DARTMOUTH: Eight Veterinary Assistants were part of history on Aug. 9.
The eight were the inaugural graduates of Vet Assistants from the N.S. SPCA College of Animal Welfare. They received their diplomas during a ceremony in the auditorium at the N.S. SPCA Vet hospital in Dartmouth.
As one of the speakers said, for an organization that is 145 years old it’s hard to be part of something new. The eight were part of that new.
The eight graduates: Allison Leonard; Brianna Parsons; Emily Hathaway; Jay Keddy; Julia Kuhn; Madison Crotty; Makenzy Boudreau; and Yoojeong ‘Amy’ Choi, who was chosen as Valedictorian.
Choi gave an inspiring speech virtually to her fellow graduates and the crowd on hand at the SPCA auditorium.
The college, an independent post-secondary institution, is one of the spaces where the Nova Scotia SPCA is working to meet the needs of animals, families, and the veterinary medicine sector.
“We had three goals when we began planning for the College,” said Elizabeth Murphy, President of the college and CEO of the Nova Scotia SPCA.
“First, we wanted to meet the needs of veterinary hospitals and shelters, which are seeing gaps in qualified employees. Our second goal was to create a fulsome program.
“Veterinary Assistants help with the front and back of the house, so the curriculum had to cover both.
“Finally, we wanted to provide our students with an extraordinary educational opportunity, from instructors to class sizes, to the environment in which our students would learn best.”
Student Madison Crotty knew after volunteering with animals, that this was a career for her.
“I saw that it takes a special person to work with animals and I could do it,” said Crotty. “When I heard about the Nova Scotia SPCA College of Animal Welfare I had to apply, because I know that the SPCA provides the best care.”
Over the year, students took a variety of classes from animal care and handling to business administration and customer service. The learning wasn’t just in the classroom though.
“We did several trips over the year to see Veterinary Assistants working in the field,” Associate Director of Veterinary Education Programs Jen Welshman said. “What is unique about the Nova Scotia SPCA College of Animal Welfare is the hands-on learning that students receive within the organization itself.
“Students are able to work with veterinary medicine teams at the SPCA Dartmouth Shelter, and the SPCA Veterinary Hospital, both within steps from the college.”
All eight students received job offers before their graduation. Many will continue to work within the SPCA.
The college has applications open for the next class of Veterinary Assistants beginning in September. In 2023, the Nova Scotia SPCA plans to grow the college by adding a veterinary technician program.
