any GATORS out there? :D

[thaowey]

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so...i'm going to be a sophomore this coming fall, and i know i deff need some more animal/vet experience. as of right now, i'm volunteering at Oaks Vet, but i want to do MORE, and LEARN more about other aspects of vetmed too.

i was just wondering if there's any advice on how to get those LA, exotics, emergency/equine/special-out-of-the-ordinary experiences around Gainesville?

thankssss 😀

 

[Nexx]

Former Gator/Gainesville Resident 🙂

First... I hated my experiences working at Oaks/Northwood Oaks, but that was years ago now 😛

Second here are a couple good places to check out in/near Gville

The Lubee foundation - Captive breeding program for fruit bats

Dr. Osborne at Ocala vet Clinic - does work at the Silversprings wildlife park and is usually happy to take on volunteers

Institute of Veterinary Specialists - Internal Med/Derm/Surgery/Cardio (just moved office buildings) but they are a good clinic to experience (they don't really do volunteer work however)

Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary - On the outskirts of Gville, always looking for volunteers (watch out the primates can be a bit angry 😛 )

LA/Equine clinics will probably be located more in Ocala. As a side note, Emerg medicine is good, but the E-clinic in Gvillle and/or Ocala will probably eat your soul.

 

[JuniorJumper]

You can get equine experience by volunteering at the UF ENICU ("Foal Unit") during the spring and early summer, but they have been really slow the past couple of seasons so they don't always need volunteers. There are a few traveling equine vets in Gainesville that I know of and they take people on farm calls with them. Peterson & Smith in Ocala takes interns every semester, another good way to get equine experience.

Big Cat Rescue in Tampa does internships, but I don't think they are paid and you work really long weeks. It would be good zoo animal experience though.

You can volunteer with Operation Catnip (we have a clinic this Sunday!) for SA experience.

I'm working at a hospital now that sees all kinds of stuff besides dogs & cats (rodents, ferrets, bats, snakes, primates, wildlife, etc.) so I like to think of it as an all-inclusive sort of job where I get to experience a little bit of everything. We have a couple of high school kids volunteering right now, Im not sure if they would take on anyone else for the summer but there might be some volunteer opportunities in the fall.

If I think of anything else I will post it here & let you know 🙂

 

[thaowey]

Former Gator/Gainesville Resident 🙂

First... I hated my experiences working at Oaks/Northwood Oaks, but that was years ago now 😛

haha yeahhh...i've only volunteered there for a about a month now...and i don't really like the atmosphere there...the Drs just seem intimidating or don't care about you...er--that's how i feel lol

and thanks for the feedback! i'll deff check out some of those bc i need to get away from oaks! lol

 

[Nexx]

Yeah and I bet it's probably two doctors in particular that are difficult to work with. 🙂

That's the only job where I've given no notice and just told them I wouldn't be back at the end of the day. I was working as a receptionist and had a blowout with one of the unnamed two doctors after she went off on me in front of a client for what was the doctors mistake in front of said client because she didn't want to look bad. Ahh good times 🙂


Anyhow another FL opportunity that is about 3 hours away and I highly recommend if you get the chance is the Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota. They will make you take a $75 course on marine animal/mammal handling in order to volunteer but I had a great time there when I was able to make it down. Some highlights of that experience was working with sea turtles and a pygmy sperm whale.

 

[thaowey]

You can get equine experience by volunteering at the UF ENICU ("Foal Unit") during the spring and early summer, but they have been really slow the past couple of seasons so they don't always need volunteers. There are a few traveling equine vets in Gainesville that I know of and they take people on farm calls with them. Peterson & Smith in Ocala takes interns every semester, another good way to get equine experience.

wow. that deff sounds fun && interesting! i have to remember to do the ENICU for next spring then! as for the peterson&smith...i have like...zero experience [besides Retirement Home for Horses haha] so yeahh i don't think i can do that one...lol

You can volunteer with Operation Catnip (we have a clinic this Sunday!) for SA experience.

yeah i volunteered for my first time for the June Clinic! it was deff eye-opening for me...i've never seen/been around so many cats lol...i prob will do OC again though

I'm working at a hospital now that sees all kinds of stuff besides dogs & cats (rodents, ferrets, bats, snakes, primates, wildlife, etc.)

oooo so which AH do you work at??

Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota.....sea turtles and a pygmy sperm whale.

omg that's so freakin awesome! ahhhh so manny things i want to do now! lol

 

[OnceBitten]

If you have the time to commit to it, you might also want to try volunteering at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where you can work with the dolphin(s), turtles, otters, and whatever else they happen to have at the time. I believe you have to commit to volunteering for 5-7 hours per week for 6 consecutive months, though, and travel could get quite expensive.

I'm not sure if the Florida Aquarium in Tampa takes on volunteers or not, but it would be worth talking to them about it, as well. I would do the same with zoos in your area, if you can make regular time to do it and are willing to do non-animal related jobs until you work your way up.

As a final note, the Wild Cat Rescue in Tampa makes you pay $75 to volunteer there to cover the cost of the shirt, training materials, and walkie talkie, and many other rescues may do the same. Be mindful of that before committing yourself to any place in particular.