# Animal Caretakers

> Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish or birds, zoo animals, and mice. Work in settings such as kennels, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums. May keep records of feedings, treatments, and animals received or discharged. May clean, disinfect, and repair cages, pens, or fish tanks.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 39-2021.00
- **Summary:** Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish or birds, zoo animals, and mice. Work in settings such as kennels, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums. May keep records of feedings, treatments, and animals received or discharged. May clean, disinfect, and repair cages, pens, or fish tanks.

## Aliases

- Aquarist
- Dog Groomer
- Groomer
- Kennel Technician (Kennel Tech)
- Animal Care Giver (ACG)
- Dog Bather
- Kennel Attendant
- Pet Groomer
- Pet Stylist
- Zookeeper
- Animal Care Attendant
- Animal Care Service Worker

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.d |
| Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.c |
| Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury. | Core | 4.A.1.a.2.e |
| Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.c |
| Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.d |
| Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake. | Core | 4.A.3.b.6.f |
| Observe and caution children petting and feeding animals in designated areas to ensure the safety of humans and animals. | Supplemental | 4.A.1.a.2.f |
| Clean and disinfect surgical equipment. | Supplemental | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Find homes for stray or unwanted animals. | Supplemental | 4.A.4.a.5.d |
| Respond to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, breeding habits, or facility activities. | Core | 4.A.4.a.8.c |
| Answer telephones and schedule appointments. | Core | 4.A.2.b.5.c |

## Emerging Tasks

| Text |
| --- |
| Scuba dive in aquariums to perform exhibit maintenance. |
| Train volunteers and facility staff. |

## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Clean facilities or work areas. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Perform housekeeping duties. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Maintain facilities. | 4.A.3.b.4.a |
| Confer with clients to discuss treatment plans or progress. | 4.A.4.a.1.e |
| Provide care for animals. | 4.A.4.a.5.d |
| Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers. | 4.A.4.b.6.a |
| Care for animals. | 4.A.4.a.5.d |
| Schedule appointments. | 4.A.2.b.5.c |
| Perform administrative or clerical tasks. | 4.A.4.c.1.a |
| Monitor health or behavior of people or animals. | 4.A.1.a.2.e |
| Respond to customer inquiries. | 4.A.4.a.8.c |
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments. | 4.A.4.a.5.c |
| Document client health or progress. | 4.A.3.b.6.f |
| Maintain supply or equipment inventories. | 4.A.4.c.3.a |
| Order materials, supplies, or equipment. | 4.A.4.c.3.e |
| Prepare foods or meals. | 4.A.3.a.2.c |
| Clean tools or equipment. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Discuss service options or needs with clients. | 4.A.4.a.2.j |
| Monitor patron activities to identify problems or potential problems. | 4.A.1.a.2.f |
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures. | 4.A.4.a.1.b |
| Train animals. | 4.A.3.a.2.j |
| Sell products or services. | 4.A.4.a.6.b |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Customer and Personal Service | knowledge | 4.2 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 3.25 |
| Administrative | knowledge | 3.13 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 3.12 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 3.12 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 3.12 |
| Static Strength | ability | 3.12 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.12 |
| English Language | knowledge | 3.07 |
| Reading Comprehension | essential_skill | 3 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 3 |
| Coordination | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Service Orientation | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3 |
| Inductive Reasoning | ability | 3 |
| Trunk Strength | ability | 3 |
| Speech Recognition | ability | 3 |
| Speech Clarity | ability | 3 |
| Speaking | essential_skill | 2.88 |
| Written Comprehension | ability | 2.88 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | ability | 2.88 |
| Extent Flexibility | ability | 2.88 |
| Far Vision | ability | 2.88 |
| Writing | essential_skill | 2.75 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 2.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | transferable_skill | 2.75 |
| Manual Dexterity | ability | 2.75 |
| Stamina | ability | 2.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | transferable_skill | 2.62 |
| Education and Training | knowledge | 2.62 |
| Category Flexibility | ability | 2.62 |
| Flexibility of Closure | ability | 2.62 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 2.62 |
| Finger Dexterity | ability | 2.62 |
| Administration and Management | knowledge | 2.54 |
| Psychology | knowledge | 2.52 |
| Time Management | transferable_skill | 2.5 |
| Written Expression | ability | 2.5 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Access | Specialized Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Presentation Software | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Access | Data base user interface and query software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | yes | no |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| CEEJS The Pet Groomer's Secretary | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| DaySmart Software 123Pet | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| DaySmart Software Appointment-Plus | Calendar and scheduling software | no | no |
| Envision Pet Grooming | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| Groom Pro | Calendar and scheduling software | no | no |
| Groomsoft | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| K9 Bytes K9 Koordinator | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| Kennel Link | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| Mobile Dog Grooming Software mGroomer | Calendar and scheduling software | no | no |
| Petschedule | Calendar and scheduling software | no | no |
| The Groomer's Write Hand | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.88 |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled | 4.77 |
| Contact With Others | 4.76 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 4.6 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 4.56 |
| Spend Time Standing | 4.31 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 4.19 |
| Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions | 4.03 |
| Telephone Conversations | 3.98 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 3.89 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 3.87 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 3.86 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 3.79 |
| Physical Proximity | 3.65 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 3.64 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 3.62 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | 3.57 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 3.53 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 3.52 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 3.46 |
| E-Mail | 3.37 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 3.36 |
| Consequence of Error | 3.32 |
| Time Pressure | 3.32 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 3.28 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 3.23 |
| Conflict Situations | 3.21 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 3.2 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 3.15 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 3.1 |
| Written Letters and Memos | 3.08 |
| In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment | 3.07 |
| Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures | 3.04 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 2.98 |
| Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions | 2.93 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 2.89 |
| Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled | 2.86 |
| Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling | 2.73 |
| Outdoors, Under Cover | 2.66 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | 2.32 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 2
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- **Experience:** Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- **Svp Range:** (Below 6.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| High School Diploma | 63.55 |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 13.58 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 13.37 |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 9.5 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Animal Service | specific_interest_area | 6.85 |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 6.17 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 4.67 |
| Social | career_interest_type | 3.75 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 3.25 |
| Health Care Service | specific_interest_area | 3.01 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 2.75 |
| Personal Service | specific_interest_area | 2.58 |
| Life Science | specific_interest_area | 2.56 |
| Dependability | work_style | 2.27 |
| Nature/Outdoors | specific_interest_area | 2.23 |
| Social Service | specific_interest_area | 2.14 |
| Teaching/Education | specific_interest_area | 2.06 |
| Cooperation | work_style | 1.99 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 1.94 |
| Agriculture | specific_interest_area | 1.87 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 31-9096.00 | role-31-9096-00 | Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | Primary-Short |
| 39-2011.00 | role-39-2011-00 | Animal Trainers | Primary-Short |
| 45-2021.00 | role-45-2021-00 | Animal Breeders | Primary-Short |
| 29-2056.00 | role-29-2056-00 | Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | Primary-Short |
| 33-9011.00 | role-33-9011-00 | Animal Control Workers | Primary-Short |
| 45-2093.00 | role-45-2093-00 | Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | Primary-Long |
| 31-1122.00 | role-31-1122-00 | Personal Care Aides | Primary-Long |
| 39-9011.00 | role-39-9011-00 | Childcare Workers | Primary-Long |
| 31-1121.00 | role-31-1121-00 | Home Health Aides | Primary-Long |
| 31-1131.00 | role-31-1131-00 | Nursing Assistants | Primary-Long |
| 29-1131.00 | role-29-1131-00 | Veterinarians | Supplemental |
| 19-1011.00 | role-19-1011-00 | Animal Scientists | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Agriculture | agriculture |

## Education Level

- **Category:** High school diploma or equivalent

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences | agriculture-agriculture-operations-and-related-sciences |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | multi-interdisciplinary-studies |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 33470
- **Mean Wage:** 34750
- **Pct10Wage:** 24500
- **Pct25Wage:** 28870
- **Pct75Wage:** 37160
- **Pct90Wage:** 46480
- **Employment:** 277300
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 81 | 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | Sector | 154470 | 33280 | 19.4 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 41030 | 30550 | 2.12 |
| 44-45 | 44-45 | Retail Trade | Sector | 39800 | 32050 | 1.42 |
| 541940 | 541940 | Veterinary Services | National industry | 38390 | 30000 | 46.03 |
| 71 | 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | Sector | 19510 | 35700 | 4.11 |
| 11 | 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | Sector | 6560 | 34930 | 8.62 |
| 61 | 61 | Educational Services | Sector | 2780 | 38070 | 0.11 |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 1350 | 38070 | 0.08 |
| 62 | 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Sector | 1070 | 38160 | 0.03 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 780 | 36190 | 0.07 |
| 72 | 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | Sector | 720 | 36230 | 0.03 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 590 | 32240 | 0.12 |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 541940 | 541940 | Veterinary Services | National industry | 38390 | 46.03 |
| 81 | 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | Sector | 154470 | 19.4 |
| 11 | 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | Sector | 6560 | 8.62 |
| 71 | 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | Sector | 19510 | 4.11 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 41030 | 2.12 |
| 44-45 | 44-45 | Retail Trade | Sector | 39800 | 1.42 |
| 711110 | 711110 | Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | National industry | 160 | 1.23 |
| 621340 | 621340 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | National industry | 160 | 0.19 |
- **Count:** 26

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.82 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | -0.8890408 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | -1.658312 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -0.5279816 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 46
- **Percentile:** 45
- **Band:** Moderate
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 21 | felten_aioe |
| 36 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 80 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | -0.8890408 | 21 | Low | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.36363636363636365 | 36 | Moderate | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.24931755307673276 | 80 | High | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.82
- **Percentile:** 66
- **Band:** Moderate
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.18181818181818182
- **Beta:** 0.2727272727272727
- **Gamma:** 0.36363636363636365

### Usage Tasks

| Task | Usage Percent | Importance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Respond to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, breeding habits, or facility activities. | 0.0034920647962893734 | 4.18 |
- **Usage Release:** 2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2

### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** 12.1
- **Growth Percentile:** 95
- **Direction:** Growing fast
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 74.6
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 93
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 392.1
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 439.6

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 22
- **Skills:** 37
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 17
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** 12063f47780d87ce