Michele C Hollow - The Everything Guide to Working with Animals: From dog groomer to wildlife rescuer - tons of great jobs for animal lovers

1. People who work with animals must be compassionate.

2. Working with animals requires good people skills.

3. Career opportunities with animals continue to grow and expand, even during hard economic times.

4. Switching from the corporate world to a career with animals is not unusual.

5. The majority of careers require continuing education courses.

6. While opportunities abound throughout the country, animal care workers are sharply needed in rural areas.

7. Many careers with animals have similar requirements and can lead to other jobs in the field.

8. While the animal care industry continues to grow, more women enter the profession than men.

9. Animal care workers can earn a comfortable living.

10. The emotional rewards are rich.

It is impossible to say who the first veterinarian was because the profession goes as far back as Roman times and possibly further back than that. The word veterinarian was not in use. Instead, people who treated animals were called horse doctors or animal doctors. Doctors who cared for humans would often care for sick or injured animals.

Often these were working animals that lived on farms or served in the military. These working animals were used for food, protection, and transportation. The doctors who cared for these animals had basic skills. Much like human medicine, caring for animals involved more guessing than science. Animal disease, like human illness, was surrounded by mystery and superstition.

One of the first veterinary schools opened in Lyon, France, in 1762. The profession changed dramatically at that time, and today it continues to morph and grow. The transformation of the industry is due to our love of animals. According to a survey from the American Pet Products Association, there are 73 million owned dogs and 90 million owned cats in the United States. Dog and cat owners spend an average of $200 on veterinary visits annually.

People also own birds, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, fish, turtles, snakes, lizards, and other reptiles. It doesn't seem to matter what type of animal you own. One thing for certain is that people love and care deeply about their animals. Often animals are treated as members of the family. With that, the pet industry has seen so many new professional opportunities arise. Just five years ago, doggie daycare centers didn't exist. If you inquired about boarding your pet in a pet hotel, you probably got a roll of the eyes or a blank stare. Today, these industries are a growing business.