feedback in animal experience

[ducktoller]

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Hi guys, it's been quite a while since I've seen another animal experience thread, so just thought I'd start a new one!

What do you guys think about particular animal experiences that may stand out?
I found out that my local mountain (Vancouver, Canada) is now showing two reindeer to visitors daily from 9am-10pm. It would be a great idea to volunteer for that (perhaps both animal husbandry and education the public about them?) and I am sure that is something that would make my application stand out from others!!😀 What do you guys think?

On a side note.. I have decided to volunteer with my local predatory bird rescue association (perhaps it is better to not name the organization) and found out that some of their practices are..well.. questionable. Turns out the mice they feed the birds are not killed as humanely as I thought they would. I am sure it is legal but I just have problems accepting the practice. I do not know the details, but they basically smash the mouse on a surface until it dies.
Good idea? :S I guess it would be worth mentioning in my personal statement that not all volunteer-run organizations are run as well as I think they should be.

Anyway, thanks for any comments/feedback you can provide 😍 would certainly rather talk about this rather than the stats final I have in a few days 😛

 

[nyanko]

I have not a thing to add but I have a Toller so I noticed your username.

Also I am essentially brain diseased so I may or may not have said the same thing to you before.

 

[wildcatj]

I believe the mouse smashing is pretty standard procedure for a lot of places. however, if they are doing it right it should be just one smack and definitely not many. I've never personally done it, but my understanding is that it should kill them pretty humanely if you do it right. I would think isoing them would be a lot easier on everyone involved, but apparently the smacking is pretty common.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I'm not sure if the raindeer gig will make you pop out all that much or not, but definitely worth doing if you're interested esp if you have limited LA experience!

As for the mice stuff, in order to be able to talk about in an interview and really impress interviewers, I suggest you look up the legalities of it, what rules there are, what exemptions there are, and under what governance this facility is overseen by and if that changes anything. And then after all that have a clear opinion in your own mind about your stance is on the ethics behind it and be able to justify why you feel that way. What are the alternatives? etc... Show them that you're able to take an ethically murky subject, research it, and think it out so that you can find peace with it one way or the other. That's an important skill to have as a vet, or really anyone working with animals.

Don't worry about talking about shady non-profits if this place is indeed shady, because that's what I did for a good 20 min of each of my interviews and I was accepted to all 3 places I interviewed, even on the spot for one of them. So I don't think having spent a significant amount of time with bad nonprofits necessarily hurt me. It's what you learn/do about it that makes a difference. I didn't overtly talk about the ethics of these shady nonprofits in my application itself, but that was just a personal decision. I don't think it would hurt to mention it in your PS (though you prob don't want to make the focus or anything unless it relates specifically to your career goals or something)

 

[parula]

I believe the mouse smashing is pretty standard procedure for a lot of places. however, if they are doing it right it should be just one smack and definitely not many. I've never personally done it, but my understanding is that it should kill them pretty humanely if you do it right. I would think isoing them would be a lot easier on everyone involved, but apparently the smacking is pretty common.

I could be really, really wrong (and correct me if I am) but I think using iso to kill something that is going to be eaten probably isn't common because of the drugs half life...?

 

[bunnity]

The wildlife place I volunteered at used a small amount of ISO for sedation and then a CO2 tank for to-be-eaten mice/rats. I'm not sure if you're trying to describe cervical dislocation (which is generally considered acceptable) or something else.

Regardless, you don't generally use your PS to talk about sketchy practices... you use it to talk about yourself and why you want to be a vet.

As far as animal experience, don't worry so much about the application and just do things that are interesting and educational for you / things where you can give back to your community. I think it's more important to be genuine and compassionate than work with a rare species.

 

[StartingoverVet]

It is December, someone HAS to discuss the elephant in the room..

Don't you think there is a positive karma to working with reindeer this time of year. I mean, they do have friends who work with Santa, and can put in a good word, and get you what you really want for the holidays, an acceptance to vet school.

Now I know using your "friends" to help you get into vet school is controversial... but come on, you can't pass this opportunity up.

 

[swingnsave]

It is December, someone HAS to discuss the elephant in the room..

Don't you think there is a positive karma to working with reindeer this time of year. I mean, they do have friends who work with Santa, and can put in a good word, and get you what you really want for the holidays, an acceptance to vet school.

Now I know using your "friends" to help you get into vet school is controversial... but come on, you can't pass this opportunity up.

i highly have to agree with this 👍
make the reindeer your best friends.

 

[ducktoller]

I have not a thing to add but I have a Toller so I noticed your username.

Also I am essentially brain diseased so I may or may not have said the same thing to you before.

My name is ducktoller but I have a golden retriever.. as you can see in the picture 😛

 

[ducktoller]

I'm not sure if the raindeer gig will make you pop out all that much or not, but definitely worth doing if you're interested esp if you have limited LA experience!

As for the mice stuff, in order to be able to talk about in an interview and really impress interviewers, I suggest you look up the legalities of it, what rules there are, what exemptions there are, and under what governance this facility is overseen by and if that changes anything. And then after all that have a clear opinion in your own mind about your stance is on the ethics behind it and be able to justify why you feel that way. What are the alternatives? etc... Show them that you're able to take an ethically murky subject, research it, and think it out so that you can find peace with it one way or the other. That's an important skill to have as a vet, or really anyone working with animals.

Don't worry about talking about shady non-profits if this place is indeed shady, because that's what I did for a good 20 min of each of my interviews and I was accepted to all 3 places I interviewed, even on the spot for one of them. So I don't think having spent a significant amount of time with bad nonprofits necessarily hurt me. It's what you learn/do about it that makes a difference. I didn't overtly talk about the ethics of these shady nonprofits in my application itself, but that was just a personal decision. I don't think it would hurt to mention it in your PS (though you prob don't want to make the focus or anything unless it relates specifically to your career goals or something)

Thank you so much!! To be honest it's really my loss for not doing this in the first place haha. Should be me doing it without having to have anyone suggest it!!! but okay thanks for the insight, it is something that I am probably going to bring up in the interview anyway. But it just so happens that I do have limited LA experience, so I think I'll give it a try!! 😀 and HAHA about the positive karma with reindeer.. the little angels can fly me off to RVC in time for Christmas pleaseeee.

 

[nyanko]

My name is ducktoller but I have a golden retriever.. as you can see in the picture 😛

I couldn't tell what the dog in your avatar was, but I did realize it wasn't a toller because it's way too light.

goldens are boring. fiery red little toller or no retriever for me!

 

[tropictuco]

I couldn't tell what the dog in your avatar was, but I did realize it wasn't a toller because it's way too light.

goldens are boring. fiery red little toller or no retriever for me!

I loved my high-school principal's toller. He found him laying by the side of the road in bad shape, leg broken, etc. He was surprised to learn the dog's breed had a ridiculously long name . The dog looks very close to breed standard to me so I just wonder what happened to it...

As for animal experience, I think diversity is important. I have experience with lots of different animals and as I'm thinking about my interview now, I'm glad I have so many different experiences to draw on. On which to draw. Whatever. I think working with reindeer would be awesome!!!

I always hesitate to be negative about anything when in a situation as formal as an interview. I've definitely ended some volunteer positions early because I've not agreed with some of the practices. But I would deflect it as "Well I just realized that I was much more interested in xyz and wanted to spend time there..." While animal "cruelty" is a very important issue to discuss, unless you have ALL your ducks in a very neat row, negativity can be interpreted in many different ways, not all of it reflecting positively on you.