Undergraduate Internships

Veterinary technician Internship- Next available Summer 2026

The Operation Catnip (OC) veterinary technician internship offers undergraduate students an opportunity to work towards furthering the welfare of community cats alongside Operation Catnip staff, future veterinarians, and other stakeholders. Interns will have the opportunity to active engage the public regarding community cat management and TNR while receiving training and participating in our daily operations and high-volume spay-neuter clinics.

The ideal candidate is one who is seeking a career or experience in animal welfare/ rescue/sheltering or veterinary medicine. They should be passionate about cats, knowledgeable of community cats, and supportive of trap-neuter-return. They should enjoy working with people, including underserved populations, and should naturally approach all communications with a compassionate and kind demeanor. They should be eager to learn new skills, and once developed, excited to teach such skills to others. They should be comfortable in faced-paced environments with quick-thinking skills and a proactive approach to managing tasks.

Intern Eligibility Criteria & Desired Skills:

· Must commit to participating for the summer semester

· Must commit to at least 20 hours (2 clinic days) per week. Clinic days are typically 7:30am-6pm with some variation depending on events

· Must have a current Rabies vaccination or titer

· Enthusiasm and buy-in to Operation Catnip’s programs, TNR, and community cats

· Ability to work with diverse groups

· Motivated, hard-working, and self-starting

· Excellent communication skills in-person, over phone, and in writing

Duties and Responsibilities

· Gain knowledge and expertise in Operation Catnip programs and community cat management

· Learn and perform technical skills related to OC's protocols in our spay-neuter clinic

· Once developed, teach skills to other clinic volunteers

· Communicate with Operation Catnip caregivers and clients

· Assist in clinic preparatory and breakdown procedures

· Participate in special events such as off-site clinics

***This internship is unpaid. The student may apply through their school for credit hours***

Kitten Shelter Diversion Program Internship- Next available Summer 2026

The Operation Catnip (OC) Kitten Shelter Diversion (KSD) Program Internship is a community cat management program that offers undergraduate students the opportunity toward furthering the welfare of community cats alongside OC staff, future veterinarians, and other community stakeholders. The intern will have the opportunity to actively engage the public regarding community cat management, TNR, fostering, kitten care, and rehoming/ adoption support while receiving training and participating in our daily operations and high-volume spay-neuter clinic.

The student would work with OC’s Caregiver Support team to process applications for the KSD program, schedule candidates for medical care based on the age of the kittens, provide support for getting all adults in the community sterilized, and following up post-surgery to provide adopting and rehoming advice and support.

The ideal candidate is one who is seeking a career or experience in animal welfare/ rescue/sheltering, veterinary medicine, or nonprofit management. They should be passionate about cats, knowledgeable of community cats, and excited by kittens! They should enjoy working with people, including underserved populations, and should naturally approach all communications with a compassionate and kind demeanor.

Intern Eligibility Criteria & Desired Skills:

·         Must commit to participating for the summer semester

·         ~30-40 hours per week, flexible scheduling

·         Enthusiasm and buy-in to Operation Catnip’s programs, TNR, and community cats

·         Ability to work with diverse groups

·         Strong organizational skills

·         Excellent communication skills in-person, over phone, and in writing

·         Ability to think creatively, often thinking outside the box to solve problems

Duties and Responsibilities

·         Gain knowledge and expertise in Operation Catnip programs and community cat management

·         Process applications to the KSD program, basing eligibility on the age and temperament of the kittens, as well as the caregiver’s willingness to comply with program parameters

·         Schedule surgical and wellness appointments based on age of kittens

·         Schedule surgical appointments for mother cats and other adult cats

·         Maintain KSD spreadsheet and communicate with Caregiver Support team with regard to KSD-related communications.

·         Follow up on missed appointments/ no shows or unsuccessful trapping attempts

·         Engage the community by collecting content of kittens at clinics, and celebrating graduations or adoptions. Work with OC’s Community Engagement Coordinator to share content to social media.

·         Provide guidance for rehoming and community adoption. Follow up with caregivers post-graduation to offer support.

·         Educate caregivers on kitten care, including bottle feeding, vaccination schedules, socialization methods, and husbandry and disease prevention.  

·         Work with the Operations Director to network with rescues when available and appropriate.

***This internship is unpaid. The student may apply through their school for credit hours***