Up close look at how Disney’s vets care for animals, inspire next generation

Up close look at Disney World's animal care

Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts welcomed hundreds of animals this year. Now, FOX 35 Orlando is getting a closer look at how animal keepers and veterinarians care for all these different species.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts welcomed hundreds of animals this year. Now, FOX 35 Orlando is getting a closer look at how animal keepers and veterinarians care for all these different species.

Inside Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, you’ll find the Treatment Center where veterinarians care for all kinds of animals from birds and eels to gorillas and tigers.

Visitors can get a front-row seat to all the action. Disney has an open window where guests can watch vets perform checkups, surgeries, and more. There are surgical lights, cameras, and microphones set up so everyone can see what they’re doing firsthand.

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But veterinarians also care for the animals out in their habitats, especially the bigger animals.

"Anything much larger, like a giraffe, elephant, rhino, or hippo, those would all be done out in the park where they live. So we have all portable machines as well," said Dr. Betsy Stringer, a veterinarian at Disney.

To work on the animals safely in their habitat, animal keepers focus on training. For example, the cotton-top tamarin are trained to stay on a platform for a checkup.

"They have a little target that we use that they will stand up on their hind legs so that we can get a good look at their whole body and maybe touch different parts of their bodies to check for lumps and bumps," said Animal Keeper Sara Frumoff.

For Dr. Stringer, it’s a dream job to work with the incredible animals at Walt Disney World, and she hopes to inspire the next generation.

"I grew up in a small town where I didn't know that you could work with these amazing wildlife species as well. I thought of dog and cat medicine, and that's kind of what my goal was," said Dr. Stringer. "Then, when I realized that I could pair my love of conservation and wildlife with veterinary medicine, this was the dream job for me. So teaching people that every animal matters."