Dawn

As far back as I can remember animals have always been a part of my life. I recognized early on in life that communicating with animals was much easier for me then dealing with humans. Growing up in an urban apartment setting animals were prohibited. Luckily, I had parents who were not afraid of exotic animals and let me explore the great love I had for them. I’ve had many wonderful species throughout my life such as tarantulas, mice, rats and reptiles. My mother drew the line at snakes only because she was afraid of them. I had to wait until I was older and out on my own to finally own one. By the time I was in the fifth grade I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian and read everything I could about all different types of animals. At the time, I thought that was the only career there was that dealt with animals and caring for them, boy was I wrong!

I was fortunate enough for a city kid to go to a high school with an agricultural program. I spent several summers on dairy and horse farms gaining great respect for the farming aspect of dealing with animals. At this point I thought I wanted to be a Equine veterinarian and after graduation attended an “AGGIE” program at SUNY Cobleskill in Upstate NY. Although I loved horses deeply I didn’t find the satisfaction I was looking for when caring for them. The long rode to becoming a veterinarian seemed so far away and my grades were not as good as they should have been. I found myself at a crossroads not knowing what to do. I no longer wanted to be a veterinarian but I still had the burning desire to work daily with animals. Fortunately my mother had a childhood friend who taught at a school with a program that he thought would suit my needs. Not wanting to leave the city again he urged my mother to make me look into a similar program in the city. As soon as I did I knew that is where I wanted to be and now fourteen years later I am grateful for the suggestion.

My fourteen years working with animals in the Bio medical research community has been both rewarding and trying at times. It takes a strong, compassionate individual to do this day in and day out. One’s love for animals has to be so strong that it sometimes hurts in order to do this job well. I am very proud of my work as a laboratory veterinary technician in cancer research. I know that every little bit I give to all my animals will pay off in the long run for someone’s loved one or even their pet. It is because of individuals like myself that put our heart and soul into everything we do that can help you feel confident these animals are getting the BEST of care. If you feel you love animals and want to do everything you can to benefit humans and animals then a career in Laboratory animals science may be for you.

Dawn, Lab Manager