Lets have a general thread about animal jobs; any job that involves animals in some way.
Ask questions about getting an animal job
Share stories about your animal job
Discuss your dream animal job
Etc.
For me, I'm curious what kind of studying I'd need to do to get a job working with a specific animal. If I wanted to work with just otters, or maybe otters and other mustelidae, what kind of background would I need to establish before getting that kind of job?
What do you mean work with, like sit with one in your lap or got out and blast some with a shotgun to steal their teeth and stomach contents?
>>2118958
Well, not the latter, certainly. But I guess a wide variety of things otherwise. Care for, observe, study, train, film them professionally, write on professionally, etc.
Just something where I get to be around these animals without killing or hurting them.
since no one has replied I guess I will. I work in a very low kill stray intake shelter (only euthanizes for extreme medical/behavioral), previously employed at an emergency vet and a large county run shelter in SoCal. the SoCal shelter was hell, the eVet was cool, but over all prefer my job now
I'm almost done with classes to be a CVT, which is just so I can make a bit more money than I am now. still deciding if I want to further my education by going to vet school, or studying animal behavior.
Well I sometimes take care of the frogs where I work
Does that count?
I wish I could work with animals but I think it's too late for me to go back to school.
Has anyone worked as a wildlife rehabilitator?
>>2120294
Yeee what up
>>2120305
How did you come into it? What level of education were they looking for? Is/was it enjoyable?
>>2118891
It depends on the level of work you want to do with them. For care, look up what it takes to become a zookeeper. I'm not sure. For the highest level of work, do a biology undergrad and then a mammology PhD
>>2120294
My dad used to rehab injured birds of prey. He had a two year degree in wildlife management and worked for years in the Ohio and Michigan parks departments. Of course, that was in the 80s and 90s, so idk what that might take now
My dream job would be to run a wildlife show like Steve Irwin. That would make me so happy to be around animals all the time. Unfortunately, nobody watches those shows anymore. Which is why Animal Planet has fallen to the wayside.
I also work at an animal shelter, all intake (some restrictions on owner surrenders), all animals excluding wildlife, exotics that require permits, and farm animals. Euthanize for behavior and medical, but we do fudge it a bit more when we don't have space.
I kind of do a little bit of everything, from being a janitor to being a vet tech assistant. Shit pay, shit job, but it helps animals so I feel obligated to stay.
Also had experience with a wildlife rehab but it was 100% volunteer (which I believe is the case for most wildlife rehabs)
How do I get an animal job? It's kind of been my goal but I'm just drifting and completely clueless how to start. I've applied to vets who need sitters for animals that are there for the day and never got a reply. I don't really want to do vet work at all because seeing sick animals is sad, but maybe something with wildlife. I have a degree in biology and zoology and have had pets all my life and volunteer for a wildlife refuge but none of it's leading me to any jobs because I guess I have no "professional" experience.
I work at a nature center, I get handle snakes and turtles mostly. But I lover herpetology so it's all good. My degree is in environmental education, so I do public education programs with the animals
