Fitzsimmons
Lots of people -- and you may be one of them -- would like a career involving
animals. For one reason or another, they put their dreams aside, often in
the belief that their choices are limited. Veterinarian and zookeeper are
two of the animal-related professions that often come to mind. But not everyone
has the desire to go through over four years of grueling veterinary training,
or to compete with large numbers of overqualified applicants for the privilege
of cleaning zoo poop.
So what if you are still determined to base your career around animals?
Don’t despair. Here are just a handful of alternative professions that
just might suit your interests and abilities.
1. Grant Writer. Many nonprofits – such as shelters, conservation and
animal welfare organizations – rely heavily on outside funding to stay
afloat. As a grant writer, your challenge would be to write proposals that
generate income for your group.
2. Boarding Service. Offer basic services, or create a four-star resort where
your clients are treated like royalty. You can even create a specialty niche,
such as boarding cats, birds or horses.
3. Massage Therapist. We humans are not the only ones who can benefit from
therapeutic massage. With the proper training, you might be able to find
work in a variety of settings, including veterinary hospitals, pet daycare
facilities and private practices.
4. Lobbyist. If you are assertive and articulate, you might want to consider
becoming a lobbyist. Conservation and animal welfare groups need passionate
people who can persuade lawmakers to side with their platforms.
5. Veterinary Informatics Specialist. This is a relatively new specialized
computer field. You might be responsible for developing software programs
used by veterinarians, educators and pharmacists.
These careers represent a tiny portion of what’s out there. So what
are these other careers and where can I find them, you ask. One good way
to start your search is to understand yourself and what energizes you –
whether it’s writing, creating, advocating, healing, and so on. Then
take it from there.
You might for instance, be a master at the art of persuasion. Where can you
find a career that would let you express this talent? To start with, an animal
welfare organization might need your skills to lobby on its behalf. Or a
pet products manufacturer may hire you as its sales representative, to form
positive relationships with clients and sell its wares.
If you have a yen to run your own business, you have a sea of choices. Some
possibilities include – but are certainly not limited to – operating
an animal transport service, offering pet-related items through mail order,
or developing a greeting card line.
If your ambition is to work with zoo animal or to practice veterinary medicine,
fabulous. But if not, there’s no need to throw away your dreams of finding
work that allows you to express your love for animals.
If you open your mind to the vast number of possibilities, you might be
pleasantly surprised. And you may just find work that is not only satisfying,
but makes a difference in the lives of animals.
Paula Fitzsimmons has written numerous articles for animal and companion
bird magazines, and is the author of the highly-praised "105 Careers for
Animal Lovers." Her bachelor of science degree is from the University of
Wisconsin-Superior. There is additional information about her booklet, as
well as articles about animal-related careers on her website at
www.pjpublications.com. --
Paula Fitzsimmons
"There are (at least!) 105 career paths for animal lovers. Where do you fit
in?"
http://www.pjpublications.com
for more info on careers with animals.
Planet Pets is not responsible for content
or opinions of contributing writers
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