Job Descriptions and Career Prospects of Animal Caretaker

Working in a variety of settings, animal caretakers cater to everyday needs of animals that include their kennels, shelters, as well as health care clinics. Also known as the animal attendants, animal care technician or animal keepers as well. Playing with animals they offer the best services for the pets.

Job Descriptions

Usually the tasks accomplished by animal caretakers include-

Selection of kennels, shelters and veterinary clinics for the animals, especially the pets;
Training out the pets in obedience and breeding them properly,
Vaccinating the pets and other animals;
Training up the animals in zoos and circuses for viewing by the audience;
Supervising the works of care takers as the leader or supervisor of such people;
Training up new caretakers for the job;
Repairing cages, fences, and other animal related items; and
Provide information to the public regarding the pets and animals.
Education and Training

Usually the following types of education and training would be required for the people desirous of taking the career of animal caretaker.

A minimum of high school degree;
Training while on job;
Some jobs like zoo keeping and others may require graduate level education;
People who are desirous of building up the career of animal caretaker will start it by taking up some job with the local veterinarian or by volunteering to work for some organization run by humane societies; or
Take up some job with the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty of Animals or ASPCA.
Employment Prospects

There is no dearth of animal and pet lovers or animal sponsoring organizations across the country and they offer good job opportunities for prospective animal caretakers. Thus animal care takers can take up jobs-

Individual houses of pet lovers;
Pet hospitals and clinics;
Pet care organizations that may be in the public sector or private sector;
Pet shops where pets are sold for interested pet lovers; and
Animal shelters and stables where animals are kept.
Some other opportunities are offered by the State animal care organizations and ads also come out in the local newspapers indicating vacancies in the job.

According to the BSL statistics, the earning prospects for efficient animal caretakers were $8.39 per hour back in 2004 and have gone past $10 per hour by 2011.


State university website is the right place to approach for career search and getting all the required information regarding the careers like animal caretaker. In addition to such information, the site also has the entire Cambridge encyclopedia for reference by the viewers.