Career Opportunities

Pet Store / Produce Store Attendant

People working in a pet shop or produce store work in a retail environment. In addition to selling various companion animal care products, they may also be required to sell live animals and provide advice on their care. This means a broad knowledge base is required about the available animals and products. If the pet shop sells animals, retail attendants need to know how to safely handle and care for each species and be able to communicate effectively with customers to tell them about dietary requirements, housing, and potential health issues.

Boarding Kennels / Cattery Attendant

Boarding facilities, such as kennels and catteries, employ staff to clean, feed and exercise animals in their care, referred to as kennel/boarding attendants. A boarding attendant is responsible for ensuring animals are cared for while owners are away from home. Dogs and cats in these situations are often highly stressed and may require personalised care to help them adjust to the boarding environment.

Groomers

Groomers work in grooming parlours, mobile grooming units, and some veterinary clinics. Duties may include brushing coats, washing, drying, and clipping/styling. Groomers work mostly with dogs but may also be asked to groom other animals, such as cats and rabbits. If working from a mobile grooming unit, you must hold a driver's license and have the appropriate insurance. It would also be important to understand the legislation regarding the disposal of water and chemicals once finished.

Pet Sitters / Dog Walkers

Pet sitting usually involves a sitter travelling to an owner's house daily or staying overnight to look after the pet/s while the owners are away. A variation of in-house pet sitting is the concept of pet daycare. Pets are left at a pet sitter's house or potentially a commercial facility to be cared for by staff daily, returning to their owner's home each night. Dog walking may or may not be included in the price of pet sitting.  Alternatively, dog walking services may be provided daily, especially in large urban environments for busy owners.

Generic Responsibilities in the Animal Care Industry

Animal Welfare

• Ensure Proper Care: Provide animals with adequate food, water, shelter, and medical care.
• Monitor Health: Regularly observe animals for signs of illness, injury, or distress and take appropriate action.
• Prevent Suffering: Avoid causing pain or distress to animals through neglect, abuse, or improper handling.

Feeding and Nutrition

• Provide Balanced Diets: Ensure that animals receive a diet that meets their nutritional needs.
• Monitor Food Intake: Track the amount and type of food consumed by animals to identify any changes in eating behaviour that may indicate health issues.
• Special Dietary Needs: Cater to animals with special dietary requirements or restrictions.
   

Cleaning and Sanitation

• Maintain Clean Environments: Regularly clean animal enclosures, bedding, and equipment to prevent the spread of disease and ensure a comfortable living environment.
• Waste Management: Properly dispose of animal waste and other materials safely and hygienically.
• Use of Disinfectants: Apply appropriate disinfectants to reduce the risk of infections and maintain sanitary conditions.

Health and Veterinary Care

• Routine Health Checks: Conduct regular health checks and monitor animals for signs of illness or injury.
• Administer Medication: Provide prescribed medications and treatments as directed by a veterinarian.
• Vaccination and Parasite Control: Ensure animals receive vaccinations and parasite control treatments per schedule.

Handling and Restraint

• Safe Handling Practices: Use appropriate techniques to handle and restrain animals safely to minimize stress and prevent injury.
• Knowledge of Species Behavior: Understand the behaviour and temperament of different species to handle them appropriately.
• Use of Equipment: Employ the correct equipment for handling animals, such as leashes, muzzles, or catch poles.

Record Keeping

• Maintain Accurate Records: Keep detailed records of animal health, behaviour, treatments, and other important information.
• Update Documentation: Regularly update records to reflect changes in health status, dietary needs, or treatment plans.
• Legal Compliance: Ensure that all records meet industry standards and legal requirements.

Public Interaction and Education

• Customer Service: Interact professionally with clients, providing accurate animal care and welfare information.
• Education: Educate the public about responsible pet ownership, animal welfare issues, and the needs of different species.
• Respond to Inquiries: Answer questions and guide clients regarding animal care, behaviour, and health.

