Animal Care Industry Career Overview

For those who have a special interest in animals, or just have a genuine love for animals, a career in animal care is an ideal choice. There are a wide variety of careers that exist within the animal care industry.Positions include those that fall within the veterinarian segment; others include pet groomers, kennel caretakers, animal trainers, zookeepers, etc.Exact job titles and duties vary by employment setting. Employment opportunities exist at veterinary clinics, zoos, animal shelters, grooming parlors, pet stores, etc.In general animal care and service workers train, feed, groom, exercise and bathe animals.They also provide companionship by playing with the animals while observing behavior that could potentially indicate injury or illness.An alternative route in the animal care industry is animal science.An individual who has a specialization in animal science would be employed in technical, sales, research and marketing positions, or in breeding and genetics, chemical, nutrition and health related industries.

Veterinarian Career Options

Veterinarian positions are a popular career choice within the animal care industry.Veterinarians play a key role in the Nursing Degree">healthcare of pets, zoo, livestock, sporting and laboratory animals.Some use their skills to protect against animal caused human diseases, while others work in the field of research.The majority of Veterinarians perform clinical work in private practices.Small-animal practitioners usually care for companion animals such as cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, reptiles, etc.About one-fourth of trained Veterinarians work in mixed animal practices that include non-domestic animals in addition to pets.A very small number actually specialize in the care of large animals.Individuals who specialize in large animals typically drive to farms or ranches to provide their services.Potential Veterinarians must graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from a 4-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine and obtain a license to practice.Pre-requisites for admission to these programs vary from school to school.Not all require a bachelor's degree, but most require a significant number of hands-on, real world working hours.

Animal Training Career Overview

Animal trainers teach animals to perform specific acts in response to stimuli or conditions.The purpose of the training may be for companionship, entertainment, dedication, or protection.They use a program of reward and repetition to teach animals to obey commands, work in law enforcement, protect property, compete in shows, and guide people who are visually impaired.In addition to their work directly with the animals, trainers may also oversee other aspects of animal care such as diet preparation.Animal trainers must be extremely patient and possess an extensive knowledge of animal behavior.Attainable jobs within the animal training industry include: Dog/Horse trainer, Guide Dog instructor agility instructor, behavior specialist, etc.Trainers often work in shows or competitions, at circuses or marine parks.Trainers who work in shows may be involved in the educational programs for visitors and guests.Typically animal trainers do not require a formal degree, but some employers may require a bachelor's degree and additional training.

animal care degree | animal care degrees | animal care training | animal care colleges | animal care education | animal care schools | animal care classes | animal care technician | animal care courses | animal care program | animal care assistant | animal care job | animal vet | animal zoo | animal veterinary