Personal care and service
Animal caretaker
Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish or birds, zoo animals, and mice. Work in settings such as kennels, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums. May keep records of feedings, treatments, and animals received or discharged. May clean, disinfect, and repair cages, pens, or fish tanks.
Median pay
$35,360
Growth to 2035
+12%
faster than average
Openings a year
62,800
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Animal caretaker
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Animal caretaker: 7% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
- Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
- Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
- Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.
- Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.
- Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health.
- Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake.
- Respond to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, breeding habits, or facility activities.
Also called: Animal Care Giver (ACG) · Aquarist · Dog Bather · Dog Groomer · Groomer · Kennel Attendant · Kennel Technician (Kennel Tech) · Pet Groomer
Outlook and AI
Animal caretakers held 365,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 409,400 by 2035 (+12%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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- Animal caretaker vs. Animal trainer
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- Animal caretaker vs. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Animal caretaker vs. Animal control worker
- Animal caretaker vs. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Animal caretaker vs. Home health and personal care aides
- Animal caretaker vs. Childcare worker
- Animal caretaker vs. Nursing assistant