Safety and Risk Management

• Identify and Mitigate Risks: Recognize potential hazards in the workplace and take steps to minimize risks to both animals and humans.
• Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Wear appropriate PPE, such as gloves or masks, when handling animals or cleaning enclosures.
• Emergency Preparedness: Be prepared to respond to emergencies, such as animal escapes, injuries, or natural disasters, with a clear action plan.

Ethical and Legal Responsibilities

• Adhere to Ethical Standards: Follow ethical guidelines for humanely treating animals and avoid practices that cause unnecessary harm or stress.
• Comply with Laws and Regulations: Abide by all local, state, and federal laws related to animal welfare, care, and handling.
• Confidentiality: Respect the privacy and confidentiality of clients and their animals, especially in veterinary settings.

Professional Development

• Continuous Learning: Stay informed about advancements in animal care, veterinary medicine, and welfare practices.
• Training and Certification: Pursue relevant training and certifications to enhance skills and knowledge in the animal care field.
• Participation in Professional Organizations: Engage with professional organizations to stay connected with industry standards and best practices.

This sector is divided into two sections: Firstly, workplaces and agencies that monitor and enforce animal regulations such as registration and quarantine and look after lost and stray animals. Secondly, services that utilise animals as part of other regulatory duties, such as the police or military.

Welfare Agencies / Shelters

The local council or government employs animal control officers. Their responsibilities include capturing and restraining animals wandering (lost and stray) at large and educating the community. Engaging the community, promoting responsible pet ownership, and increasing awareness of local government laws are a large component of this job. Animal control officers/departments are also required to enforce legislation concerning animals in urban areas, including registrations. Animal welfare agencies and rescue shelters look after and re-home stray and seized animals; some may have been neglected or abused. The RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is an example of a national organisation providing this service; however, individual states / local councils often provide the same services.

Airports / Quarantine Facilities

Airport staff and quarantine officers are required to inspect animals (among other items) to identify potential health concerns that may threaten Australia's biosecurity. Animals arriving from international destinations must undertake a period of quarantine in a designated facility and will be cared for by trained staff in a similar manner to a boarding kennel or cattery; however, quarantine facilities often cater for much larger animals such as horses or other livestock. Animals travelling domestically are not required to undertake quarantine; however, they must be handled with appropriate care during transit, and airport staff must be trained to ensure the animal's welfare during the journey.

Law Enforcement / Military

Dogs are often used in law enforcement agencies such as the police and border security for apprehension/attack, search/rescue, and detection (of illicit substances and/or explosives). Dogs are usually trained in one or more of these duties and work closely with a canine handler, who is responsible for the welfare requirements of the dog and supervises its ongoing training and work duties.

Legislation for Zoo and Wildlife Parks 

When working with animals from different animal settings, you must adhere to different types of laws and regulations. Below are some examples of legislation that you will need to adhere to when working with animals in a Zoo and Wildlife Park setting 

• Exhibited Animals Protection Act 1986
• Exhibited Animal Protection Regulation 2021 

Zoos / Wildlife Park Keeper

People who work in zoos and wildlife parks are employed as captive animal attendants, although they are often referred to as wildlife attendants or keepers. Zoos and wildlife parks are sometimes run by a Government department; however, most are privately owned.  Often, zoos/wildlife parks will work in conjunction with or provide, as an internal service, a rescue service that takes in stray or injured native wildlife. The duties of a captive animal attendant include caring for various animals, often exotic, and meeting their nutritional, behavioural, and environmental needs. Part of the role is to observe animal behaviour and provide environmental enrichment activities to allow them to exhibit natural behaviours and prevent boredom. Education can be another key role in this job, sessions may be provided to the public educating them about animals and conservation.

