What You Need to Know About Animal Caretaker
Occupation 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.
A Day in the Life of an Animal Caretaker
- Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health.
- Install, maintain, and repair animal care facility equipment, such as infrared lights, feeding devices, and cages.
- Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
- Train animals to perform certain tasks.
- Order, unload, and store feed and supplies.
- Clean and disinfect surgical equipment.
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What Every Animal Caretaker Should Know
Animal Caretakers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Related Job Titles
- Pound Keeper
- Animal Daycare Provider
- Dog Groomer
- Animal Caretaker
- Pet Groomer
What Kind of Animal Caretaker Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 241,500 jobs for Animal Caretaker in 2016 (in the United States). 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.
Average Animal Caretakers Salary
Animal Caretakers make between $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 do Animal Caretakers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Animal Caretakers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Appointment-Plus
How do I Become an Animal Caretaker?
What education or degrees do I need to become an Animal Caretaker?
How Long Does it Take to Become an Animal Caretaker?
Where Animal Caretakers Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Related Careers
Those interested in being an Animal Caretaker may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Animal Caretaker in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Corey Hensley via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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