Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Animal Caretakers *
 
Animal Caretakers
(O*NET 39-2021.00, SOC 39-2021)
What they do
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.
 
Also called:
Animal Care Giver (ACG), Aquarist, Dog Bather, Dog Groomer, Groomer, Kennel Attendant, Kennel Technician (Kennel Tech), Pet Groomer, Pet Stylist, Zookeeper
 
 
Wages
Vermont - 2023
Percentile1HourlyYearly
10% $ 14.34   $29,830  
25% $ 14.78   $30,750  
Median $ 16.54   $34,400  
75% $ 18.09   $37,630  
90% $ 21.51   $44,750  
 
Average $ 17.01   $35,390  
1 What are Percentile Wages?
More at CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Personal and laundry services
32%
  • Self-employed workers
26%
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services
13%
  • Miscellaneous store retailers
12%
  • Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
4%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Administrative
    Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Monitoring
    Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Coordination
    Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Judgment and Decision Making
    Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Reading Comprehension
    Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Realistic
    Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional
    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Self-Control
    Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Cooperation
    Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • 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.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 715
2030 employment 1,017
Annual percent change
(compounded)
3.6%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
158
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    High school diploma or equivalent
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    Short-term on-the-job training
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Very Important
  • Level of activity is High
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Some Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (4.0 to < 6.0) - A typical worker will require over 3 months up to and including 1 year of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  0%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  0%
Bachelor's degree   13%
Associate's degree   14%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  0%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  64%
Less than high school diploma   10%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Information Ordering
    The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Near Vision
    The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity
    The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Getting Information
    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Performing General Physical Activities
    Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Handling and Moving Objects
    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Care for animals.
  • Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
  • Monitor health or behavior of people or animals.
  • Prepare foods or meals.
  • Maintain facilities.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
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This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor