If you’re an animal lover, you’ve probably thought more than once how great it would be to get to work with animals. A career as an animal nurse just might be your dream job. Not only will you get to interact with animals on a daily basis, you’ll also have the chance to help them regain their health and continue living happy, full lives. Here are five reasons why you should consider becoming an animal nurse.
1. You love animals
One of the most rewarding aspects of an animal nurse’s job is the fact that they get to be surrounded by animals at work. If you love being around animals and care deeply about their welfare, this is a job that you’ll find extremely fulfilling. Your job will consist of helping animals regain their health and raising the quality of their lives. You’ll get to take care of animals while they’re at the clinic and also educate their owners on how to better look after them.
2. Animal nurses are in demand, and the field continues to grow
As an animal nurse, you won’t have to worry about your job becoming obsolete—far from it, as animal nurses are not only in high demand in a large range of organizations, but are also lucky enough to work in a growing industry. Rapid growth in the veterinary and pet industry is expected over the next decade. Pet owners in particular are becoming much more concerned about their pet’s wellbeing.
3. You get to help pet owners, too
Animals aren’t the only ones you will help as an animal nurse. Animal nurses are also an indispensable help to pet owners. You will educate pet owners on nutrition, offer advice on grooming and direct them to the right kinds of medication for their pets. In doing so, you’ll be making a difference in the way animals are treated, and empowering pet owners to become more knowledgeable and responsible when caring for their pets.
4. It doesn’t take forever to become an animal nurse
Unlike certain careers, animal nursing does not require you to spend half a decade at university in order to get qualified. An entry level position in animal nursing can usually be obtained with a two-year degree. There are also hands-on programs you can take in order to supplement your education. Some courses can be very hands-on indeed, enabling you to really experience what you’ll be facing on the job.
5. Your job will be different every day
So many people complain about being stuck in routine jobs where they do the same thing day in, day out. As an animal nurse, that’s something you’ll never have to worry about. A day in the life of an animal nurse is astonishingly varied. Each day at work is new and surprising, and you’re likely to learn something every single day. Not only can you expect to work with a variety of animal types, you’ll also be performing a range of tasks including assisting in animal surgery, taking x-rays, anesthetizing animals, helping to clean teeth or collecting test samples. You might also get to advise owners, compile records and so on.
About the author: Brandon Schroth is an animal enthusiast at heart, and works as a Marketing Coordinator for Vet & Pet Jobs, a website that focuses on careers with animals.
