Karen Thomas is a studio animal trainer who trains animals for the film industry. She works with insects, reptiles, dogs, cats, farm animals... At what age did you choose your career? I started working as a trainer after college at twenty-one years of age. I have wanted to work with animals for as long as I can remember, but I never thought I would train animals -- I wanted to be a vet or a zookeeper. Was there a specific event or person associated with that decision? Not really -- during college I realized that I didn't want to be a vet. I leaned toward zookeeping, but the lack of good-paying zookeeping positions made me look at other options. That's when I looked into studio animal training. What has been the greatest experience of your career? My greatest experiences are when I rescue an animal from a shelter and give it a "star" lifestyle. Also, educating people about animal care and husbandry -- especially children. What specialized skills do you need for the job? You need to be passionate about animals and have a natural way with them. Having a college degree helps, but without the love and dedication, the degree means nothing. And lots of patience! What is the most frustrating part of your job? Working with a live entity can be frustrating. No matter how much time you spend training an animal, it can have a bad day -- and that can happen in front of a camera! Also, production companies seldom give us an adequate time to train an animal to do what they want it to do. People don't realize that you can't rush an animal and its training -- it's not a computer you can turn on to work twenty-four hours to finish a last-minute project! Any advice for young people who are considering a career in zoology? Don't go into the career if money is your priority! You can earn a living training or being a zookeeper or an animal control officer, etc., but you won't be rich. Also, keep in mind that animals don't know what holiday vacations are and need to be cared for 365 days a year! Working with animals tends to be more than a job -- it's also a lifestyle. If you could be any cat, which would you be? I love cheetahs. I like their personality and elegant carriage, coat, and speed.