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What You Need to Know About Animal Caretaker
Position 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
- Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
- Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.
- Answer telephones and schedule appointments.
- Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.
- Clean and disinfect surgical equipment.
- Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake.
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Skills Needed to be an Animal Caretaker
Below is a list of the skills most Animal Caretakers say are important on the job.
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.
Other Animal Caretaker Job Titles
- Pet Stylist
- Mice Raiser
- Wild Animal Caretaker
- Zoo Caretaker
- Dog Barber
Job Demand for Animal Caretakers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 241,500 jobs in the United States for Animal Caretaker. 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.
Do Animal Caretakers Make A Lot Of Money?
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.
How much do Animal Caretakers make 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 to Become an Animal Caretaker
Are there Animal Caretakers education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become an Animal Caretaker?
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
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