What Does it Take to Be an Animal Caretaker?
Animal Caretaker Job Description Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise care for pets and other nonfarm animals, such as dogs, cats, ornamental fish or birds, zoo animals, and mice. Work in settings such as kennels, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums. May keep records of feedings, treatments, and animals received or discharged. May clean, disinfect, and repair cages, pens, or fish tanks.
Life As an Animal Caretaker
- Observe and caution children petting and feeding animals in designated areas to ensure the safety of humans and animals.
- Sell pet food and supplies.
- Adjust controls to regulate specified temperature and humidity of animal quarters, nurseries, or exhibit areas.
- Answer telephones and schedule appointments.
- Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake.
- Train animals to perform certain tasks.
Qualities of an Animal Caretaker
When polled, Animal Caretakers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Types of Animal Caretaker
- Wildlife Rehabilitator
- Nonfarm Animal Caretaker
- Doggy Daycare Activities Director
- Kennel Worker
- Pound Keeper
Animal Caretaker Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 241,500 jobs for Animal Caretaker in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 24.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 58,500 new jobs for Animal Caretaker by 2026. The BLS estimates 46,200 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Animal Caretaker are Utah, Nevada, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Maryland, Maine, or Kentucky. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Animal Caretaker Average Salary
The salary for Animal Caretakers ranges between about $18,160 and $37,250 a year.
Animal Caretakers who work in District of Columbia, Alaska, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Animal Caretakers in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $21,280 |
| Alaska | $31,040 |
| Arizona | $27,320 |
| Arkansas | $24,050 |
| California | $29,830 |
| Colorado | $27,510 |
| Connecticut | $28,530 |
| Delaware | $24,810 |
| District of Columbia | $35,520 |
| Florida | $24,770 |
| Georgia | $24,790 |
| Hawaii | $29,680 |
| Idaho | $22,760 |
| Illinois | $24,550 |
| Indiana | $23,590 |
| Iowa | $24,080 |
| Kansas | $22,890 |
| Kentucky | $22,730 |
| Louisiana | $22,770 |
| Maine | $26,810 |
| Maryland | $28,140 |
| Massachusetts | $30,930 |
| Michigan | $24,390 |
| Minnesota | $26,470 |
| Mississippi | $23,320 |
| Missouri | $24,450 |
| Montana | $25,770 |
| Nebraska | $26,220 |
| Nevada | $23,720 |
| New Hampshire | $24,810 |
| New Jersey | $26,700 |
| New Mexico | $25,740 |
| New York | $29,780 |
| North Carolina | $24,110 |
| North Dakota | $24,440 |
| Ohio | $24,030 |
| Oklahoma | $23,710 |
| Oregon | $28,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $23,960 |
| Rhode Island | $28,550 |
| South Carolina | $23,400 |
| South Dakota | $24,080 |
| Tennessee | $23,530 |
| Texas | $23,420 |
| Utah | $25,440 |
| Vermont | $26,650 |
| Virginia | $25,440 |
| Washington | $30,130 |
| West Virginia | $23,790 |
| Wisconsin | $23,530 |
| Wyoming | $23,550 |
What Tools & Technology do Animal Caretakers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Animal Caretakers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Appointment-Plus
How do I Become an Animal Caretaker?
What education is needed to be an Animal Caretaker?
How Long Does it Take to Become an Animal Caretaker?
Where Animal Caretakers Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Animal Caretakers employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being an Animal Caretaker may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as an Animal Caretaker sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Corey Hensley via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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