Every day at the ABQ BioPark, veterinary technicians handle a wide range of animal care tasks, from anesthetizing fish to performing x-rays on elephants. The work involves unique challenges because of the diversity of species.
“It’s fun, but also a challenge,” said ABQ BioPark senior veterinarian Dr. Carol Bradford. “The anatomy between birds, reptiles, and the variety of mammals is very different from what most other vet clinics see.”
National Veterinary Technician Week is being celebrated from October 12 to 18 this year. The BioPark is using the occasion to highlight the contributions of its vet techs to animal conservation and health.
“There is so much variety involved, so you’ve got to like a challenge and be able to think outside the box,” Bradford said. “You need to love animals, but also have that strength and emotional character to get through the tough days.”
Currently, three veterinary technicians are employed at the BioPark. They assist veterinarians during procedures and exams, prepare medications, collect and analyze samples, and ensure clinics are ready for procedures.
Iris Goddard, one of the vet techs at the BioPark, described teamwork as a rewarding part of her job. “If an animal needs something, we can get it done,” she said. “We have all these different people and specialists that come together, so that’s really rewarding to just see a team of people looking out for what’s best for the animal.”
Meredith Williams recently joined as a new vet tech after working at various zoos across the country. She returned home to Albuquerque motivated by her interest in learning about animals’ unique needs.
Gwen Dragoo has worked part-time as a vet tech at the BioPark for 25 years and will soon retire. Reflecting on her career she said: “I really look back on it as being just a tremendous honor. I think the most rewarding parts have been all the conservation wins and being able to participate in some research projects that are happening all around the world. Also, being a part of making these animals’ lives as comfortable and happy as possible is the biggest reward.”
Dragoo noted that adaptability is essential when caring for many exotic species: “You have to be aware of so many different physiological and behavioral differences in the animals,” she said. “You don’t really know what’s coming, so adaptability, I think, is really key for being a good zoo veterinary technician. Every animal has their little quirk or evolutionary specialty that’s just really fascinating to see up close.”
She added that creativity is often necessary because specialized equipment may not be commercially available: “It’s common to have to ‘MacGyver’ a situation.”
Vet techs also help train animals for medical procedures such as blood collection—reducing stress by avoiding sedation when possible. Thanks to training efforts by staff and vet techs, collecting blood samples from larger animals like Kiska the polar bear or hyenas can now be done efficiently while providing treats as positive reinforcement.
“Training with them is really fun,” Goddard said. “Seeing the polar bear and snow leopards voluntarily give you their paw is just amazing to see.”
Bradford emphasized how vital these roles are: “We are definitely never bored here,” she said. “Our vet techs are completely invaluable to the running of the BioPark, and we just really appreciate them and their contribution to the big picture of endangered species conservation.”
