Top 5 Jobs Working with Animals

Did you know that 36% of households in the US own dogs while 30% own cats? If you are part of this group of people, or you just love animals, and you don’t know the career to pursue, you can follow your passion and try any of these top five career paths in working with animals.

1. Veterinarian

This is one of the top jobs for animal lovers. On a daily basis, veterinary jobs provide the opportunity to promote the well-being and health of animals. This career gives you an important role in the society, and you will experience the gratitude that customers feel after you treat their pets.

Getting the qualifications for this job will require a lot of commitment and hard work from you. It will be necessary for you to spend numerous years in school for you to earn a doctorate and get a license. More commitment will be required of you because constant education is a requirement to keep the license. The hard work will pay off in an excellent salary and a career of your passion. Jobs can be found in existing clinics or hospitals, or you can start your practice. Annual pay ranges between $53,980 and $ 159,320 or more.

2. Pet Sitter

This an excellent career for working with animals since it requires minimal training and it allows you to spend time with adorable pets. Moreover, you can do it part-time to supplement your income. Pet owners fear to leave their pets in cages when they travel. For this reason, they hire pet sitters to look after their animals.

Many websites connect pet owners to dedicated pet sitters. To get a job as a pet sitter, you could register on the sites or advertise your services locally. Some owners may need you to visit their homes a couple of times in a day while others may require you to stay with their pets. The arrangement should help you decide whether to charge per day, per hour, or per visit. Annual pay ranges between $18,795 and $68,510 or more.

3. Groomer

Groomers assist pets in looking good by trimming their fur and cleaning them. Groomers earn between $17,160 and $34,780 per year. To earn the highest pay, work as a groomer in Rhode Island, California, and Hawaii. Minimum requirements for this position is a high school diploma. While most people learn the needed skills on the job, some prefer to attend a grooming school. Most employers will require you to be experienced in working with animals. If you want to be a groomer in a zoo, you will be required to have a degree in biology, animal science, or similar field.

4. Laboratory Animal Caretaker

Laboratory animal caretakers perform their duties in laboratories with veterinarians, biologists, or animal scientists. They care for, feed, and check the well-being of the animals in the laboratory. The annual salary will range between $18,060 and $36,690. To make the most money in this career, work in Maine, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. For you to qualify for a job position, you will be required to have a high school diploma and experience will be gained on the job. As much as certification is not a requirement for you to be a laboratory animal caretaker, some jobs will prefer it. Certification has the advantage of making you competitive and legible for promotion.

5. Breeder

Breeders follow genealogy and characteristics when selecting and breeding animals. The annual salary ranges between $20,430 and $75,210. You will make the most money working in Kentucky, South Dakota, and Ohio. The minimum requirement is a high school diploma and skills are learned on the job. But to be a breeder in a zoo, you will be needed to have a degree in veterinary science or a similar field.

While some jobs require you to have a degree, others only need a high school diploma. However, you can gain a competitive edge by getting a certificate II in animal studies.