By Paula Fitzsimmons
Wild animal species once largely restricted to rural areas have become regular urban denizens. In my own mid-sized city, it’s no longer uncommon to see foxes, coyotes, and turkeys roaming freely in residential areas. Several months ago we even spotted what appeared to be a bobcat on the arm of a busy highway. These kinds of sightings were rare as recently as a decade ago.
By Paula Fitzsimmons
Hiring patterns change throughout the year. It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but certain periods, like December, traditionally see slower activity, with a general uptick in hiring during January and February. Based on data from the Animal Jobs Digest Jobs section, animal care and protection jobs tend to follow this same pattern.
Why not use these slower times to prepare for the new year? You don’t need to try each of these – especially not all at once. But doing even one of these can potentially increase your chances of finding your dream animal job.
By Paula Fitzsimmons
Have you ever thought about turning your passion for cats into paying work or a profitable business, but weren’t quite sure how to make that happen? You may be surprised at the variety of options available to you – and at the number of organizations seeking your passion and special skills.
I know, because opportunities working with cats and other animals regularly get posted on the Animal Jobs Digest jobs page.
By Paula Fitzsimmons
Ask ten different people working in the animal care field how they got their job, and you’ll likely get an assortment of replies. There are no right or wrong paths to gainful employment – what works for someone else may not necessarily be ideal for your situation.
Getting hired is sometimes simply the result of great timing, knowing someone who knows someone, and even luck. More often that not, it takes dogged determination and an awareness of which tools to use to your advantage.
By Paula Fitzsimmons
If your Facebook feed looks anything like mine, it’s a succession of posts bearing bad news for animals and the planet. Images of emaciated polar bears. News that we stand to lose elephants and other species in our lifetime. Systematic animal abuses. Rangers in the Democratic Republic of Congo killed while protecting wildlife . . . and on and on and on.
Ditto for email alerts, Twitter feeds, radio and television – the bad news is everywhere. These stories – especially when served in such high volume – make me feel incredibly sad, angry . . . and powerless. And that’s a terrible place to get stuck at.
I could be wrong here, but I have a feeling you can relate.
By Paula Fitzsimmons
The tragic death of Cecil, the lion killed outside of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park has sparked outrage. And rightly so. Trophy hunting – the killing of an animal for the sake of “sport” – is despicable in its own right. What adds to this fury is that Cecil was apparently beloved, and according to National Geographic, one of the region’s best known and most studied lions. And with fewer than 21,000 lions remaining in Africa (according to African Wildlife Foundation) how can trophy hunting even be justified?
By Paula Fitzsimmons
There’s no question a need for animal rescues, shelters, and sanctuaries exists.
The animal welfare community has worked – and succeeded – to decrease the number of homeless animals, but there are still pressing issues. According to a 2012-2013 study by the former National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (by way of the Humane Society of the US), there are an estimated 3,500 animal shelters in the United States – with 6 to 8 million cats and dogs entering these shelters each year.