Nurture A Career In Animal Care

Thinking about a new career? Try going to the dogs -- literally. The Animal Specialty Center in nearby Yonkers, New York is a 24/7 hospital facility that treats animals for everything from minor sprains to major surgical operations. They even perform CAT scans and cancer treatments.

To perform these complicated procedures you need education in veterinary medicine. But there are some jobs open that require a quality you can't learn in any classroom.

"You don't really need to have prior experience, but the most important thing is somebody that is willing to learn, to be compassionate," said Animal Specialty Center Director Bernadette Vinci.

Vinci says they have openings in two areas. The first is client care specialists.

"Pets don't walk in the door themselves, so you need to be both a people person and care for the animals," Vinci said.

"I just decided that, you know, I'd like to look into it a little bit further and see what positions they had available and I got lucky enough and now I get to play with dogs all day and cats," said Animal Specialty Center employee Jennifer Kelly.

The other position, an animal care assistant, is a bit more hands on.

"They clean the cages, they make sure that they have nice bedding, the pets are comfortable. They also walk the dogs, they feed the pets, they hold during an exam," Vinci said.

"I was always interested in animals my whole life, so it seemed like a perfect fit," said Animal Specialty Center employee Michael Gonzalez.

Both positions are considered an entry into the world of veterinary medicine and provide valuable exposure for someone making career choices.

Because it's a 24-hour facility, hours can be erratic. But for many working at the center, the positives most definitely outweigh the negatives.