Katt Karlik
Hi! I have worked as a veterinary assistant for 8+ years, and am currently studying for my license as an LVT. I have a BS in zoology, and came to small animal veterinary medicine from a background working in the Africa dept at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa FL (rhinos, elephants, giraffe, and birds), Big Cat Rescue (as an intern with multiple exotic cat species) and the Center for Great Apes, which was my true goal and passion.
I also worked as a dog groomer for 5 years–I enjoyed the work, but not the industry–where my specialty was providing the best experience for senior patients that I could.
My goals and interests now lie in training and behavior and trying to address the problem of fear and anxiety in our domestic animal companions. I believe that this is one of the single most important needs as the population and crowding of our domestic companions grows!! Most folks these days think of their companions as members of the family. We spend more money than ever on boutique diets, pet insurance and veterinary care, spend more of our free time at over-crowded off-leash parks and create social media pages DEDICATED to our furry children. But some of the fundamentals, like behavior, training, and recognizing fear and anxiety are getting lost in the translation. We CAN and SHOULD do better by our most dedicated and loyal family members.
They deserve it 🙂
