Careers for Animal Lovers

There is a distinct difference between a career and a vocation. A career is a progression of jobs that one pursues hoping to gain positions of ever greater responsibility and reward. While one may come to love a career, a vocation represents a deeper desire; a vocation is a calling. Working with animals goes beyond a career for many people. Working with animals is a passion. There are many career options for those who love to work with animals.

The most obvious career for animal lovers is that of a veterinarian. Veterinarians are highly trained medical professionals that provide for the health care needs of many different types of animals. The largest demand for veterinarians is in the treatment of household pets. Unlike a general practitioner who interprets the symptoms of human patients, prescribes antibiotics or other medications and refers patients to a hospital for more serious ailments, veterinarians provide much more comprehensive animal care. Veterinarians conduct ordinary check ups, perform routine operations and prescribe medication for people's pets. For the most serious of ailments, a veterinarian may recommend an animal hospital. In addition, unlike any physician, veterinarians may recommend and administer euthanasia for terminally ill pets.

In addition to veterinarians who specialize in household pets, there is an incredible variety of veterinarians who work in a much more professional capacity working with other types of animals. Horse farms, race tracks, zoos, aquariums and circuses all employ an incredible variety of veterinarians and animal scientists to care for their animals. Of course, much like becoming a doctor, becoming a veterinarian is no easy task. Vets must acquire a great deal of technical knowledge comparable to that of a traditional physician. For those who cannot complete the extensive education of a veterinarian or cannot afford it, there are still animal careers possible. For every trained veterinarian there are many other nurses and technicians who must assist in animal care. These positions require less training but offer a great deal of hands on work with animals.

In addition to the care of animals, there are many other fields of scientists and technicians that work with animals. Zoologists literally study animals. Zoology is an enormous field that is subdivided into countless disciplines which specialize in the study of specific species or groups of species. Jane Goodall, for examples, is a primatologist who studies various species of monkey and ape in the wild. Cetologists study marine mammals, ichthyologists study fish and ornithologists study birds. These scientists study all aspects species' existence. A zoologist might study social behavior or mating behavior of animals. A zoologist might also study the diet, nutrition and internal physiology and biochemistry of animals. Some scientists focus of whole ecosystems or the relation of various species within an ecosystem. Other scientists, taxonomists, determine how different species of animals are related to one another within the classification of other organisms.

Another group of animal workers are those that make a living through the use of animals. A variety of performers and trainers are necessary to teach the animals in a zoo, circus or aquarium to perform. These careers, obviously, can involve rather large or dangerous creatures and can therefore by quite hazardous. Nonetheless, teaching a new-born killer whale to dive into the air for audiences involves an understanding of animal psychology and the use of clear gestures that the animal can recognize. On a smaller, less noticeable scale, a variety of trainers teach pets obedience or rudimentary tricks. Such trainers also can tame and train horses to carry people or pull loads.

Any of these careers would be a great choice for an animal lover. To get an idea about salaries and job availability in your area, check postings on websites such as Monster.com.