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Occupation Information
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Animal Attendant
Dog Care WorkerAttendant (Pet Shop)Attendant (Animal) )



Duties and Tasks
Specialisations
Quick Facts
Work Conditions
Personal Requirements
Related Industries
Labour Market
Related Jobs
Earnings
Related Courses
Further Information
State Specific Information

Feeding a joey in a pet store
Feeding a joey in a pet store

Animal attendants feed, water and care for animals. 

Fact Sheet

Duties and Tasks

Animal attendants may perform the following tasks:

  • prepare food (including special diets) and deliver food and water to animals
  • clean and prepare comfortable sleeping quarters for animals
  • clear away animal waste, clean, disinfect and look after animal enclosures and cages, and check locks
  • bathe and groom animals, and treat them with insecticide to control insect pests
  • treat minor injuries and report serious health problems to veterinarians
  • transfer animals between enclosures
  • rescue injured and neglected animals
  • assist with humane killing of animals and handling of animals that have died
  • maintain animal records
  • talk with the public and other staff.

Specialisations

Dog Clipper/Groomer
Kennel Hand
Pet Shop Attendant

Info Icon Quick Facts

Learning Area Biology  
Rural Studies  
Work Demand Including dusty or polluted environment  
Including full use of hands/fingers  
Including heavy lifting  
Including physical effort  
Including reading or writing  
Work Field Agriculture, Animal and Primary Industries  
Work Interest Practical or Mechanical  
Nature or Recreation  
Skill Level Semi-skilled Jobs  
Skilled Non-trade Jobs  
Para Professional Jobs  
Quick Facts

Work Conditions

Working conditions vary depending on place of work. Some attendants have to work on weekends and public holidays. Many work outdoors. Considerable contact with the public is involved when accepting donations and lost and unwanted animals and when selling animals.

Personal Requirements

  • enjoy practical and manual activities
  • free from allergies aggravated by animal hair, fur, feathers and dust
  • able to undertake manual and sometimes heavy work
  • able to handle animals with confidence and patience
  • interested in animals and their welfare
  • observant and methodical.

Related Industries

Personal and Other Services
Other Store-Based Retailing
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (Except Computer System Design and Related Services)

Labour Market

Information

Australian JobOutlook for Animal Attendants and Trainers

Vacancies

Australian JobSearch for Animal Attendants (ALL AUSTRALIA)
Australian VolunteerSearch - Animal Welfare for ALL AUSTRALIA
Work Opportunities websites

Related Jobs

Animal Technician
Dog Trainer
Horse Trainer
Livestock Farmer
Veterinary Nurse
Zoologist

Earnings

View text version of earnings

Occupation Earnings Graph

Occupation Mean Weekly Earnings Graph

How Much?

Related Courses

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Victoria
Western Australia

See State Specific Information below for further education and training options.

Further Information

Adelaide Zoo
Human Resources, Zoos Victoria
Pet Industry Association of Australia
RSPCA (WA)
RSPCA Australia
Taronga Training Institute, Taronga Zoo

State Specific Information

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

Clipping a customer's dog
Clipping a customer's dog