Chloe Roberts

My love for animals goes back to when I was a small child, and my passion for veterinary
science started not long after. When I was little, all I knew was that I really liked puppies and
kittens. I can remember being seven and having a Dr. Barbie doll that came with a dog and cat,
as well as having a “Pucci Pups Vet Kit,” a stuffed dog that came with bandages and an ice pack.
Over the past decade, I have come to realize what it truly means to be a veterinarian, and I have
never changed my mind about my future career.

When I was eleven, I discovered that I could combine my love of animals with helping
others. I found out about the Puppy Raiser Program for the Seeing Eye Organization to help the
blind. I applied and attended monthly meetings while waiting almost a year before receiving a
seven-week-old German Shepherd puppy to train and foster. His name was Gere, and he taught
me more that I could have ever taught him. While I brought him to stores for socialization and
taught him to sit, rest, come and park, he taught me what it meant to be responsible for another
living creature. I learned that puppies are cute but they are a lot of work. The most difficult part
by far was giving him back to the Seeing Eye after raising him for more than a year. I knew
when I signed up that I was raising him to help someone, but it was still incredibly difficult to let
him go. Since then, I have raised three more dogs, – Emma, Gwen, and Vandyke. I have been
Vice-President for 5 years and am currently co-President of the Lower Bucks Puppy Raising
Club. It has not become any easier for me to let each dog go after more than a year of
persistence and patience, but I am proud to know that I have contributed to giving independence
to a blind person.

My passion for veterinary science can be attributed to the four summers that I have spent
shadowing at VCA Neshaminy Animal Hospital. Since I was thirteen, I participated in VCA
Neshaminy’s Junior Vet Shadowing Program, and I can say that it has been the most eye-
opening experience of my life. I have seen almost everything that the life of a veterinarian has to
offer including: acupuncture, yearly checkups, emergency surgeries, mass removals, spays,
dental extractions, grooming, x-rays, vaccinations, de-clawings, and sadly several euthanasias.
The doctors there have commented to me that if I have not been “scared off” yet, nothing will be
able to discourage me. One of my favorite memories is the day that the Medical Director at the
time allowed me to draw up a syringe for one dog’s vaccine. While this may seem insignificant
to most, I remember feeling like I was a part of the work that the doctors were doing. I also
remember a specific day that I watched a routine spay. At this point, I had already seen quite a
few of these. However, on this particular day, the doctor in charge of the surgery taught me
during the surgery. She pointed out certain organs in the abdominal area, such as the ovaries,
uterus, and spleen, and I once again felt like I was part of the doctors’ work. One of the most
miraculous things I have ever seen was during my first summer. One dog was old and unable to
walk. After several acupuncture treatments in his back, he was able to walk again. I can
remember watching the dog walk to his car with minimal assistance and the seeing the owner so
relieved to have a healthy pet. I know that I want to have this same effect. I want to help animals
and their owners, and I know I want to be a veterinarian.