You’re a Zoology major, so you want to be a vet, right?

Wrong.

Why do people automatically assume a veterinarian is the logical choice? Are other animal jobs seen or as lesser or are they simply not well known?

As long as I have loved animals, I have never wanted to be a veterinarian. Throughout high school and into college, people ask me all the time if I am going to be a veterinarian.

There is nothing wrong with veterinarians and their job is extremely important but it has never been a dream of mine.

Being a veterinarian is not the only job that helps animals. For some reason, it is often the first one people think of but there are many more. Taking care of animals takes a team. Even in the domestic animal realm, there are also dog and cat sitters as well as groomers. The exotic world has many more jobs such as zookeepers, curators, and specialists. These are just some of the many jobs that work with animals.

I don’t want to be in school forever. Just because I took advanced classes in high school does not mean I did it for medical or veterinarian school. Any science major needs to take all of the difficult classes, even just for a bachelors degree.

Veterinarians are animal doctors. I have never had the desire to be a doctor which probably explains why I never wanted to be a veterinarian. Medical procedures take a lot of patience and skill that I think I could develop but I would not be happy doing. The animals deserve vets who are passionate about every aspect of their job.

I want to help enrich their daily lives. Majority of the time an animal sees the veterinarian when they are ill or injured. Although this is important for the health and happiness of the animals, I want to do more for their everyday happiness.

Not only do I want to help animals be happier, but I want to help save their species. I strive to spread awareness about the ways people can help all animals from house pets to elephants and everything in between.

Working with animals is about pursing my passion. Selecting a major was not easy for me but when it came down to it, I loved the volunteer work I did at the zoo. People think that means I have to be either a veterinarian or a zookeeper. There are so many more jobs that I can pursue.

Whatever I decide to do as a career, it is not about the money. I want to be happy and make a difference no matter how small.

Being a veterinarian is a great career but it is not the one for me. Next time you meet somebody who loves animals, do not assume that they want to be a veterinarian or that it is their only option. Following a passion should be about what you want to do and never what other people think you should.