During National Veterinary Technician Week (2014) AAHA asked veterinary technicians to share why they love their jobs. We hope their comments inspire others.
1. We asked veterinary technicians why
they love their jobs. Let their answers
inspire you, and remind you why you
love your profession.
aaha.org
love their jobs.
Veterinary technicians
3. “I joined the veterinary community
to help those who cannot speak for
themselves. We are the extra eyes,
the extra hands, of the veterinarian;
we are veterinary technicians.”
—JEREMIAH HEATON
4. “Dog kisses and cat purrs tell me I’m
making a difference in the lives of animals
and their owners.”
—KAYLA MARIE NORMANDIN
“Being a part of helping someone’s family
member to heal and stay healthy is so
rewarding.”
—KRISTEN HOLLOWELL, RVT
“That look a patient gives you when you go into his cage just to comfort and
love on him after he’s been hospitalized and treated for days…he remembers
you and that extra effort you took with him.”
—SHARON NOVAK
5. “Some cases are sad.
Some endings aren’t
happy. The animals we
are able to help, however,
make my job worth doing
and my heart so happy.”
—ANETTE RASMUSSEN
6. “I often have the opportunity to see the entire circle of
life in one 12-hour shift. I might come to work and assist
a C-section, spending time reviving puppies until I hear
every little cry, and I may end my day holding the paw
of an animal who had a good, long life and is ready to
cross the Rainbow Bridge.”
—ALICIA SCHMITT
8. “Each new case
that comes in the
door is a learning
opportunity.”
—JEANNIE YOUNG, LVT
“I’ve had the opportunity to work
in many aspects of the veterinary
technician field over the last
17 years: emergency medicine,
research, teaching veterinary
technology at a community
college, and now a mixed-animal
practice. I’m blessed to be able to
do what I love, what I’m good at,
and to still learn something new
every single day. The profession
keeps growing and advancing,
and the new techs coming out of
school are teaching me. I can’t
explain how proud I am to call
myself a veterinary technician.”
—LANA BOWEN
9. “I love putting
the pieces
together and
helping to solve
the mysteries!”
—EMMA ASHLEY
“This profession provides
endless learning opportunities.
But more than that, the
learning is practical—the ideas
can be applied into practice
daily. I also love getting up
every day and looking forward
to my job. Nobody I know can
say they truly love their job!”
—RACHEL ALPERS
10. “I love having the opportunity to learn, as
well as teach, something new every day.”
—DIANE RICHARDS, CVT
11. “I love the variety—every
day I learn something new
and I have been a veterinary
technician for more than 30
years. People are in-tune
with their animals, and the
bond they share warms my
heart. You never know what
is going to walk through that
door, which makes every day
exhilarating! There is no job
out there that could give me
as much fulfillment as being
a veterinary technician.”
—VALERIE GRENON, CVT
13. “I cannot imagine doing
anything else! After 25 years,
I enjoy everything about my
job: the animals, the people,
the young and old, nursing
care of the fragile, being a
kind face when people and
their pets need it most.”
—BECKY PLUMB, LVT
14. “I love that after 10 years, I’m still able to feel joy from clients who
appreciate the things we do for their pets. Developing relationships with
patients and clients as if they were my own family is priceless.”
—HEATHER ALLMAN, CVT
“I get kisses, paws,
head butts, and
smiles. Everyone
has their own
way of showing
you that they
appreciate what
you do for them.”
—EMILY NACE, CVT, RVT
15. “I love everything about my
job! From easing a four-legged
friend’s fear and pain to easing
a two-legged friend’s anxiety
regarding his or her pet. I love
pets and I love people! It’s the
best of both worlds.”
—SHONNA CLARK
16. “After 10 years, my favorite
part of my job is still seeing
the happiness of my patient
and his or her owner
when I reunite them
after a day of
being apart.”
—MARA PARADIS
“I love seeing the
look of thanks
in the eyes of
my patients and
clients. This is
such a hard, but
rewarding, job!”
—MEGAN DAVIS
18. “I love helping to ease a pet’s pain and
educating and comforting owners.”
—LIZ WAYNICK
“I have been a veterinary technician for 18 years
and what I love most is connecting with clients
and their pets and joining them on their journey
together. It’s the greatest honor to help a pet
through potty training and puppy classes, small
colds, scary emergencies, major illnesses, all
the way to his final moments when it’s time to
say goodbye.”
—APRIL JOHNSON
19. “Building relationships
with clients and their
pets and watching them
grow from puppies and
kittens to adults—it’s
wonderful to witness
their bond grow through
client education and
medical care. I love
knowing that I’ve helped
these pets stay healthy
for as long as possible.”
—JENNIFER CARLSON, CVT
20. “Knowing that even when it’s a simple
thing to explain, I can make a client’s
load easier by providing some comfort
and knowledge. Building a community
and connecting with animals and their
owners is fantastic.”
—NATASHA WALTERS, LVT
21. “I love animals and want to spend all my time
with them. But the reason I became a veterinary
technician is because I wanted to better the
education pet owners receive about their pets.
I wanted to educate clients on how to help their
pets live longer and healthier lives.”
—SAMANTHA WOOD, LVT
22. “Our profession allows us to
share information, educate
clients, and strengthen the
human-animal bond. All
that positive energy for
the greater good is what
I love the most.”
—LINDA DE LA TORRE
24. “I am a voice for those
who don’t have one.”
—CHRISTINE WATSON
“My favorite
part about being
a veterinary
technician is
the challenge
of helping an
animal when
she can’t tell us
what’s wrong.”
—SELINA BURKITT
25. “I love being an advocate
for animals. This profession
is so rewarding: As techs,
we hold such a connection
with our patients and
clients. New adventures and
challenges make this career
even more rewarding. I
wouldn’t even think about
entering another career.”
—LISA CICIO, CVT
26. “I love every aspect of being an LVT, from
being an advocate for my patients to helping
strengthen the human-animal bond through
client education. Ours truly is the most
rewarding field.”
—KIM GARDNER, LVT
28. “I love that our profession is so
full of opportunity and gives us the
chance to excel in areas we love.
My passion is for anesthesia and
not only do I get to practice this in a
clinical setting, but I have been able
to expand into teaching it in a college
technician program as well.”
—CAROL HUDECEK, LVT
29. “There’s always something new
and challenging. The people who
enter this field are unique, and the
opportunities for them are endless.”
—HOLLY DAUGHERTY, LVT
30. “Technicians play an important role in the veterinary field. So many people depend on our
knowledge and skill: the owner of the practice, the veterinarians, the pet owners…they all look
to us as a link or a bridge. There are technicians who do research, work at zoos or humane
societies, are pharmaceutical reps, or teach at veterinary schools. There are technicians
who work with small animals, large animals, exotic animals…our passion can take us into all
different areas of animal medicine and care. That’s what makes being a registered, certified,
or licensed technician so special and rewarding.”
—ROSIE MURANAKA
31. “I truly appreciate the opportunity
to make a difference every single
day. I can problem solve and
contribute to the health of many
different species. Being an LVT is
my dream and my passion.”
—MELISSA BLODGETT
“This field provides new opportunities
and amazing techniques that help pets
live longer, happier lives.”
—BRENNA JOHNSON, CVT
32. aaha.org
Thank you veterinary technicians for all that you do.
Your passion for your profession, the pets you help heal,
and the clients whose lives you impact is inspiring.
The quotes used in the preceding pages were posted on AAHA’s Facebook page during National Veterinary Technician Week (2014).
Thank you to all who chimed in about why you love being a veterinary technician.