Professional Animal Trainer

Captive animal attendants may also be specialist animal trainers, such as dolphins and seals at Sea World or animals that appear in movies or on television. Attending to the day-to-day welfare needs of these professional animals is the same as the duties of a captive animal attendant however trainers are also tasked with ethically preparing animals for public performances.  Similarly, horse trainers are responsible for preparing racehorses for professional racing. Professional animals may have specialised diets, exercise regimes, grooming needs, and/or instruction in performing tricks on cue. There are specific state laws related to the exhibiting of animals, for example in QLD the Exhibited Animals Act 2015. There are also a variety of industry associations tasked with regulating professional animal welfare; for example, Racing Queensland monitors horse and greyhound racing.

Production Animal Handler

Livestock animals are generally raised in agricultural settings (farms) to provide milk, meat, eggs, leather, wool, and other commodities.

Job roles include:

• Farmers
• Farmhands
• Shearers
• Abattoir workers
• Livestock transport company drivers
• Stock auction agent

Veterinarians and their staff provide medical assistance and general animal welfare products and services to various animals. Types of practices include:

• urban, small animal clinics treating mainly domesticated animals like dogs and cats
• rural, large animal practitioners treating farm animals
• specialist practices treating animals with specific and/or complex conditions
• emergency hospitals
• educational facilities and zoos/wildlife parks.

Job roles in veterinary clinics include:

• Veterinarians are university-educated professionals who are often the legal owners of the practice and, thus, ultimately responsible for animal welfare.
• Veterinary Nurses - Usually vocationally trained and competent to undertake high standards of patient care and client advice, they will assist veterinarians during examinations and operations.
• Animal Attendants - Duties include feeding/watering, maintaining hygiene, and providing socialisation/exercise when required. They may assist with some procedures and tasks related to the provision of animal healthcare.
• Receptionists - provide a front-of-house experience for clients and patients. They will schedule appointments, process admissions and discharges, process financial transactions, maintain records and potentially sell retail items.

Watch

Next, watch this video from a Vet explaining a day of work for them and what they need to do. 

This sector works in the care and rehabilitation of Australian wildlife. Injured wildlife is often found or reported by members of the public.

Wildlife organisations take in or foster out stray or injured native wildlife. Duties will include caring for various animals and meeting their nutritional, behavioural, and environmental needs with the ultimate goal of releasing the animal back into the wild when it has recovered. Each state/territory has its wildlife rescue organisation/s, for example, WIRES (Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service) in NSW.

Check out the WIRES website below for more information on what they do and how to get involved!

WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue Organisation

Some examples of wildlife/native animals that may come in include but are not limited to:

• Birds
  • Native: Lorikeets

    

  • Wild non-native: Ibis
• Ringtail possum

  

• Reptiles
  • Lizards
  • Snakes
• Kangaroos or joeys

  

• Echidnas
• Koalas
• Black cockatoo

  

Some wildlife that comes into the workplace, especially by members of the public, may be declared pests. These include but are not limited to:

• Fox

  

• Common starling
• Common Myna

  

• Ibis

  

• Rabbits (Queensland only)

Research facilities employ animal house attendants and animal technicians to care for animals in a laboratory setting and support scientific research work and the associated staff conducting the studies. My duties included breeding and caring for research animals, cleaning and disinfecting cages, and holding pens and other equipment. Often, these tasks have to be performed according to specific research requirements.

Entry requirements for this position normally include a vocational certificate, such as the one you are studying for now. You will be working alongside university-educated colleagues, such as research scientists.

Animals used in this sector help develop new surgical procedures and medical advances, such as programs for cancer research. However, this role can be quite distressing as animals are scientifically studied and become ill as part of some treatments. Humane euthanasia is also part of the role of an animal house attendant/animal technician.

Each of the animal care industry sectors involves an element of interaction with other industries and their representatives. Common examples include:

• Equipment manufacturers
• Produce suppliers
• Medical supply companies
• Transport companies (couriers and also livestock transportation)
• Government agencies.

Animal care industry workers must know about the relevant stakeholders related to their particular sector and place of employment to seek information and procure products and services. Individual workplaces will often have a pre-existing network of approved stakeholders with which they work.

Some examples of the inter-relation with the Animal Care Industry and other industries include: