What I find ironic is if there is a shortage of vets, why are so many vets discouraging young people from becoming a vet? That happened to me. Multiple vets told me don't do it and ultimately made me give up pursuing that career.
We lost a dog because no emergency vets would take her :/ we had to wait until the morning and take her to the only appointment we could get and she had passed that night
They turned down a dog who had gotten into a dog fight, it's ear handing from it's head. and told the owner to go to the emergency center. Plus the doctors had went to lunch so we couldn't do anything as a vet tech but give them vet wrap cause to stitch, I think legally I need a veterinarian present, but not sure on that one
@Helix, vets around here won't do that even if you are a client. Thankfully I found a vet who was willing to help my dog when he had an emergency and I quickly switched to them as my permanent vet. That was after calling 15 other vets though, no joke.
The vets I interned for, only take emergencies if you were their client. If you weren't their client, you had to go to the emergency center which was a half an hour drive, but there was no guarantee they'd take the animals, if they are short staffed they won't take on more then they can handle
Problem is, I live in a small town. There are 2 rescues here in town, and the other rescue can't seem to keep anyone to help them(they have been in trouble NUMEROUS times for using vet techs as veterinarians). I wouldn't work for them even if it was the last job in town.
The dog we did was from the shelter. The vet tech program works with the humane society in town and does some of the testing/surgeries that the animals need.