Finding Fun Careers Working with Animals

Have you ever wondered about a career working with animals? The main requirement for choosing a career working with animals is a great love of animals and a concern for their well being. If you share a feeling of kinship with animals, working with four-legged creatures is a good career choice.

People who care for animals can choose from several different career paths. Work in this area ranges from positions that involve daily, hands-on engagement with animals to management and support functions within organizations geared toward animal welfare, that may have relatively little direct animal contact, to ownership of a retail pet business.

If you want to work directly with animals you could choose becoming a veterinarian (DVM), veterinary technician, zookeeper, an animal trainer, or a State Park Ranger. These careers consist of diagnosing illnesses or injuries, handling emergency medical situations, and interacting with pet owners or/and the public. It can be very rewarding knowing you are improving the quality of life, as well, as often saving the lives of animals. However, it is difficult when an animal cannot be saved despite appropriate care or when pet owners contribute to animals’ suffering out of ignorance or selfishness.

For people who have a love of animals and possess strong people and administrative skills rather than a strong scientific background, there are careers in providing public education on animal care, and volunteer coordinator positions (e.g., with a municipal or nonprofit animal rescue shelter). These administrative careers require being a good listener, teacher, organizer, and the ability to reach out to the public.

Perhaps you are interested in the retail pet business. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, pets outnumber people in the US and 1 in 3 households include a dog or cat. Nearly half of all households own more than one pet. People everywhere have pets and there are so many retail pet businesses available that you can easily choose a career in retail. In 2006 pet owners spent more than $38 billion on their pets. Pet stores and boutiques, animal grooming, pet sitting, bakeries and specialty shops are booming businesses in this day and age. Your educational requirements will depend on what retail establishment you plan to start. For instance, if you just want to bathe animals, you will not need much education on the different breeds. However, if you are looking to provide a more comprehensive business to a wide variety of breeds, you will need more information and possibly some professional training.