Growing up in Warm Springs, Coleicia Moses always liked being around animals. “We had pets and I was always interested in taking care of them,” Coleicia says. At the time, of course, “I never thought I could make a career of it.” During high school, Coleicia went to Madras, then to the boarding school in Riverside, California, graduating in 2008.
Moving back to Central Oregon, she went to Central Oregon Community College in Bend. For a while, Coleicia was thinking of transferring to the University of Oregon. “I’d always thought I would do something in journalism,” she says. Her parents are Paula Miller and the late Oliver Moses. The journalism idea came from her grandfather, Mr. Sidney Miller, the first publisher and editor of the Spilyay Tymoo.
So, in 2014, Coleicia was deciding whether to transfer to the University of Oregon for journalism. By chance, though, this was at the time when COCC opened its new veterinarian Technician Program. Coleicia decided to stay, finished her Associates Degree at COCC, and in 2016 graduated from the COCC Veterinarian Tech program.
She now is a Certified Veterinarian Technician. “I found the work I should be doing,” Coleicia says. She works at the Central Oregon Animal Hospital in Bend. Her job as the clinic lead Vet Technician requires working closely and one-on-one with the clinic veterinarian doctors. She assists them during the animal surgeries; she administers anesthesia, draws blood samples, gives the shots, and does other work that goes into caring for animals during their time at the hospital.
Her training and skills have now even brought her back to the reservation, where she helps with the vaccine clinics hosted by Fences for Fido and their partner the Companion Animal Medical Project, or CAMP.
The next pet clinic is this Saturday, January 14 at the Agency Fire Hall, where Coleicia will be among the trained professionals helping the pets and pet owners of the Warm Springs community.
