In recent episodes of AMC’s zombie series “The Walking Dead,” a new character introduced to the show, Dr. Hershel Greene, helps treat and save the life of a critically injured child. Dr. Greene, however, is not a physician, but a veterinarian. In the midst of a zombie apocalypse, physicians might be hard to come by and if one of your party is bleeding to death, a veterinarian just might give that person the best chance of survival! The American Veterinary Medical Association offers other reason a veterinarian may prove useful in a zombie apocalypse:
1. They have a better chance at surviving:
In the event of a zombie apocalypse, survivors are at a premium, and
losing members of your group will make you much more vulnerable. The
biggest risk is getting bitten by a zombie. Who’s better at avoiding
bites than a veterinarian?
2. They can provide medical care:
Pre-apocalypse, see your physician. Post-apocalypse, if a physician
isn’t available, you couldn’t do much better than having a veterinarian
treat your wounds and illnesses. Veterinarians spend at least four years
post-grad training to care for ALL species, so while the general
anatomy might be slightly different, they’re probably not going to be
overwhelmed by the prospect of working on human patients.
3. They can take care of the animals:
With electrical grids down and gasoline no longer in production, you’re
going to be relying on animals much more – dogs for protection, horses
for transportation, livestock for food and labor. A veterinarian will
make sure these highly valuable animals are well treated, healthy and
performing at a high level.
4.They can make sure your food is safe:
Without grocery stores, restaurants or refrigerators, obtaining,
storing and preparing food will provide a whole new set of challenges
for most people. Veterinarians have experience in ensuring food safety
and testing; many work nationally to ensure food safety at processing
plants and distribution centers, and across the globe making sure food
for our troops is safe to eat.
5.They can find a cure:
Veterinarians are experts at studying the causes and distribution of
diseases, or epidemiology. They’ve been invaluable in determining the
source and distribution of diseases that pose a risk to humans, such as
rabies, SARS and West Nile virus. Veterinarians might be able to
determine what causes people to turn into zombies and develop a cure. 
