Guide for Pursuing a Professional Pathway with Animal Care
Love hanging out with furry friends and dreaming of a career that lets you work with them every day? Look no further! There's a wide range of fascinating animal-related careers out there, from training big cats to caring for sick pets. Looking for the perfect path for you? Let's dive in!
Animal Kingdom Careers[1]
From the frozen tundra to the African savannah, there's a career waiting for you to explore. Here's just a taste of the animal-centric jobs out there:
- Zookeeper: Spend your days hanging out with exotic animals like lions, tigers, and bears! Clean, feed, and care for your four-legged (and sometimes feathered) friends as a zookeeper.
- Animal rescue volunteer: Lend a helping hand to animals in need by volunteering at animal shelters and rescue centers. Help with providing food, care, and love to animals, often during their darkest hours.
- RSPCA inspector: Help crack down on cruelty to animals as an RSPCA inspector. This can be a tough job, but knowing you're fighting for the voiceless makes it all worthwhile.
- Police dog trainer: Teach law enforcement dogs the skills they need to help catch criminals. From finding drugs to tracking suspects, this job will keep you on your toes!
- Veterinary nurse: Assist veterinarians in caring for animals, from making appointments to helping with surgeries. You'll be a key player in keeping animals healthy and happy.
- Farm worker: Get close to livestock on a farm and enjoy the great outdoors while feeding, exercising, and grooming the animals under your care.
- Pet groomer: Make dogs and cats look their best & help their owners feel confident and proud with top-notch grooming services.
- Veterinarian: This career requires the most education but offers the highest salary and immeasurable rewards. Veterinarians work with everything from farm animals to zoo animals, using their extensive knowledge to heal sick animals and provide preventative care.
Education and Qualifications[2,3,4]
Requirements for animal-related jobs vary depending on the specific role. Here's a quick look at the education and qualifications needed for a few popular animal careers:
- Animal charity work typically requires clerical experience and a university degree, although some positions may only require A-levels.
- Farm work doesn't usually require formal education, but a willingness to engage in hard work and get your hands dirty is essential.
- Veterinary careers require an accredited veterinary degree and strong qualifications (such as A grades in A-levels or Scottish Highers, and completing a veterinary degree approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons).
- RSPCA options include apprenticeships that start at GCSE level and progress up to degree level, leading to roles as an animal collection officer, animal welfare officer, and eventually inspector.
- Dog groomer positions often don't require education or experience, but specialized training and certifications (such as Level 2 and 3 certificates, and apprenticeships with Pets At Home in their Groom Room) can enhance employability.
Essential skills[2,4]
A love of animals is essential, but here are some other skills you'll need to succeed in animal careers:
- Keen attention to detail
- Strong accounting and computer skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Strong teamwork skills and leadership ability
- Clear and concise communication skills
- Physical fitness and strength to handle animals (especially sedated ones)
- Understanding of confidentiality
- Patience when dealing with difficult situations
- Experience working in a sterile or laboratory setting (especially for veterinary nurses and doctors)
- Compassion and empathy when relating to clients
- Strong stomach in the face of unpleasant tasks
- Willingness to “get your hands dirty” and do what it takes to care for animals
Gaining Experience[1,4]
The best way to gain experience working with animals is volunteering, but there are other options too! Here are some ways to get hands-on animal experience:
- Animal shelter volunteer: Help care for animals in a shelter, providing obedience training, cleaning, and assisting with adoptions. Volunteering can help you gain valuable skills and build your resume.
- Veterinary clinic worker: Apply for a job as an assistant or clerical clerk at a veterinary clinic and learn valuable skills like how to handle animals, understand their behavior, and care for sick pets. Even if you decide to follow a different career path, these skills are valuable in many professions.
- Pet sitter: Provide pet sitting services on your own or work with an established pet sitter or boarder to gain hands-on experience caring for animals.
- Wildlife center or zoo volunteer: Get in touch with a local zoo or wildlife center to volunteer and learn more about animals. These opportunities are often quite competitive, so be prepared to put your best foot forward!
- Farm or stable volunteer or worker: If you want to work with horses or livestock, spend some time working on a farm or ranch. You can volunteer or find a paid position, but be prepared to do some hard work and get your hands dirty!
- Internship: Many organizations offer internships, from pre-veterinary internships to zoo internships. Roll up your sleeves and dive deep into the world of animal care by participating in an internship.
- Shadowing: Reach out to someone working in your field of interest and ask if you can shadow them for a day or two. This can give you an inside look at the day-to-day responsibilities of a specific job.
Careers working with animals are a fantastic and rewarding way to make a difference in the lives of animals and earn a living. Find your perfect animal-related career and start making a difference today!
Enrichment Data:
Animal Technician
- Education: Completion of secondary school; typically two or more GCSEs (grades 9–3 for Level 2, or four or five GCSEs at grades 9–4 for Level 3 courses)[3].
- Qualifications: College courses such as a Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Animal Care, Biology, Applied Sciences, or Laboratory Animal Science and Technology; an animal care and welfare assistant intermediate apprenticeship is also an option[3].
- Skills: Knowledge of animal handling techniques, enclosure preparation, temperature and humidity considerations, animal breeding, transportation, and anatomy and physiology[3].
- Experience: Volunteering or internships at animal shelters, veterinary clinics, or wildlife centers are recommended[3].
Veterinary Care Assistant
- Education: Educated to Standard Grade level or equivalent (such as GCSEs)[4].
- Qualifications: NVQ level 3 in Animal Management or equivalent is typically required[6].
- Skills: Excellent animal handling (especially dogs and cats), high standard cleaning ability, good observation and communication, initiative, teamwork, basic IT, and organizational skills[4].
- Experience: Substantial and relevant work experience in a kennel, cattery, or veterinary environment is essential; experience in a veterinary practice and handling exotics is desirable[4].
| Job Title | Education | Qualifications/Apprenticeships | Skills/Experience ||------------------------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|| Veterinary Care Assistant | Standard Grade/GCSEs | NVQ level 3 in Animal Management or equivalent[6] | Animal handling, cleaning, communication, IT[4] || Veterinary Nurse | A-levels/Scottish Highers and relevant degree | Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons-approved degree[8] | Animal handling, empathy, teamwork, knowledge of anatomy[2] || Animal Technician | GCSEs (9–4 in Maths and English, 9–3 for Level 2, or 9–4 for Level 3) | Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Animal Care, Biology, Applied Sciences, or Laboratory Animal Science and Technology[3] | Animal care, handling, enclosure prep, transportation, temperature and humidity considerations[3]|| Dog Groomer | Not required | Recognized qualification (optional) | Grooming, customer service, hygiene[5] || Animal Resources Coordinator (Higher Level Example) | Typically a relevant degree or substantial experience in animal sciences or management[1] | Professional certification or experience in animal resources or laboratory animal science may be required or preferred[1] | Management, training, supply ordering, documentation, business transactions[1] |
- In the world of finance and business, an animal lover could consider a career as an Animal Resources Coordinator, where they would manage the resources and supplies necessary for various animal-related careers, applying their leadership skills and business acumen.
- For those passionate about pets, a career as a Pet Groomer could be a great fit. While formal education might not be required, specialized training and certifications can enhance employability, allowing pet owners to feel confident and proud with top-notch grooming services.
- In addition to grooming skills, strong attention to detail, and a keen understanding of hygiene, pet groomers should also develop their customer service skills to communicate effectively with clients and create a positive experience for them and their pets.
