Megan Healey
Zephyrhills,FL
Summary
Solid background caring for diverse animals. Devoted to maintaining health and well-being. Meets diverse needs by closely observing animals and coordinating with keepers, supervisors, curators, and directors to optimize plans. Hard-working employee with desire to take on new challenges. Strong work ethic, adaptability, and exceptional interpersonal skills. Adept at working effectively unsupervised and quickly mastering new skills.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior 1 Animal Care Specialist
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Tampa, FL
11.2006 - Current
- Trained new keepers, supervisors, and curators on proper animal handling procedures.
- Conducted daily inspections of 4 different runs (Rhino, South Veldt, North Veldt, and Giraffe) as well as other areas where animals are housed.
- Responded promptly to veterinarian inquiries about animal care and coordinated immobilization and sedation efforts with staff.
- Provided food and water for all animals, ensuring adequate nutrition amongst all species. Trained staff, supervisors, and curators on proper protocol.
- Monitored the health of all animals on a regular basis, reporting any changes to the veterinarian. Coordinated with vet staff, keepers, supervisors, curators, and director on immobilization plans.
- Coordinated countless individual and herd animal introductions on mixed species displays.
- Educated guests through keeper talks and presentations. Have participated in many media events, including live TV coverage.
- Cleaned and maintained animal enclosures on a daily basis. Including extensive knowledge on equipment: front end loaders, trailers, tractors, zero turn mowers, and weed eaters.
- Maintained records of all animal treatments (on TRACKS), such as vaccines,medical procedures, and medications.
- Ensured that all safety protocols were followed when handling potentially hazardous materials. Trained new staff on correct protocols.
- Performed husbandry tasks such as darting animals for immobilizations, hoof trimming and farrier work.
- Attended developmental seminars related to animal care topics in order to stay up-to-date with industry trends.
- Transported injured or sick animals safely to on site veterinary clinic as well as off site specialty clinics for treatment.
- Recorded detailed information about each animal's diet, activities, and medical history in an organized database (TRACKS).
- Observed behavior of animals to detect signs of illness or injury. Including countless overnight watches. Trained new staff and supervisors on correct animal observations.
- Promoted optimal animal health by feeding and watering on regular schedule and teaching staff the correct protocol. Wrote SOP's on these protocols.
- Monitored safety of every animal to prevent injuries from other animals or environmental hazards.
- Started several calve species on bottles and trained new staff, supervisors, and curators on hand raising protocols. coordinated with keepers on laundry, sweeping and disinfection protocols.
- Assessed animals for injury and illness. And prepared quarterly individualized animal welfare assessments With each team.
- Wrote several SOP's on precise feeding, cleaning, and shifting instructions and schedules for animals under care.
- Extensive experience with: black rhino, white rhino, eastern and western crowned cranes, marabou storks, saddlebills, ostrich, bongo, soemmerring gazelle, springbok, sitatunga, Arabian oryx, scimitar horned oryx, blesbok, cape buffalo, Reeves muntjac, defassa and ellipsen waterbuck, blesbuck, wildebeast, greater kudu, sable, grants gazelle, grants zebra, Hartmann's mountain zebra, grevy zebra, watusi cattle, impala, reticulated giraffe, common eland, nyala, and Thomson's gazelle.
- Taught several husbandry behaviors through positive reinforcement. Also trained animals for photo and commercial shoots.
- Have a Class A CDL license. Have coordinated and participated in several black and white rhino transports as well as countless hoofstock transports.
- Is in charge of keeping DOT regulations on all truck and trailers in compliance.
Veldt Supervisor
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Tampa, FL
11.2022 - 08.2024
Education
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
The University of West Florida
Pensacola, FL05-2006
Skills
- 18 Years of Domestic and Exotic Animal Handling
- Safe Capture International Certificate
- 15 Years Experience Darting Exotic Animal Species
- Class A CDL License
- Extensive Experience Towing Fifth Wheel and Bumper Pull Trailers
- Experience with Wide Variety of Front End Loaders, Tractors, and Attachments
- Fence Building: Chain Link, No Climb, and Barbed Wire Fence
- Can Operate Weed Eaters, Blowers, Zero Turns, Push Mowers, and Chainsaws
- Animal Medication and Diet Administration
- Animal Disease Prevention
- Animal Medication Documentation
- Supply Maintenance
- Human and Animal Safety
- Injury and Illness Treatment
- Physical Condition Monitoring
- Treatment Documentation
- Treatment Planning
- Information Collection and Recording
- Animal Examinations
- Inventory Management
- Habitat Education
Certification
- Class A CDL license
- Certified through Safe Capture International to handle and dart narcotics.
- FWC permitted for interstate travel of hoofstock, giraffe, and rhino species.
Timeline
Veldt Supervisor
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
11.2022 - 08.2024
Senior 1 Animal Care Specialist
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
11.2006 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
The University of West Florida
- Class A CDL license
- Certified through Safe Capture International to handle and dart narcotics.
- FWC permitted for interstate travel of hoofstock, giraffe, and rhino species.
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