Name: Maddy Marker

Position: Medical Technician

What were you doing before ARL?

I worked at a different shelter, where I started as a Kennel Technician and worked my way up to Medical. Then, I was at the PA SPCA as a Surgical Nurse.

Pets at home?

Zeus (8 y.o.) a German Shepherd, Nico (6 y.o.) a Pitty Boxer Husky mix, and Zero (3 y.o.) a French Bulldog.

Tell us about some of the roles you and your team take on to help the animals under our care.
As part of the medical team, we take on roles such as triaging emergencies, administering medications when needed, and completing animal intakes, which include giving vaccines, dewormers, and flea treatments. We also work closely with our veterinarians to perform exams when an animal needs to be examined for various reasons.

How long have you been working in animal welfare? What made you want to work in this field? 
I will have been working in animal welfare for seven years this April. Ever since I was little, I always dreamed of working with animals. When I was young, I remember going to my aunt’s house, who had a dog named Callie and was very fearful of kids at the time. My aunt always raved about how Callie would gravitate toward me and how I was always good at making her feel safe. In a way, this came full circle because now, as a vet technician, some of the animals I have bonded the most with came in very fearful or shut down.

An animal you’ll never forget.
Since I have been in this field, I have met many wonderful animals that I couldn’t possibly forget. However, we recently had a dog named Maui in our care. This dog came to us with a harness embedded into his skin. Despite all his pain, this genuine, kindhearted dog had nothing but love to offer to the staff here at ARL. He perfectly represents how resilient animals are, and I am thankful to have been a part of his healing process.

What is your favorite memory at ARL?
You usually have some great memories when you work in a fast-moving and chaotic field like animal welfare. My favorite ARL memory/memories are when we have color wars and field day. On these days, the staff comes together for some extra fun. Whether you’re walking down the hallways admiring all of the hard work each department put in for color wars or running as fast as you can to beat the opponent next to you on field day, you can’t help but smile and laugh at all the silly antics that ensue. 

If you could cross one thing off your bucket list right now, what would it be? 
While my bucket list is rather long, if there were one thing I could knock off of it today, it would be purchasing a house. I know it doesn’t sound all that exciting, but when you work in animal welfare, you tend to bring home more animals than most people. Having a house would mean I could foster more animals that require special attention/needs, and it would open up more space in the shelter. 

What is one thing you wish people knew about your job? 
I wish more people knew how much vet technicians do in a day. While it may seem like all I am doing is holding an animal for a vet to examine, what may not be seen is the round of x-rays, bloodwork, and vaccines I did on that animal right before. Vet technicians can be many things in one day, from an x-ray tech to a phlebotomist to a pharmacist. We are always trying to learn new skills to help our patients as best as we can!

Any last words of wisdom?  
In the famous words of Bluey… “Have a little cry, pick myself up, dust myself off, and try again. The show must go on.”