Perhaps some of you are acquainted with the Monty Python skit about the seasoned accountant who, bored with his career, wanted to become a lion tamer. Adamant though he was, poor Herbert Anchovy (who only wanted his name in lights) made a fundamental error in his career analysis: he mistook an anteater for a lion (I could tame one of those; I don’t know what all the fuss is about).
While this is a bit silly, it illustrates a good point, viz., that careers with animals can be dangerous. We all learned that recently with the untimely and indeed unusual death of animal-loving adventurer Steve Irwin. Of all things, a stingray—who’d have thought?
So, if you plan on having a career involving animals, remember this: animals are still animals, and they are born with a nature that is fitting for their species. Yes, you can change that to a point, but it can never be eliminated. Just as Siegfried and Roy.
In short, don’t let your love for animals be the be-all and end-all of your career choice. Rather, let this love develop through the appropriate research, training, and experience necessary to succeed in your field.
Where can you learn more? Google’s a great place to start. Depending on exactly what you want to do, you can search for veterinary, animal trainer school, animal careers, etc. If you have a local school that offers animal-related courses, it’s a good idea to check with them as well.
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