VETERINARY ASSISTANT
A veterinary assistant performs such tasks as feeding, watering, bathing, and exercising animals. Veterinarian assistants may also attend to the office duties by scheduling appointments for clients, answering calls, and greeting clients. They may work not only in veterinarian clinics, but also in veterinary hospitals, kennels, research institutes, or zoos.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A VETERINARY ASSISTANT?
The veterinary assistant is usually the first person that an animal owner will see upon their visit to the veterinarian. A veterinary assistant must possess the ability to treat both animals and their owners with compassion. It can be a very rewarding career opportunity if you are an animal lover and a “people person.”
There is no formal training involved in becoming a veterinary assistant. Most receive on-the-job training, although some may have some post-secondary education, such as trade school or junior college. Veterinary assistants require no certification, registration, or licensure.
Employment opportunities for veterinary assistants are expected to increase. In large veterinary practices, veterinary assistants can become practice managers, i.e. overseeing all aspects of the daily operation of the veterinarians’ practice.