Animal Caretaker
Do you love animals and everything about them? Turn your passion into an amazing career.
Feed, water, groom, and care for animals in shelters, kennels, veterinary facilities, or farms. Monitor health and administer basic treatments.
Salary Range
$25,000 – $40,000
per year (10th–90th percentile)
Median Salary
$26,080
per year
Growth Outlook
2024–2034 projected
Work with amazing animals and pets, Work both indoors and outdoors, Learn an in-demand and growing field
Tasks & Responsibilities
- Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
- Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
- Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
- Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.
- Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.
- Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health.
- Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake.
- Respond to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, breeding habits, or facility activities.
- Answer telephones and schedule appointments.
- Advise pet owners on how to care for their pets' health.
Tools of the Trade
Knowledge Areas
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. 80/100
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology. 53/100
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. 52/100
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. 41/100
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. 39/100
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. 38/100
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. 36/100
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. 36/100
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment. 35/100
Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods. 35/100
Work Profile
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