Overcome the Barriers in the Way of Your Animal Protection Job

April 1, 2016Posted inAll articles, Featured articles, Inspiration & ideas

Panther in Forest - Overcome Barriers

By Paula Fitzsimmons

What do you believe is holding you back from finding your animal dream job – No college degree? Lack of experience? Your location? What may seem like a barrier may very well be nothing more than a minor setback, or even perhaps the prelude to an even better opportunity.

You may very well have legitimate reasons for not being able to accomplish what you want to do right now: Vet school is too competitive; family obligations are preventing you from pursuing that advanced degree; you can’t accept an internship because you’re working two jobs. Situations arise . . . I get that.

A Career as a Conservation Canine Handler: Part 2, Do You Have What it Takes?

March 9, 2016Posted inAll articles, Career options, Experts & interviews, Featured articles2 Comments

Dog in field - Interview with Jennifer Hartman of Conservation Canines CK9 dog handler

By Paula Fitzsimmons with Jennifer Hartman

Conservation canines and their handlers are playing a vital role in wildlife protection. Dogs have an unrivaled ability to detect scat from dozens of species – scientists use these samples to learn more about a wild population’s behaviors, movements, and feeding patterns.  This data is valuable not only in fighting wildlife crimes, but it can aid in forming effective and humane wildlife management policies.

The dogs, who primarily come from rescues, have to possess certain characteristics to make the cut – namely, a playful spirit, boundless energy, and the ability to work in the field for hours at a time.

Wildlife Defenders: A Career as a Conservation Canine Handler (Part 1)

March 2, 2016Posted inAll articles, Career options, Experts & interviews, Featured articles

Wildlife defenders - career as conservation canine CK9 handler

By Paula Fitzsimmons with Jennifer Hartman

With wildlife poaching at epidemic levels and time the enemy, fighting these crimes has never been as critical. Conservationists fortunately have effective tools at their disposable, most of them technological in nature – DNA analyses, acoustic traps, and radio collars, to name a few. But one tool, which some conservationists claim is even more effective, turns out to be our four-legged canine friends.