If you love working with animals, you don’t have to be a vet

If you’ve grown up loving animals, a career as a veterinarian or a veterinary nurse might have crossed your mind.But these aren’t the right choices for everyone. You might want to work with animals, but not necessarily treat them when they’re sick.My niece, Sofia, is already considering a career with animals, so I brought her to visit Dogs Trust, one of Ireland’s leading dog rescue and welfare organisations, at its base near Finglas in Dublin. We found a wide variety of different people working across different roles – education programme manager, dog welfare assistants, trainers, dog groomers, vets and veterinary nurses. Many received their training through further education and training courses in animal care, welfare and science. Others trained on the job while, in 2024, Dogs Trust laun