Discovering Opportunities: Internships and Volunteering at the Dallas Zoo

The Dallas Zoo provides a variety of internship and volunteer opportunities. These programs are designed for students, teens, and adults. They provide hands-on experience, career development and the chance to contribute to animal conservation.

Internship Programs

The Dallas Zoo College Internship Program offers learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in accredited colleges or universities in the United States.

Veterinary Internship

The Dallas Zoo provides a one-year veterinary internship program. It trains veterinarians in the management of a wide range of taxa in a zoo setting. The intern develops clinical skills in zoo medicine and assumes primary case responsibility, working under the supervision of four full-time veterinarians, including two ACZM diplomates.

The Dallas Zoo has a well-equipped hospital that includes:

In-house clin-path and EEHV PCR lab
Portable digital radiography
Ultrasound
Rigid and flexible endoscopy
Therapeutic laser

The hospital staff consists of six licensed veterinary technicians, three zoologists, two Registrars, and a Director of Hospital Operations. Interns are encouraged to participate in professional organizations, clinical research, and conservation projects. Completion of the one-year program prepares the intern for progression into an ACZM residency program with a terrestrial animal focus.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Participate in the preventive medicine program, including routine exams, diagnostic imaging, dentistry, vaccinations, fecal parasite exams, zoonotic disease control, contraception, and postmortem exams.
Perform health evaluations on incoming and outgoing animals as part of quarantine and preshipment testing, respectively.
Monitor general health and well-being of the collection and manage any hospitalized animals.
Evaluate sick or injured animals, performing diagnostic testing, medical and/or surgical treatment as appropriate.
Administer sedation or anesthesia of animals as needed for exams, treatment, or shipments, including close patient monitoring.
Use the ZIMS database to maintain accurate and thorough computerized medical records.
Administer and instruct other staff members in the administration of medication to animals.
Supervise the handling and restraint of animals requiring examination, treatment, or hospitalization.
In conjunction with the staff nutritionist, make recommendations and participate in the planning and modification of the nutrition program for the animal collection.
Gain familiarity with concepts of animal welfare, behavioral training for medical procedures, and enrichment in zoos.
Perform postmortem exams to establish causes of death and prepare submission of collected tissues for histopathology and other testing.
Assist the veterinary student externship program by mentoring and teaching veterinary students.
Cultivate and promote a constructive team approach within the Hospital and with other departments and provide open and timely communication with animal care staff.
Serve on-call for emergency duty and as member of the Emergency Immobilization Team & ensure staff readiness via participation in regular target practice and drills.
Help ensure zoo compliance with all state and federal regulations and accreditation guidelines relating to animal care, husbandry, shipments, and controlled drug management including, DEA, USDA and AZA.
Produce and submit case studies and novel research articles to peer-reviewed journals (1 minimum).
Regular participation in journal club.
Represent the zoo at conferences with case reports and research presentations.

Qualifications:

Good surgical and medical skills, including experience with general anesthesia in a broad range of taxa.
Preference given to veterinarians already having completed a 1-year internship or having robust zoo/exotic experience.
Graduation from an AVMA-accredited institution or ECFVG certification.
Must obtain valid Texas driver's license.
Must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Texas within 3 months of start of employment.
Must be able to obtain and maintain USDA APHIS accreditation (Level II).
Must be able to obtain a DEA license.

Salary/Benefits:

\$40,000, fully benefitted

Length of Commitment/Start Date:

One year

Volunteer Opportunities

The Dallas Zoo offers a spectrum of volunteer roles catering to diverse interests and skill sets. These positions provide invaluable support to the zoo's operations, education, and conservation efforts.

Zoo Crew

Zoo Crew is designed for teenagers interested in zoo careers. Participants gain practical experience and insights into various departments, including guest services, special events, education, and animal care.

Animal Nutrition Center Volunteers

Animal Nutrition Center volunteers assist the Zoo’s nutritionist in the preparation of animal diets. It’s an opportunity to participate in the behind-the-scenes care and feeding routine of Zoo animals.

Conservation Ambassadors

Conservation Ambassadors educate guests about animals, natural history, wildlife conservation, and new happenings at the Dallas Zoo. They serve as interpretive guides in stations throughout the Zoo and are trained to utilize biofacts, animal observation, interesting facts, and conservation messages to help interpret Zoo animals and exhibits for our guests. This placement is ideal for people who love to learn, have good verbal communication skills, and enjoy interacting with diverse audiences.

Conservation Ambassadors have an active role in communicating directly with guests. Volunteers often walk to and from placements and may stand for extended periods of time interacting with guests. Reasonable accommodations can be made.

Special Event Volunteers

Special event volunteers staff a wide variety of events held at the Zoo throughout the year. They provide hospitality and information, staff games and activities for children and may assist with set-up or preparation work.

Keeper Aides

Keeper Aides work behind the scenes with zoologists. They help care for the diverse collection of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. This position provides an opportunity to learn from Zoo professionals as you assist with many critical daily tasks that impact an animal’s health and welfare. These positions require the ability to lift up to 50 pounds and to perform physically demanding work in all weather conditions. The work can be strenuous and dirty.

Additional Information about the Dallas Zoo

Established in 1888, Dallas is Texas’ oldest and largest zoo, and is preparing to launch its next major capital campaign, focusing on infrastructure improvements, revitalization of some of the oldest animal habitats and expanding a diverse living collection. The zoo has highly-regarded and nationally-recognized field conservation programs, both regional and global in scope, and is home to approximately 2,000 animals, representing around 350 vertebrate species.

Read also: Landing a Data Analyst Internship

The veterinary intern will join a team of 4 other veterinarians, including the Associate Vice President of Animal Health and Welfare, and three Associate Veterinarians. Hospital staff also includes a Director of Hospital Operations, six full-time licensed Veterinary Technicians and three Zoologists. Along with hospital staff, the Animal Health Department consists of a full time Curator of Nutrition and a well-staffed Animal Nutrition Center.

The City of Dallas is a large, vibrant, and diverse metropolis, home to many unique neighborhoods. An extensive park system offers more than 60 miles of biking and jogging trails, with multiple lakes nearby for swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding. Dallas hosts a active arts and entertainment scene, along with a wide collection of museums, with numerous athletic teams for all interests.

tags: #dallas #zoo #internship #opportunities