UGA students learn proper pet care through service-oriented CAES course

Passionate about the impact of companion animals, Turner encourages students to take a nuanced view of pets and to explore the many aspects of the animal care industry. Every Friday, Turner holds student-led discussions that connect the class with the material by giving them the opportunity to share their perspectives on issues around companion pets.

"I like to get to know the students on a deeper level because it's a subject they relate to," said Turner. "I get to share my personal stories and they're sharing parts of their personal lives; it's really fun to get to know them better."

Class discussions have ranged from the ethics of keeping exotic pets to elective procedures often performed on purebred pets for aesthetic purposes.

During one class, four teams of students gave presentations on the practice of cropping ears, docking tails, removing dew claws in dogs and declawing. Two teams provided the "pros" for the practices, covering the historical and medical justifications used for performing the procedures, and the remaining two teams presented the "cons" of the procedures.

"We've talked about exotic animals and whether or not they should be able to be privately owned," said Mishka Maulik, a biology student. "I work as an exotic vet tech, so it was a fantastic discussion."