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Veterinary clinics and hospitals
Banfield Pet Hospital, VCA Animal Hospitals, BluePearl Pet Hospital
Animal Caretakers
Animal caretakers feed, groom, exercise, and closely watch animals in places like clinics, shelters, zoos, and boarding facilities. The work is hands-on and detail-heavy: you are constantly balancing an animal’s routine care with the need to notice illness, injury, or behavior changes early. It is a good fit if you want direct contact with animals, but the tradeoff is modest pay, physical labor, and frequent exposure to messy or stressful situations.
Also known as Animal Care AttendantKennel AttendantPet Care AttendantKennel AssistantAnimal Care Technician
Median Salary
$33,470
Mean $34,750
U.S. Workforce
~277K
74.6K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+12.1%
392.1K to 439.6K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Animal Caretakers sits in the Science category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~277K workers, with a median annual pay of $33,470 and roughly 74.6K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 392.1 K in 2024 to 439.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or GED, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Entry-Level Animal Care Helper and can progress toward Lead Animal Care Specialist / Kennel Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Animal Health Monitoring & Care Logs, Medication Preparation, Feeding Plans & Care Instructions, and Animal Handling, Restraint & Grooming Tools, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Coordination, and Judgment and Decision Making.
Core Responsibilities
- Keep records on each animal’s weight, condition, medication, and how much it eats.
- Watch animals for changes in behavior, sickness, or injuries and report problems quickly.
- Measure out food, formula, supplements, and medicines exactly as instructed.
- Feed and water animals on schedule, then give them exercise or playtime.
Keep exploring: more Science careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Keep records on each animal’s weight, condition, medication, and how much it eats.
02 Watch animals for changes in behavior, sickness, or injuries and report problems quickly.
03 Measure out food, formula, supplements, and medicines exactly as instructed.
04 Feed and water animals on schedule, then give them exercise or playtime.
05 Bathe, brush, trim, clip nails, and clean ears or enclosures as needed.
06 Answer calls, schedule visits, and help arrange veterinary treatment when an animal needs care.
Industries That Hire
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Pet boarding, daycare, and retail
PetSmart, Petco, Camp Bow Wow
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Zoos and aquariums
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Bronx Zoo, Georgia Aquarium
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Animal shelters and rescue nonprofits
ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society, Humane Society of the United States
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Research and laboratory animal care
Charles River Laboratories, The Jackson Laboratory, Labcorp
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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It is relatively easy to enter: the usual starting point is a high school diploma plus short-term on-the-job training, not years of school.
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There are a lot of jobs to fill, with 277,300 workers in the field and about 74.6 thousand annual openings.
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The outlook is decent, with employment projected to grow 12.1% from 2024 to 2034.
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The work is very hands-on, so you spend your day around animals instead of sitting at a desk.
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The skills transfer across settings, from kennels and shelters to veterinary offices, zoos, and research facilities.
Challenges
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Pay is modest: the median salary is $33,470 a year, and the mean is only a little higher at $34,750.
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The job is physical, with lots of standing, lifting, cleaning, and moving animals or supplies.
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You need to notice illness or injury quickly and stay calm when animals are scared, sick, or in pain.
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There is not much career room without extra training; many workers stay in similar care roles unless they move into supervision or another animal field.
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The work is almost always on-site, and staffing can swing with local demand, shelter budgets, or pet-owner spending, so it is not a stable remote-friendly career.
Career Progression
Entry-Level Animal Care Helper
0-1 years
$26K-$30K
You learn the basics by cleaning, feeding, and helping more experienced staff with routine animal care.
Animal Caretaker
1-4 years
$31K-$38K
You handle daily care more independently, watch for health issues, and keep accurate records; this tier includes the typical median pay of $33,470.
Senior Animal Caretaker THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$39K-$46K
You take on the trickier cases, help train newer staff, and may coordinate more closely with vets or supervisors.
Lead Animal Care Specialist / Kennel Supervisor
8+ years
$47K-$56K
You oversee schedules, standards, and day-to-day operations, often managing a small team and handling escalated animal-care issues.
Education Paths
High school diploma or GED
The most common entry point, held by 63.55% of workers in this role.
Associate degree in veterinary technology or animal science
An associate's degree appears for 13.58% of workers and can help if you want more clinic experience before starting.
Bachelor's degree in animal science, biology, or a related field
A bachelor's degree shows up for 13.37% of workers and is more often used by people aiming for management or a later move into other animal-care jobs.
Short-term certificate in animal care, grooming, or veterinary assisting
A short certificate can make you more competitive for entry-level openings, especially when paired with hands-on experience and the short-term on-the-job training this role usually requires.
Key Skills
Technical
Animal Health Monitoring & Care Logs 62%
Medication Preparation, Feeding Plans & Care Instructions 60%
Animal Handling, Restraint & Grooming Tools 60%
Kennel Management Software, Phone Systems & Appointment Scheduling 58%
Sanitation, Disinfection & Disease-Prevention Protocols 56%
Basic Animal First Aid & Veterinary Support Procedures 55%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCoordinationJudgment and Decision MakingReading ComprehensionService OrientationSpeaking Job Outlook and Trends
+12.1%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
74.6K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 392.1K to 439.6 K over the next decade, representing 12.1% growth. Around 74.6 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.