Animal care technicians interact with animals, give them companionship and manage their care and feeding.
Animal care technicians work in veterinary offices, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, marine life parks, kennels, farms, pet salons, mobile animal care units and private residences. They provide specialized care to support the growth, well-being and health of animals. Depending on the work environment, animal care technicians may care for a variety of animals or a single species or breed. Their jobs can be unpleasant, physically and emotionally demanding and sometimes dangerous but professionally satisfying nonetheless.
Job Profile
Animal care technicians provide caring and nurturing environments for animals of all species and sizes. Their duties vary depending on job type and animal species. In general, technicians tend to the diets and habitats of animals. They interact with animals, give them companionship and manage their care and feeding. Common tasks include training animals, providing them with food and water, grooming, bathing and exercising them, as well as cleaning and sanitizing their environments.
Work Environment
Caring for animals can be physically stressful. Animal technicians are regularly exposed to hazardous situations and infectious waste in their cleaning of animal facilities and general handling of animals. Their work involves a lot of kneeling, crawling, repeated bending, long periods of standing and lifting of heavy objects. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, animal care technicians experience work-related injuries, illnesses and emotional duress at a rate higher than the national average.
Education and Job Experience
Although a high school diploma or GED equivalent qualifies a person for an entry-level position in animal care, many employers prefer individuals with related experience and love of animals. Many animal care workers learn and improve their skills through on-the-job training and experience. More senior or specialized animal care positions, such as equine trainer or marine life caretaker, require additional training. A bachelor's degree in biology, animal science or related field is usually required for zookeeper and marine life caretaker positions.
Career Growth
Job opportunities are stable for some animal care positions, according to the 2010 Occupational Outlook Handbook. With experience and training, animal shelter technicians may move on to roles as adoption coordinators, animal control officers or animal shelter directors. Some pet groomers go on to open private pet salons or mobile pet care units. Job prospects for zookeepers include senior zookeeper and animal curator, but openings are small in number and occur infrequently.
Salary
Wages for animal care workers are relatively low. Median annual wages of non-farm animal caretakers were $19,360 in May 2008, according to the 2010 Occupational Outlook Handbook. SalaryWizard.com estimates 2010 annual earnings of $31,043 to $35,902 for animal technicians in the United States. The median expected salary for an animal care technician in the United States is $32,230.
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