Interview with our 2020 Internships –
Hear what they have to say!

Animal Care Sanctuary is one of the oldest and largest no-kill shelters in the United States and is the only animal care organization of its kind in the country that offers pre-vet internships with housing on-site.

Their lifesaving mission envisions a community that promotes turning compassion into action for dogs and cats by adopting healthy animals into loving homes, promoting the human-animal bond through outreach, education and advocacy, spaying and neutering to end the suffering of over-population and to improve public health, and the humane and compassionate treatment of all animals.

The ACS Intern Program is designed to give students the experience in all facets of shelter and sanctuary management. It provides opportunities to develop skills in a variety of areas involved in animal care.
The Animal Care Sanctuary is a No-Kill rescue for companion animals and has been in existence for over half a century. Over 1,400 homeless dogs and cats come through our doors each year in need of rescue, medical care, love, and adoption. Our on-site veterinary clinic and national reputation make us a sought after rescue partner and we have developed strong partnerships with rescue groups across the East Coast, the Midwest, South and Southwest. In addition to adopting out rescued animals, we provide clinic services (spay/neuter, vaccinations, and wellness exams) to another 4,000 animals from other shelters, communities overrun with feral cats, and pet owners who lack the financial resources and/or access to high quality, lower cost veterinary services.

The goal of the internship is to help students grow in their field of knowledge. The secondary goal requires the interns to work with an animal with special needs, live with them during the course of their internship, with the goal of getting the animal ready for adoption.

This program is the only one of it’s kind in the nation, and has seen a steady growth in since its founding in 2014 as more and more of our interns have gone out into the world to make their mark and told the story of their time with the Animal Care Sanctuary.

This program was developed in collaboration with Cornell University’s Veterinary School and Shelter Medicine Program. Our continued partnership with Cornell University allows us to have access to the latest teaching methods in veterinary medicine, animal behavior and associated protocols.

In addition, ACS has several positions annually, reserved specifically for those pursuing a degree in shelter medicine or shelter management or for pre-vet students who have an interest in this pursuit. These interns qualify for a stipend provided by The Bronson Scholarship in Memory of Frederick M. Gerhard & Edythe Gay Jennings.

Since 2014, ACS has hosted over 50 interns from various schools across the country, including the states of Illinois, Connecticut, New York, California, North Carolina, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, and New Hampshire.

Onsite housing is available for the students.

Even if students choose a path in private practice or a specialty, it’s the hope of ACS they still play an active role with a shelter in their own community.

Here Is A Summary Of Interns’ Responsibilities:

Interns will work with existing staff to provide daily care for cats and dogs residing at the facility, including: cleaning and maintaining cages and kennel, site preparation and delivery, grooming, and socialization.

Interns will work with our experienced on-site veterinary team to handle, diagnose, and medicate animals. Due to the large number of animals residing at ACS, interns will likely gain exposure to and experience with a number of medical conditions, as well as assisting with spay/neuter surgeries.

Interns will gain experience assisting staff with monitoring new animals for communicable diseases before integrating them with resident animals.

Interns will have the opportunity to assist the facility with regular fundraising efforts and events (pending COVID-19 restrictions) to help raise money to fund our non-profit facility.

Interns will be required to utilize positive reinforcement methods to train and reside with a dog or cat that requires a behavior modification training program.

Internship duration:

12 week Spring Program-February through May Application Deadline: November 15

12 week Summer Program- May through August Application Deadline: February 15

12 week Fall Program- August through November Application Deadline: May 15

12 week Winter Program-November through February Application Deadline: August 15