Animal caretakers
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.
Animal caretakers 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. The role reports a median annual salary of $33,470 in the US and is projected to grow 12% over the next decade (faster than average). Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.42 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Monitoring, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation, Coordination.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £25,067 a year for Animal care services occupations n.e.c. (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £22,826 to £27,865 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 6129). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Service and sales workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Animal caretakers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 5. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administrative
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Animal caretakers 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.
How much does Animal caretakers earn?
The median annual salary for Animal caretakers in the US is $33,470.
What is the job outlook for Animal caretakers?
The role is projected to grow 12% over the next decade (faster than average). Current US employment is approximately 392,100 workers.
How do I become animal caretakers?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Animal caretakers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Monitoring, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Animal caretakers?
Our AI-durability model gives Animal caretakers a score of 0.42 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Animal caretakers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.