Everywhere I go, I meet people who inspire me. But when I stop and think about the everyday heroes in my life, so many of them are veterinary technicians.
As I’m texting with one of my techs about a sick shelter cat, it hits me—these are some of the bravest, kindest, hardest-working (and most underappreciated) people on the planet. Names have been changed to protect the awesome—but if you guess who I’m talking about from the stories, you win bragging rights.
No Banker’s Hours Here
Holidays? Snowstorms? Midnight emergencies? Veterinary technicians don’t clock out.
Take RVT Pepper. She’s not just a tech—she’s also an animal control officer. Alone, in the dark, in every kind of weather, she rescues cats, dogs, possums, snakes, deer, turtles… you name it. One woman. One superhero cape. Endless lives saved.
Adopting the “Unadoptable”
Heart defects. Diabetes. Blindness. Three legs. Severe anxiety. Stage 3 kidney disease.
Sounds like a depressing list? For the vet techs I know, it’s a checklist of the pets they’ve welcomed into their homes. Where others see “too hard,” they see family. They give the overlooked, the broken, and the “less adoptable” a chance at love and life.
Neuter and Spay to Save the Day
Not every animal has access to care—but that doesn’t stop vet techs.
From volunteering at shelters and free wellness events to traveling at their own expense to poverty-stricken areas, techs like Gremlin, Cryer, Uno, Tofu, Sporky, and Tornado make sure animals get the care they need. Lives are literally saved because of their dedication.
The Big Cat Rescue
Yes, I mean lions and tigers. When I got the call for my first big cat rescue mission, RVT Sista Pants didn’t hesitate. She packed up, came with me, and helped pull wild animals out of an unsafe, heartbreaking situation. Everyone—human and animal—made it out alive. That’s courage.
The Smelly, the Bad, and the Ugly
Bodily fluids on clothes. Hair. Shoes. Scratches. Bites. Kicks.
Most people would call it a day. Veterinary technicians? They wipe it off, patch it up, spray on some Groom-Aide, and keep moving. Because animals need them more than their laundry does.
Breaking News: People Can Be Jerks
As if cleaning up messes weren’t enough, vet techs also deal with angry clients, stressed-out vets, and heartbreaking goodbyes.
They are interpreters, therapists, mediators, wrestlers, supply managers, math whizzes, mind readers, and sometimes punching bags. They save pets in surgery, comfort families through loss, and cheer for every new adoption. All while catching our mistakes and keeping everything (and everyone) alive.
How to Thank a Vet Tech
Want to thank one of these heroes? Hug them… oh wait, maybe don’t. They’re probably covered in something you don’t want on your clothes.
Instead—give them a big thumbs up, a kind word, or better yet, food. (Trust me, they’ll love you forever.)
Feeling Inspired?
Here’s the best part—you don’t need to go to school for a thousand years or spend a million dollars to make a difference.
You could be a vet tech, a vet assistant, run a doggie daycare, or work at a rescue or shelter. At Stautzenberger College, our Animal Sciences programs include:
- Animal Welfare Management
- Animal Welfare Business Management (AAS)
- Veterinary Technician Program
Because simply by NOT being part of the problem… you are already part of the solution.
👉 So here’s to my heroes: the vet techs. The rescuers. The quiet warriors. The people who save lives every single day without expecting applause.