Pet sitters care for pets while the owner is at work or on vacation.
Animal care and service workers attend to or train animals. Working with pets and other nonfarm animals, these caretakers and trainers feed, groom, and exercise the animals or teach them to respond to human commands.
Duties
Animal care and service workers typically do the following:
Give food and water to animals
Clean equipment and the living spaces of animals
Monitor animals and record details of their diet, physical condition, and behavior
Examine animals for signs of illness or injury
Exercise animals
Bathe animals, trim nails, clip hair, and attend to other grooming needs
Train animals to obey or to behave in a specific manner
The following are types of animal care and service workers:
Animal trainers teach animals a variety of skills, such as obedience, performance, riding, security, and assisting people with disabilities. They familiarize animals with human voices and contact, and they teach animals to respond to commands. Most animal trainers work with dogs and horses, but some work with marine mammals, such as dolphins. Trainers teach a variety of skills. For example, some train dogs to guide people with disabilities, or they may train animals for a competition.
Groomers specialize in maintaining a pet’s appearance. They typically groom dogs and cats, which may include cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling fur; clipping nails; and cleaning ears. Groomers also schedule appointments, sell products to pet owners, and identify problems that may require veterinary attention.
Groomers may work in or operate a grooming salon, kennel, veterinary clinic, pet supply store, or mobile grooming service, a self-contained business that travels to clients’ homes.
Grooms work at stables, caring for horses and maintaining equipment. Responsibilities include feeding, grooming, and exercising horses; cleaning stalls; polishing saddles; and organizing the tack room, which stores harnesses, saddles, and bridles. Experienced grooms sometimes help train horses.
Kennel attendants care for pets, often overnight, in place of owners. They clean cages and dog runs and feed, exercise, and play with animals. Experienced attendants also may provide basic healthcare, bathe animals, and attend to other basic grooming needs.
Animal shelter attendants typically work with cats and dogs in animal shelters or rescue leagues. These attendants take care of the animals’ basic needs and may have administrative duties, such as keeping records, answering questions from the public, educating visitors about pet health, and screening people who want to adopt an animal. Experienced attendants may have more responsibilities, such as helping to vaccinate or euthanize animals alongside a veterinarian.
Pet sitters look after animals while the pet owner is away. Most pet sitters feed, walk, and play with pets daily. They go to the pet owner’s home, allowing the pet to stay in its familiar surroundings and follow its routine. Experienced pet sitters also may bathe, groom, or train pets. Pet sitters typically watch over dogs, but some also take care of cats and other pets.
Zookeepers care for animals in zoos. They plan diets, feed animals, and monitor the animals’ eating patterns. They also clean the animals’ enclosures and monitor behavior for signs of illness or injury. Depending on the size of the zoo, they may work with one species or multiple species of animals. Zookeepers may help raise young animals, and they often spend time answering questions from the public.
Mobile groomers travel to customers' homes to wash, cut, and brush an animal's coat.
Animal caretakers held about 290,700 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of animal caretakers were as follows:
Other personal services
38%
Self-employed workers
17
Retail trade
14
Professional, scientific, and technical services
13
Social advocacy organizations
4
Animal trainers held about 52,900 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of animal trainers were as follows:
Self-employed workers
36%
Support activities for agriculture and forestry
24
Animal production and aquaculture
11
Retail trade
8
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
6
Animal care and service workers are employed in a variety of settings. Many work at kennels; others work at zoos, stables, animal shelters, pet stores, veterinary clinics, and aquariums. Their work may involve travel.
Although animal care and service workers may consider their work enjoyable and rewarding, they face unpleasant and emotionally distressing situations at times. For example, those who work in shelters may observe abused, injured, or sick animals. Some caretakers may have to help veterinarians euthanize injured or unwanted animals.
In addition, a lot the work involves physical tasks, such as moving and cleaning cages, lifting bags of food, and exercising animals.
Injuries and Illnesses
Animal caretakers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Animal care and service workers may be bitten, scratched, or kicked when working with scared or aggressive animals. Injuries may also happen while the caretaker is holding, cleaning, or restraining an animal.
Work Schedules
Although most animal trainers work full time, part-time work is common for both trainers and animal caretakers. Work schedules may vary to include evenings, weekends, and holidays. In facilities that operate 24 hours a day, such as kennels, animal shelters, and stables, animals may need care around the clock.
Most animal care and service workers have a high school diploma and learn the occupation on the job.
Animal care and service workers typically have a high school diploma or equivalent and learn the occupation on the job. Many employers prefer to hire people who have experience with animals.
Education
Animal care and service workers typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
Although pet groomers typically learn by working under the guidance of an experienced groomer, they can also attend grooming schools.
Animal trainers usually need a high school diploma or equivalent, although some positions may require a bachelor’s degree. For example, marine mammal trainers usually need a bachelor’s degree in marine biology, animal science, biology, or a related field.
Dog trainers and horse trainers may take courses at community colleges or vocational and private training schools.
Most zoos require zookeepers to have a bachelor’s degree in biology, animal science, or a related field.
Training
Most animal care and service workers learn through on-the-job training.
Animal trainers may learn their skills from an experienced trainer. Pet groomers often learn their trade under the guidance of an experienced groomer.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Although not required, certifications may help workers establish their credentials and enhance their skills. For example, professional associations and private vocational and state-approved trade schools offer certification for dog trainers.
Many states require self-employed animal care and service workers to have a business license.
Other Experience
For many animal care and service workers positions, it helps to have experience working with animals. Volunteering and internships at zoos and aquariums are excellent ways to gain such experience.
Important Qualities
Compassion. Animal care and service workers must be compassionate when dealing with animals and their owners. They should treat animals with kindness.
Customer-service skills. Animal care and service workers should understand pet owners’ needs so they can provide excellent customer service. Some workers may need to deal with distraught pet owners. For example, caretakers working in animal shelters may need to reassure owners looking for a lost pet.
Detail oriented. Animal care and service workers are often responsible for maintaining records and monitoring changes in animals’ behavior.
Patience. All animal caretakers and animal trainers need to be patient when working with animals.
Physical stamina. Animal care and service workers must be able to kneel, crawl, and lift heavy supplies, such as bags of food.
Problem-solving skills. Animal trainers must be able to assess whether animals are responding to teaching methods and to identify which methods are successful.
Reliability. Animal care and service workers need to care for animals on schedule and in a timely manner.
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
The median annual wage for animal caretakers was $28,600 in May 2021.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,380, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $38,750.
The median annual wage for animal trainers was $31,280 in May 2021.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,160, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $58,790.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for animal caretakers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Other personal services
$28,580
Retail trade
27,880
Social advocacy organizations
27,540
Professional, scientific, and technical services
27,460
In May 2021, the median annual wages for animal trainers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
$38,110
Retail trade
28,910
Although most animal trainers work full time, part-time work is common for both trainers and animal caretakers. Work schedules may vary to include evenings, weekends, and holidays. In facilities that operate 24 hours a day, such as kennels, animal shelters, and stables, animals may need care around the clock.
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Overall employment of animal care and service workers is projected to grow 29 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 80,900 openings for animal care and service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Many people consider their pets to be a part of their family and are willing to pay more for pet care than pet owners have in the past. As more households include companion pets, employment of animal care and service workers will continue to grow.
Employment projections data for animal care and service workers, 2021-31
Occupational Title
SOC Code
Employment, 2021
Projected Employment, 2031
Change, 2021-31
Employment by Industry
Percent
Numeric
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program