Hot Tip -- by Emma Geoghegan and Tara Mercier

Xavier, looking for a meal

The pet industry is competitive with far more people interested in working with animals than there are paying positions. This means it is more important than ever to use as many effective job search strategies as possible. One of our program assistants, with work experience in the pet industry, shed some light on effective job search strategies.

Finding a niche that job seekers don't readily think of, or have little knowledge of, can give you the competitive edge you need. The pet industry isn't limited to traditional jobs such as veterinarians, groomers, and pet store workers. Have you ever thought about pet sitting, pet transportation or even pet waste removal as entry points into the industry?

Pet owners often find pet sitting services more convenient than the traditional kennel. As a pet sitter, you would visit clients' homes and care for their pets, feeding and giving the pet water, maintaining its regular exercise (for example going for walks), cleaning up any messes it makes and, of course, providing lots of TLC. Check out Hawkeye's Home Sitter of Canada, www.homesitter.com/pet.html and Happy Trails Pet Sitting (Ontario), www.iaw.on.ca/burke for information on companies specializing in this niche. The Yellow Pages lists numerous companies in the Calgary area that provide this service.

Other emerging pet services include pet transportation and pet waste removal. Pet transportation companies safely transport pets to and from the veterinarian's office as well as delivering pet supplies to the pet owner. This is an invaluable service to elderly pet owners, a segment of the population that is steadily growing. Though not the most glamorous position in the world pet waste removal will give you the chance to work with pets and meet their owners, who knows where you'll meet that contact that will lead to your dream job.

To differentiate yourself from the average job seeker it is vital that you educate yourself about the species of animals you'd like to work with. The greater your knowledge base and related skill set, the stronger you are as a candidate in the pet industry. You can educate yourself by obtaining more certification in your field of interest or through more informal options such as, seminars, shows and conferences. Acquiring memberships with related associations/ societies is a way for you to find out about upcoming events in your industry as well as an opportunity to network with people in your field. Another way to learn about animals that you are interested in is to read about them on the Internet, or in magazines and books.

It is especially important to educate yourself about the not-so-run-of-the-mill animals. They often have special needs as they are living outside of their natural habitat. Tara, our trusty program assistant, for example has worked with reptiles at the SPCA and has her own pet iguana, she has found it necessary to educate herself about the very specific needs of various reptiles. She suggests Melissa Kaplan's home page, http://www.anapsid.org/ as it has excellent information on reptile and amphibian healthcare, environment, nutrition, and behaviour. If you were interested in working with reptiles and amphibians you could contact the Edmonton Reptile & Amphibian Society and The Alberta Reptile and Amphibian Society (T.A.R.A.S.).

How do you gain first hand experience working with animals? There are many organizations that need volunteers or entry-level employees to work with animals. There are several places in Calgary including the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals, Calgary Humane Society, and the Calgary Zoo.

An entry-level or volunteer position that you may gain through these organizations is an animal care attendant. This position doesn't require formal education but requires hard work. Some of the duties you may perform in this position are: cleaning cages/enclosures, maintaining the proper environment for each species (temperature, lighting, humidity), preparing nutritionally balanced meals, bathing and grooming, observing behaviour, monitoring for illness and injury, and answering questions in regards to the animals. It is important to note that duties will vary considerably depending on where you are employed or volunteering.

Whether your favourite animals are furry, scaly, slimy, feathered (or party), there are lots of avenues for you to explore in the pet industry. So get out there and start researching your options!