Animal Attendant

Animal attendants take care of animals and all aspects associated with this, e.g. feeding, cleaning, dipping and giving medicine. When working on a small holding, animal care attendants usually perform all these duties, but if they work with lots of animals, then their duties are usually split up, e.g. one attendant will be responsible for weighing and mixing the recommended feed before they feed the animals. 


All animals are on special diets and their attendants need to follow this diet in order to keep the animals healthy. Another attendant would clean out the cages, stables or barns, while a third attendant would take care of the animals by exercising them - horses for example, or watching the animals graze, e.g. cows or deer. Some caretakers specialise in giving the animals their medication or dipping them to prevent ticks and fleas from harming them. Animal attendants need to report any problems to the person in charge and are then advised what to do. They also change bandages whenever an injury has occurred. They perform similar duties to a veterinarian assistant.

In their work, animal attendants use cleaning equipment and materials, such as brooms; dips (for fleas and ticks); medicine; and general office equipment, eg. computers to keep track of things. They work mostly outdoors with the animals.


Personal Requirements

  • responsible and reliable
  • patient and kind
  • friendly and helpful
  • sincere love of animals
  • self-motivated


How to Enter

Schooling & School Subjects

No set level of school required, but it is suggested that you progress as far as you can at school.

 


What to Study

In-service training under the supervision of an experienced animal attendant.


Employment

  • kennels or catteries
  • farmers
  • zoos
  • stables and stud farms
  • aviaries
  • animal shelter organisations, eg. SPCA, animal anti-cruelty and wildlife orphanages


Further Information

Any of the above potential employers


Getting Started

  • try to obtain vacation work as a learner animal attendant, e.g. with kennels or a cattery
  • make an appointment to speak to an animal attendant about this career
  • develop an interest in all aspects of animals


Programmes by Study Institutions

Related Occupations


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