Animal doctor

As many parents do, they jot down all the “jobs” their kids want to do when they grow up and I think only 10% or less actually become what they said 12 years ago!

My daughter has a very interesting story I would like to share.

In 2012 ( My daughter was 5 turning 6 later that year) she watched, as usual 50/50 one Monday evening. This time they were showing a documentary on volunteers from the various vets and the SPCA and all those involved caring for the animals in the townships and in the areas were money is stretched.

I explained to her the big problem we have in our country of having too many animals and not enough “animal doctors” to care for them, and that the problem is growing by the day. I told her that these handful of people try to do their best to go out to make sure the animals are been fed, give them shots to keep them healthy and to generally look at the surroundings, and sometimes remove them if their captivity is not up to standard. And yes, there were a few more questions to be answered.

After the program she turned to me and said: "Mommy, I am going to become an animal doctor.” I then explain that such a doctor is called a Vet and that there are different kinds. Those looking after household pets,  those in zoos, those in game reserves looking after all the wild animals, etc etc. After a few minutes she replied and said: "Mommy, I want to be a Vet that looks after the animals like cheetahs and lions and rhinos and I want to drive my big Ford bakkie to all the farms and look at the horses and the animals there too. But, Mommy I still want to be a fireman as well. I still need to help with the fires  to protect  and help the animals trapped." 

And so time lapse and at the end of that year with the school's day of  dressing up to “What I want to be when I grow up” she went dressed as a vet. But wait.. I had to take her before hand to a few vets in our area so that she could be shown how to examine a cat and or a dog. To explain to the class at school what an “animal doctor/vet does" and yes, she also told the class that she’ll be fighting fires as well.

In 2013  the subject came up again about her job choices and again the answers were the same. I still want to be a Vet, Mommy, God told me that will be my job one day.  I have in the mean time pointed out to her all the different 4x4s on the market, red, white, silver and one bigger and nicer than the ones before. Her reply: "It's nice, Mommy but it's not a Ford and not blue." And there the case was closed.

Now a few weeks ago we had a chat while walking on the beach. I mentioned to her that she’ll also be great as a architect or as a engineer and that she must look into those areas as well.

You should have been there to appreciate her facial expression and body language...

She stopped dead in her tracks and said: "Mommy, I am not changing my mind. I am going to be a vet, and I will drive my Ford bakkie and work with wild animals especially all the wild cats. And I like the 2013 Ford Ranger and black will also be okay. And I want to go and help at our local SPCA to wash or feed or just talk to the animals there."

That is something we are still working on as my Saturdays are a bit full, but I will have to make a plan soon.

Alright then. I suppose that settles the question about her career and dare I ask again, or should I wait a couple of years?

Will the days spent at the SPCA helping the animals there, discourage her or just encourage her more to become a vet?

Only time will tell, at least for now I can handle the household pets, but will have to think twice about all those wild animals she might ask to go and feed or bath...