Boston Animal Care and Control, MA

Description of Elective Experience

The City of Boston's Animal Care and Control shelter receives stray, abandoned, abused, evicted and quarantined animals, We primarily care for and treat dogs, cats, small animals, domestic fowl, and triage injured and sick wildlife. The veterinary team, shelter manager, director of Boston Animal Control and the kennel staff hold daily rounds and care for approximately 10-20 animals on a daily basis.  The student will assist and/or perform medical examinations, vaccinations, venipuncture, heartworm testing and/or other in house lab tests, and administer routine parasite treatments and preventatives. We focus on preventative medicine however we treat day to day illnesses or injuries as needed in the shelter. The student may observe and/or participate in routine spay and neuter of shelter pets. We oversee animals on quarantines and the student will be able to assist or witness behavior evaluations and humane euthanasia. The extern may also be involved in postmortem exams in cruelty investigations. The student will be able to use Chameleon for medical record keeping and be expected to keep their own medical logs of animals examined and treated during the externship.

Institutional and Educational Resources - staffing, equipment, etc.

At the City of Boston's Animal Care and Control shelter, we are staffed by one full time veterinarian and technician, kennel staff who directly care for the animals, and the animal control officers for the city. We are able to perform basic and routine diagnostics including heartworm tests, fecal exams, ear cytology, urinalysis and parvo, panleuk and lepto testing, if necessary. We have a surgical suite with basic anesthetic monitoring equipment. Any additional diagnostics that are needed are performed at our nearby veterinary emergency & specialty hospital. 

Student Responsibilities - what is expected of students in terms of hours, days of the week, shadowing or actual support?

 The student will be expected to be present for the required time (40 hours/week), Monday - Friday for a 1-2 week externship. The student will be able to observe and/or actively participate in examinations, restraint, vaccinations, venipuncture, treatments, euthanasia, and routine spays and neuters of cats and dogs. 

 

Student Housing (include costs, amenities, pet friendly, contact info if different from elective contact info)

Not applicable 

Supervisor
Bianca Ortolani, DVM
Website
https://www.boston.gov/departments/animal-care-and-control
Address

26 Mahler St.
Roslindale, MA 02131
United States

Is student housing available?
No
Hours of supervision by a licensed veterinarian per week
40
Global engagement opportunity
No
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