I’m considering pre-vet, then on to vet school. I’m also thinking of studying zoology, but I understand there aren’t many hands-on jobs in that field. What sort of degree would I need to work with rescued animals, in a shelter or something like that? And how would I go about working with fish in, say, a wholesale place that supplies to pet stores and breeds fish? Any input will be helpful. Thanks!
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Shelter work wouldn’t require much of a degree, these folks typically follow orders of a vet or give basic care. I don’t even think dog groomers have much training aside from on the job and that can be some pretty precision work.
You can look into animal EMT and expect that these are only going to be found in cities large enough to support the demand, that is, people willing to call an ambulance for their pets. I think the demand is there, you might look for geographic pockets where people are known for SHOWING or RACING animals because an emergency might be deemed that much more important than waiting for the vet to open, make a house call, or take them to a hospital themselves. Kentucky comes to mind with horses.
You could look into the law enforcement end of things and actually perform the rescue, or investigate cruelty cases. This probably requires some training as a law officer because some carry weapons, plus you have to know how to exercise the authority of apprehending an animal from a rowdy pet owner, as well as detective skills, interviewing, knowing your rights to search vs harrassment of the alleged abuser, etc.
You could go into law and prosecute abusers on a grand scale, such as puppy farmers, c o c k fighters (had to drag it out to escape censors!), exotic pet smugglers, and poachers. These situations sometimes look isolated enough but if you look into it, you are usually dealing with a pretty extensive network of people that are doing it…ie, organized crime.
You could study environmental sciences with emphasis on the habitat of the animals you are most interested. So if you dig dolphins, you would study marine biology and oceanography. If you like monkeys you might study forestry (emphasis on tropical forestry).
Unfortunately, in the helping professions, the further you move up the ladder, the further you get away from your population in need. I have a BA in social work. I have never advanced in any career because I didn’t want to get away from that hands-on experience. The sad thing is…if you want the money, you have to move up. If you don’t, well, you don’t need the degree very often.
You should become a biology or anthropology major, and choose the classes in this major dealing with animals versus humans.
you can major in biology and minor in zoology because so many of the classes overlap…
If you want to work with fish in a wholesale market or be a supplier to a pet store then you should not waste your money on a college education because you could go get those jobs right now.
It’s great that you like animals, but you need to be reasonable when considering the amount you are paying (or borrowing) to attend college. If you are not going to use your degree to increase your earning potential, then what’s the point?
You need to go to the career center at your campus and take one of the assessments they offer to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses and interests are. There are some online that are great too. They can recommend industries and careers you may never have considered that will compliment your personality and skills and preferences.
If you can’t narrow down your interest to a specific career (like going pre-med/pre-vet in order to be a doctor/veterenarian) then I would make sure that I major in something that will be useful across a variety of different careers–like business. A good option is to major in what you like (zoology) but get a double major or at least a minor in something widely practical, like business.
PS-you can always volunteer at animal shelters and even start foundations for the benefit of those animals once you actually are earning an income that will support you comfortably.