Do veterinary hospitals or vet clinics hire surgical techs? I love animals and was told that they do but have found no one hiring for any of those positions.

Yes in answer to your question they do, however, it is an extremely tight knit group, and openings do not come easily. As creatures of habit people get used to familiar, and that is not an exception even for doctors. So just hang in there, I live in a rural community, and I have only heard of one such opening in the last five years, and three vets serve our area. So it takes time, I would suggest if they allow it, to volunteer some time, to one of the local vets in your area, and not just observe but get in on cases they'll let you scrub, I have observed some not many, and scrubbed even less, but they are aware that I'm 'available' for a position, :-D and that takes away some of the guess work for them, also if you can be available to take a part-time position during a vacation period for the vet's surg tech, that'll also help some.