What You'll Do

  • Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
  • Answer telephones and schedule appointments.
  • Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
  • Respond to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, breeding habits, or facility activities.
  • Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
  • Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake.
  • Perform animal grooming duties, such as washing, brushing, clipping, and trimming coats, cutting nails, and cleaning ears.
  • Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health.
  • Order, unload, and store feed and supplies.
  • Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.

Essential Skills

Monitoring 3.12/5
Reading Comprehension 3.0/5
Active Listening 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5
Service Orientation 3.0/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.0/5
Speaking 2.88/5
Writing 2.75/5
Critical Thinking 2.75/5
Social Perceptiveness 2.75/5
Complex Problem Solving 2.62/5
Time Management 2.5/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.

Common styles

Dependability, Cooperation, Attention to Detail, Sincerity, Optimism

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 3.25/5
Oral Expression 3.12/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.12/5
Information Ordering 3.12/5
Static Strength 3.12/5
Near Vision 3.12/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.0/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.0/5

Technologies & Tools

CEEJS The Pet Groomer's Secretary DaySmart Software 123Pet DaySmart Software Appointment-Plus Envision Pet Grooming Groom Pro Groomsoft K9 Bytes K9 Koordinator Kennel Link Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Mobile Dog Grooming Software mGroomer Petschedule The Groomer's Write Hand

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.51/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.33/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.29/5)
  • Sincerity (High importance: 4.15/5)
  • Optimism (High importance: 4.14/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Animal Care Attendant Animal Care Giver (ACG) Animal Care Service Worker Animal Care Specialist Animal Care Taker Animal Care Technician Animal Caregiver Animal Caretaker Animal Daycare Provider Animal Feeder Animal Groomer Animal Handler Animal Health Technician Animal Keeper Animal Nursery Worker Animal Rehabilitator Animal Shelter Worker Animal Sitter Aquarist Aquarium Tank Attendant Aviculturist Bather Bird Raiser Bird Tender Canary Raiser Care Assistant Care Taker Caretaker Cat Bather Cat Groomer Cat Sitter Dog Barber Dog Bather Dog Beautician Dog Boarder Dog Daycare Attendant Dog Groomer Dog Hair Clipper Dog Pound Attendant Dog Raiser Dog Sitter Dog Walker Farrier Groomer Horseshoer Hot Walker Keeper Kennel Aide Kennel Assistant Kennel Attendant Kennel Helper Kennel Keeper Kennel Operator Kennel Technician (Kennel Tech) Kennel Worker Mice Raiser Monkey Keeper Parakeet Raiser Pet Care Associate Pet Care Specialist Pet Care Worker Pet Caretaker Pet Feeder Pet Groomer Pet Sitter Pet Specialist Pet Stylist Pony Rider Pound Attendant Pound Keeper Poundmaster Reptile Keeper Ringman Stock Feeder Walker Wild Animal Caretaker Wildlife Rehabilitator Zoo Caretaker Zoo Keeper Zookeeper

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.