With roughly 29 million pets living in homes across Australia, the animal attendant job field is growing each and every year. When it comes to the role of animal attendant, the profession has grown by 15% each year since 2018.
Animal attendant job is a well-paid position, too, with an average salary ranging from $50k-$60k, meaning that working within the industry doesn’t all have to be about your affinity with animals.
The question is - is the role of an animal care attendant for you? The best way to answer it is to look more closely at what the job entails. So, come with us now as we look at what to expect.
The Responsibilities that an Animal Attendant Job Entails
Animal attendants work in various settings as students taking our Animal Health & Veterinary Care Courses course learn. However, the job they do tends to follow the same familiar path. Whether working in a cattery or for the RSPCA, your job description will include several animal welfare duties.
- Feeding & providing water (sometimes offering special diets for your animals)
- Cleaning & maintaining animal enclosures, keeping them free of animal waste
- Acting as a pet groomer, bathing animals, clipping nails & controlling pests
- Administering medication, vaccinations or euthanasia (under veterinary supervision)
- Working with pets, livestock, or companion animals
- Providing animal first aid for sickness & minor injuries
- Talking with staff & customers
- Assisting with medical procedures
- Managing animal records
Essentially, you’ll use your animal health skills to keep your animals happy and healthy for their stay. Also, within the scope of the animal attendant role, there are a number of specialisations you can take along your career path.
The Different Types of Animal Attendant Jobs
One of the reasons there are so many animal attendant job opportunities available is that there are so many ways in which you can use your skills. All of the following involve looking after captive animals, and when searching for work on sites like Indeed or Seek, you’ll find positions in a number of different areas, such as:
- Animal shelters and rescue organisations
- Pet stores, boarding facilities & kennels
- Businesses that groom animals
- Veterinary clinics and animal hospitals
- Working at wildlife parks
- Zoos and aquariums
The great thing is that whether you’re assisting veterinarians or employed in a pet shop, you’ll essentially be doing the same full-time (or part-time) job in roughly the same working conditions - that means being up close, ensuring the well-being of the animals you love!
The Skills You’ll Need to Have an Animal Attendant Job
When discussing the soft skills you’ll need to discharge your animal attendant job adequately, you’ll need to be suited to the industry. That means that, at minimum, you should have the following attributes.
- A passion for working with animals
- Physical fitness & strength
- An ability to work as a team
- Great communication skills
- An ability to follow protocols and procedures
- Patience & understanding
- A lack of squeamishness
Project managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. While formal higher education isn't necessary to become a project manager, strong organisational and leadership skills are essential, and online courses can help you cultivate these abilities. This role is versatile and valuable across various industries, making it an excellent career path that doesn’t require formal higher education.
For ambitious individuals who can’t commit to a full-time TAFE or university course, convenient and affordable micro-learning options, like our Animal Health Care course, allow you to organise your studies around your schedule with ease.
Career Prospects & Salaries For Animal Attendants
Many people get into professional animal care for the sheer love of animals and the personal enrichment that it brings. Still, it’s your career, so it’s important to know your future prospects. The good news is that the animal health industry is expected to grow by almost 15% over the next five years, meaning your services will be in demand once completed.
As we touched on earlier, average salaries for animal attendants are none too shabby, and you’ve always got the opportunity to add to your skills. You can add veterinary nursing skills to your bow and progress within the industry in whichever field suits you best.
Achieve Your Dream Animal Attendant Job With OCA Online Learning
If you’ve got your heart set on a career in animal care, there’s no easier or more convenient way to learn than via our online CPD-endorsed, video-based short courses. Allowing you to learn at a time and pace that suits you, our students get complete control of their professional training.
Turn your love for animals into a rewarding career. Whether you aspire to work closely with animals every day or are committed to enhancing their health and well-being, we encourage you to explore our Veterinary Assistant Pathway course. This program offers Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit towards higher education levels. Additionally, you'll have the opportunity for one-on-one mentoring sessions with our OCA mentor Vet nurse, providing you with valuable career insights and key learnings.
OCA students get a next-level learning experience - something you can see by watching our Student Study Demo. As well as enjoying highly stimulating, industry-led content, you get an AI-driven platform that actively encourages further learning. Our entire library covers more than 20 different sectors, something you can see by visiting us today at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au.
If you're passionate about animals and seeking a starting point to launch your career, consider enrolling in a short, CPD-approved animal care course. It could be your ideal first step towards realising your dream!
We understand choosing a career direction or the right course to study can be challenging; we are here to help. Contacting us is easy – simply call 1300 611 404 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, you can schedule a FREE career call at your preferred time... Book a call here.
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