Zookeepers in Love

"The course of true love never did run smooth."

- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act I, Scene 1

I’m going to talk for a minute about a boy and girl… it’s only the girl I know, and she’s the one who told the story to me.

Once, at a rather small US zoo, there were two keepers on the staff who started dating, and, as such things will sometimes go, proceeded to fall in love.  The only problem was that their zoo had a “no-dating” policy for employees.  As a result, the girl took a job at a different zoo, the closest she could find but still a few hours away.  She and her beau took turns driving to see each other on their days off.  Then, the boy got a job at yet another zoo, this one in the opposite direction.  The mutual drives, now much longer, continued.

Two lessons I gleaned from this story.  One, I love it how it didn’t occur to either of the keepers to find a non-zoo job so they could stay together in the same city.  Two, it goes to show – dating is hard enough, but dating for zookeepers has its own challenges.

First, as I was reminded by the story above, location can be a pain.  Zookeeping is a very location-based job – it certainly isn’t something you can work from home with… at least not usually.  Granted, most towns have a zoo or aquarium, but getting a job at that particular institution can be difficult, especially if an employee is specialized (elephant keeper, marine mammal trainer, amphibian keeper etc) and there aren’t any openings in your field.  Getting a job, or getting promoted, often involves moving, sometimes across the country.  This, of course, puts a strain on any relationship.

Scheduling can be a pain, too.  Many zookeepers work weekends, which can make it hard to go out on Friday or Saturday night (not that many don’t).  The need to work on holidays can put you in the difficult spot of having to bail on Thanksgiving dinner with the in-laws, or spend a romantic Christmas morning together.

Money is a hassle. Unless your significant other is unemployed or works minimum-wage part-time, you probably won’t be the breadwinner in your relationship.  Dinners, movie tickets, vacations… they’re all aspects of dating which become a little more challenging on a zookeeper salary.

The passion factor kicks in also.  Zookeepers and aquarists tend to be super passionate about their animals, sometimes to the exclusion of other things… like other people.  Like many professions that involve caring for living things, some zookeepers give all of their emotion and affection to their charges, leaving them kind of burned out for other relationships.

Oh, and sometimes we come home smelling bad and with poop stuff on the bottom of our boots.  Only sometimes, I mean…

With so much seeming to go against us as dateable material, it’s not surprising that lots of zookeepers date… zookeepers.  After all, we tend to have a lot in common.  At the very least, it’s great to have conversations with people who understand who we are and what we do, and who tend not to view us as complete weirdoes.  That being said, dating at work is… problematic in many cases, even when in those situations where it is not forbidden.  From personal observations, it tends to work best at larger institutions with people who do not work directly together

I’ve dabbled with dating coworkers, and have watched coworkers date each other.  In the end I’ve have found it to be a load of trouble.

I’ve spent the last few years dating someone who is not affiliated with a zoo or aquarium.  She puts up with a fair bit of nonsense from me.  I come home too tired to go out.  Vacations are few and far between, and it’s been years since we went to visit her family together.  When we do on vacation, I inevitably find a way to sneak a zoo or aquarium in.  And, I have been informed gently on more than one occasion, my socks after a day of work are classifiable as biochemical weapons. 

Despite this, I like to think there have been a few perks my job has been able to offer.  She’s gotten to meet a lot of cool animals up close and personal, either while visiting me at work or when we’ve gone together to visit a friend at another zoo.  She’s gotten to help me hand-raise the odd baby animal.  At the very least, I’m a useful conversation piece.

15 Reasons to Date a Zookeeper, by eHarmony UK

At any rate, for whatever reason she decides to put up with me, stinky socks and all.  And for that I consider myself pretty darn lucky.

Happy Valentine’s Day!