Animal Caretakers
Personal Care and Service
Most of the day goes to feeding and watering animals on a set schedule, mixing food or medicine as instructed, and exercising them so they stay healthy. Caretakers also watch for signs of illness or injury, treat sick animals or call a veterinarian, and record weight, treatments, and food intake. Cleaning is a large part of the job: laundry, disinfecting pens, stables, or tanks, and keeping gear such as saddles in order. The work happens in kennels, shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums, and often includes answering visitors' questions. It suits people who like physical, routine care work and close attention to how animals look and act.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$35'360
Median Wage Market Position
$35'360
What you might do
- Feed and water animals on set schedules
- Spot signs of illness, injury, or disease
- Clean and disinfect cages, pens, and tanks
- Exercise animals to keep them healthy
- Treat sick animals or call a veterinarian
- Record weight, treatments, and food intake
Skills that matter
- Scheduled feeding and watering
- Mixing food, formulas, and medications
- Examining animals for illness or injury
- Cleaning and disinfecting pens and tanks
- Written logs of weight and treatments
- Answers to visitors' questions about animals
AI & the future of this role
Feeding, grooming, and cleaning living spaces are physical, unpredictable tasks that automation handles poorly in most settings. Monitoring schedules may get smarter, yet caring for animals still depends on attentive human presence and judgment.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details