What to do in Los Angeles?

[skysong13]

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So as i mentioned in another thread, I'm going to be in Los Angeles in June, July, and a few weeks in to August. I will be living near the Culver city area, and my boyfriend drives every day to the laec which is in the burbank/griffith park area so he could drop me off somewhere inbetween if needed. But I'm either looking for a part-time job or volunteering or just something to do while I'm there. I plan on taking lessons at the barn and riding, but I don't plan on being there 24/7, so I was just wondering if anyone from the area had any suggestions for things to do, volunteer activities I could do for the summer, vets that maybe hire summer work, or any horse jobs for the summer? I'd take any advice/opportunities. Or if you know vets who would be good to shadow/meet? I'll be moving there after I finish vet school, so starting to meet some local vets wouldn't be a bad thing. I don't want a full time job, because i want to relax this summer break, but I will be bored out of my mind if I don't have something to do.

Thanks in advance 🙂

 

[crazy bout qtrs]

Maybe try looking into the LA Zoo.

 

[primatevetjess]

The LA Zoo can be really hard to get into. At least I know it used to be. You had to make a pretty substantial time commitment and volunteer for a long time before being able to do anything with the animals.

If you'll be in Burbank, there's a fantastic clinic called Media City Animal Hospital. It's a small animal general practice, and Drs Fogel and Chan are really great and very open to helping out pre vet students. It's the very first place that I shadowed, and they eventually hired me as a receptionist. If you're interested, let me know. You can tell them I said hi. 🙂

 

[StartingoverVet]

There are stables in Griffith Park so you might as well start there if your BF is going that way anyways.

I volunteered at the Brentwood Pet Clinic (now a VCA), and I know they used to have other volunteers before they went corporate. You might try contacting Dr. Olds (surgeon) or Dr. Martin (internal medicine). They are a couple of old-timers who are really well respected in the area.

There is a marine mammal rescue center down towards Long Beach if you are looking for something really part time and unusual (and also a wildlife rescue somewhere east of burbank - bears, lions etc).

Just remember, anywhere in the valley gets REALLY hot in the summer. Temperatures in culver city will be like 10-20 degrees cooler!

 

[primatevetjess]

I believe the wildlife rescue that SOV us referring to is the Wildlife Waystation. I worked there for a summer as the full time bear, wolf, and big cat zookeeper. After the summer, I stayed on as a volunteer in the hospital once a week. Honestly it's not the best run place, and the head veterinarian while I was there was awful.

SOV is right about Griffith Park, there is a large equestrian center and tons of stables. So you may want to try there if you're interested in horses.

 

[skysong13]

Crazy bout qrts, I looked in to the zoo but i found that you had to take a class that was only offered every few years for the position i wanted to do and even for the more basic positions, i seem to recall finding qualifications that i wasn't sure I'd meet.

And yes I know the LAEC is in griffith park, my boyfriend is an assistant trainer there. I've emailed the management to see if they had any positions and they said they'd contact me if anything opened up and so far I haven't heard from them. And even though i've been around horses for ages, I don't have any formal riding lessons so I'm not really qualified to work for a trainer. I may be able to work with the TES, but that's a slim chance I think. And yeah my bf said it gets pretty hot there, but he complained about texas and indiana too. but i've heard it's a dry heat? indiana has a wet heat which is supposed to be worse.

but jjhonston, do you think they would be okay with me just being there for like 2 months? and I assume they are small animal if they are VCA? I'm kinda hoping for a paid position, it would be nice to make something on the side but not required.

 

[primatevetjess]

but jjhonston, do you think they would be okay with me just being there for like 2 months? and I assume they are small animal if they are VCA? I'm kinda hoping for a paid position, it would be nice to make something on the side but not required.

I didn't say anything about a VCA, that was SOV. And I mentioned in my post that the place I was talking about is a small animal general practice.

The only way to find out about a volunteer or paid position is to call them or stop by. I shadowed and worked there over 5 years ago, so things may have changed. But I know that Drs. Fogel and Chan are still there.

 

[gugoodoll]

The LAEC is in Burbank. The Paddock Riding Club is in Griffith Park. However, most equine vets have clients in both facilities (among other, smaller ones).

Try this directory. You'll need to narrow it down to the ones in the Burbank/Glendale area.

http://www.socalequine.com/health_care/veterinarians.htm

 

[skysong13]

Oh oops i got your two posts mixed up I guess! Thanks jjhonston I'll look in to it 🙂

and gugoodoll, i thought the laec was in griffith park too? or the "historic part" as the website describes.

but thanks everyone I don't have time right now to go out and start doing hard core searching (physics is requiring pretty much all of my time right now) but this'll help for when i do 🙂