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Students Get Feel For Veterinary Life

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By RONNIE BLAIR, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 25, 2007

Updated: 11/24/2007 04:33 pm

LAND O' LAKES - Cats trigger an allergic reaction in Jonathan MacDonald, a small thing except that in the past year the teenager logged 100 hours volunteering at Pasco County Animal Services.

Animal Services houses cats by the dozens.

"Even with my allergy medicine, it's like, 'Aaargh!'" said MacDonald, 18, who nevertheless expects to make a career of working with animals.

MacDonald and several of his fellow students at Marchman Technical Education Center volunteer regularly at Animal Services on Lake Patience Road in Land O' Lakes, where they assist with spay and neuter surgery, walk dogs and gauge animal personalities to help potential adopters figure out which pet might be best for them.

So much time spent with animals awaiting adoption tugs at the emotions of the students, all of whom are in the veterinary assisting program at Marchman.

"Every time you come here, you want to take something home," said Holly Woolverton, 18.

Even more heart wrenching, she said, are "the ones you know will have to be put to sleep."

Still, the students keep coming, and recently eight of them received Presidential Volunteer Service Awards from the Points of Light Foundation for their efforts.

Students who put in 100 volunteer hours were MacDonald of Ridgewood High; Courtney Dattoli, 17, of Gulf High; Omayra Gonzalez, 17, of Hudson High; Michelle Mckonly, 17, of River Ridge High; Melanie Vanderkooy, 17, of River Ridge High; and Jordan Curran, 17, of Hudson High.

Two students put in 300 volunteer hours. They were Woolverton, of Ridgewood High, and Nikki Valdez, 17, of Land O' Lakes High.

Although the students are enrolled in high schools, they go to the vocational school part of the day for the veterinary assisting classes.

The program lays the groundwork that could lead the students into careers as veterinarians, veterinarian assistants, veterinarian technicians, zoo animal technologists, animal trainers, agriculture teachers, agriculture extension agents or other animal-related jobs.

Marchman has a number of animals for students to work with, but time spent at Animal Services adds to their hands-on experience.

The hope is they will learn skills they can put to use when they get jobs, said Terry Spencer, the staff veterinarian for Animal Services.

In The Operating Room

On one recent day at Animal Services, surgery was about to begin on a Rottweiler mix named Capone. Valdez, a student, stood ready to assist.

As Capone was prepped for surgery, Valdez knelt and held him steady as Julie Leonard, a certified veterinary technician with Animal Services, sedated the big fellow.

"You'll see him slowly go to sleep," Valdez said.

Soon Capone slumped to the floor. Valdez and Courtney Dattoli carried him into the operating room where he was second in line to be neutered after an unnamed brown dog that may or may not be a Labrador retriever mix.

Pinpointing a mixed-breed dog's lineage can be tricky.

"We call them designer dogs, because we don't know," Spencer said. "Some of the puppies we call 'Pasco puppies' because we don't know. They can fool you."

Spencer performs about 10 or more spay or neuter surgeries each day in an assembly-line fashion, often with assistance from the students.

"We have way too many animals in Pasco County to find homes for," Spencer said as she stitched up the brown dog. "This animal, it is hoped, will be adopted."

Unlike the brown dog, Capone, who was also being treated for heartworm, had been adopted. His new owner has two Rottweilers and is experienced with the breed, said Karen Curry, a vet technician.

Capone was expected to head to his new home within a few days of surgery.

Capone is one lucky dog. Heartworm is a serious disease and at one time all heartworm positive animals that arrived at Animal Services were euthanized, Spencer said. Now they are treated.

Just outside the operating room, Vanderkooy helped prepare a litter of puppies for surgery.

"This one's going home with me," Vanderkooy said, snuggling one of the pups.

It is one of those wistful moments the students talk about, but her statement isn't to be taken literally: Vanderkooy's family already owns three dogs and some chickens.

Leonard eyed the puppy skeptically.

"It says it's a pointer mix, but it sure looks like it's got a St. Bernard's head to me," she said.

Figuring Out Hank

Even though the students can't provide a home for all the animals, they participate in smoothing the way for others to choose the right pet.

While their classmates assisted with surgery, MacDonald, Gonzalez and Mckonly handled a duty called "Meet Your Match," which is as much play as it is work.

In "Meet Your Match," the students determine an animal's personality, then record their observations on a card. Perhaps a dog is a couch potato. Maybe it's a goofball.

Not every animal is right for every home, so this is a crucial duty. If the pet owner and the pet aren't a good match, the animal could end up back in the shelter.

One of the dogs the three students observed this morning was a shepherd-collie mix named Hank. They took him to an outdoor pen and let him off the leash.

Hank proved to be a friendly sort with plenty of energy. He definitely was no couch potato.

Interaction in the pen is just part of "Meet Your Match." Hank also was placed in a room alone for a few minutes where a surveillance camera captured how he acted when left to his own devices.

The students watched on a monitor as Hank curiously checked out his surroundings, unperturbed by being on his own.

They gave him good marks.

They managed not to take him home.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

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