Sydney Life

Remember the childhood song about the doggy in the window? "Oh where, oh where could he be?" Well I'm sorry to put a dampener on everyone's spirits but these days that cute puppy is no longer in that shop window, or even in the owner's care. No. I'll tell you where you can more likely find him...

I woke up this morning thinking today should be a good day. I have a prac class so the boredom level will hopefully be minimised and it should be interesting. Oh, it was interesting alright. The first thing I saw when I walked into the anatomy lab is that once cute puppy which may once of been sitting in that shop window. Today that puppy was frozen and smelling of chemicals fresh out of that big freezer (which also apparently contains dead horses and other animals). There was also a cat and an enormous cow's head that had been cross sectioned in half so you could see both inside and outside.

As shocking as this might be to most, I was fascinated. I guess that is the aspiring veterinarian coming out in me. The rest of the class were as intgrigued as I was.

This shocking prac today made us all think how lucky we are to be here, to be studying Vet Science at Sydney University, and that (oh my gosh) we are actually becoming veterinarians. The reality of it all is only just starting to sink in. I didn't think we would get thrown into the deep end of things yet, but I am looking forward to learning new things, even if I have to disect little Jimmy's 'lost' puppy or Katie's sick kitten so that I can ultimately make significant contributions to animal welfare in the future. The labs still have a distinct smell, but when you see all the displays and anatomical structures and bones it's nothing short of awe-inspiring.

I would like to say though that the next time you are looking for a new puppy, instead of paying an unbelievable amount for a purebreed, take a look at the local pound or visit an adoption agency first and give them a second chance.