About 20 members of WSU’s Zoology Club met on Wednesday in Eastlick Hall, hoping to gain insight into the intriguing, challenging and sometimes dangerous life of a zookeeper. Graduate student Heidi Keen encouraged students to pursue their goals as zoology majors and she explained what a career as a zookeeper entails. After cookies (and dog treats for members to take home to their pets) were passed around, Keen began. She started by explaining what sort of jobs were available at zoos, what kinds of skills were needed to work with the animals and the type of experience needed to get a job at the best zoos in the country. Although Keen had grown up dreaming of being a veterinarian, she found there were many other options for those people who wanted to work with animals. Keen has specialized mainly in animal behaviorism. She has taught dogs to curtsy and has designed toys to make animals use different cognitive skills to get their food. What really got her foot in the door, however, was training cats and dogs that would have otherwise been euthanized, she said.

Although the animals were sometimes aggressive and dangerous, Keen said her continued training enabled them to be put up for adoption and ultimately find good homes.

Keen stressed the need for hands-on experience like her own, even over a master’s degree. “Get experience with animals in a variety of contexts,” she told the students during the Q-and-A session. Keen ended the presentation with a montage of photos of the animals she had worked with, ranging from birds like the tawny frog-mouth to small mammals like the rock hyrax, which she said is, the elephant’s closest living relative. Some students said the speech strengthened their resolve to pursue a career working with animals and studying their behavior.

“I’ve gone to a couple of these talks, and this has just helped to clarify a few things for me,” junior zoology major Ashley Floyd said.

The Zoology Club is hosting another guest speaker at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2. Andrew Storfer will hold a lecture in the Eastlick Lounge on global amphibian declines.

“We try to bring in as many guest speakers as we can,” said Courtney Colegrove, the Zoology Club’s vice president and senior zoology major. The club is celebrating its 20th year anniversary and holds numerous educational and social activities for its 40 members. The group meets every other Wednesday and splits its activities between lectures like the one given by Keen and educational field trips. Although a discount on field trips is only offered to club members, Zoology Club events are open to all interested students and staff. “These events help give students direction,” said Katy Burr, club president and senior zoology major.