All around the news is good. Many new jobs have been created, and tried and true careers continue to have plenty of growth potential. “The field of veterinary medicine is changing rapidly,” says Kimberly May, DVM, MS, DACVS (Diplomate of American College of Veterinary Surgeons), and assistant director of the Communications Division of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “The human-animal bond continues to strengthen as people realize the social, mental, and physical benefits of having animals in their lives. Almost half (49.7 percent) of U.S. pet owners consider their pets members of the family. People value their pets and animals and, therefore, demand the highest quality diagnostics, treatments, and care for their animals. Advancements in veterinary medicine have largely been driven by this demand. Examples include major strides in chemotherapy and cancer research, orthopedic research (including prosthetics), alternative therapies (chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal medicine, and massage), and hospice care. People are expecting the veterinarian to provide all the same services their physicians provide for them.”

Dr. May cites numerous highly publicized cases, such as Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner who injured his leg, and after unsuccessful treatments was euthanized. “Barbaro's injury has highlighted the progress in veterinary medicine and underscored the need for more research in many areas. Public support for laminitis research [lami-nitis is the inflammation of the innermost layer of the hoof wall found in horses, ponies, and donkeys] will likely generate great progress in that area.”

Some of the most promising career opportunities in veterinary medicine are in the fields of biomedical research, food supply veterinary medicine, and veterinary practices in rural America. “We're very concerned about a worsening shortage of veterinarians in rural practice, biomedical research, and food supply veterinary medicine,” says Dr. May. “By food supply, we mean veterinarians who work with food animals as well as those who work in the government to ensure the safety of our nation's food supply. As more veterinary students come from urban and suburban backgrounds with little or no exposure to food animals prior to veterinary school, we have less and less veterinarians entering the rural practice and food supply areas.”

While veterinary medicine is constantly evolving, so are a number of other fields. There are great career opportunities in animal cruelty investigation and enforcement. On a local government level, legislators are getting involved in developing and passing anti-animal-cruelty laws. If Assembly Bill A2773 in New Jersey is passed, chaining dogs on short tethers will be a crime. In New Jersey and other states, lawmakers are working hard to pass legislation prohibiting dogfighting.

Law enforcement fields are broadening opportunities as well. Police forces are adding more K-9 units, and the mounted police are training recruits to work on horseback. Crime scene investigators are working with entomologists to find clues as to the time a death occurs and with K-9 workers to locate missing persons.

According to entomology student Ronda Hamm, “There will always be a need for individuals to work with animals. We will need to care for not only our pets, but those that need human assistance to survive as a species, from the large cats to the smallest beetle. The emphasis might change in what species of animal to work with, but not the need for individuals to work with them.”

Another reason the industry is growing is to help animals in need. “Threats to animals, from pollution to illegal hunting to mass extinction, are increasing worldwide,” says Christopher Cutter, communications manager with International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). “We seem intent, as human beings, to destroy the ecosystems on which we rely. There is already more than we can do right now, and the problems are trending the wrong way for animals. So, the opportunities to address and fight against those problems are growing as well.”