We’re big animal lovers (especially dogs and horses!) at Explore Careers, and we never miss an opportunity to find unique ways to explore a wide range of career pathways.
When you think about working with animals, you probably think of veterinary clinics – but what are some other career options that could see you working with your furry friends all year round?
Let’s take a look!
10 Careers Working With Animals
Working with animals probably sounds like a lot of fun, but it’s worth keeping in mind it can also be a lot of hard work.
Animals can’t openly communicate with us, so it takes a lot of patience, commitment, and empathy to work with them and understand their needs.
That said, as anyone who has ever had a pet will know, being around animals of all shapes and sizes can be a lot of fun and extremely rewarding.
Here’s a look at some of the dedicated career opportunities you could explore:
1. Animal Behaviourist
Animal behaviourists assess an animal’s level of obedience and behaviour responses, and the owner needs to help develop a training plan that helps both them and the owner lead a happy, healthy life. They might work one-on-one with animal owners experiencing behavioural issues like aggression, reactivity or anxiety, or they might work in small groups, for example, with owners and puppies, to help set them up for success as their pup grows.
Some animal behaviourists may work with the justice system, with dogs or animals who have injured another person or animal. They can help assess why the behaviour has happened and develop a plan to ensure the animal and others are safe from future occurrences.
2. Veterinarian
This is probably the first career you think of when you think of working with animals, and it’s a popular choice for many young people! Vets help to diagnose, assess and make treatment recommendations across a wide range of small animals. Some may specialise with domestic pets, exotic pets, or farming and agricultural animals.
A love of animals is vital, but so are people management and communication skills, as you’ll be working with a wide range of professionals and assisting pet owners who may be in distress.
While training to become a qualified veterinarian is competitive and gruelling, it can lead to a highly rewarding and lifelong career.
3. Veterinary Nurse
Working as a vet might be the obvious route, but veterinary nurses are just as vital – and probably get more cuddle time with the pets in the clinic than the vets do! Veterinary nurses assist veterinarians during pet examinations, consultations and treatments. They provide in-house care to animals who may be staying in the clinic and can also assist during minor surgeries and procedures.
As well as assisting with general duties around the clinic, such as clinic, administering medications, and answering owner queries. This varied and rewarding role can provide growth and opportunity for animal lovers.
4. Certified Dog Trainer
Dog trainers are different from behaviourists in that they typically focus on dogs’ everyday obedience and training goals rather than significant behavioural issues. Dog trainers work in small groups or one-to-one to understand the areas of support a dog owner needs and helps to develop a training plan to help dogs and their owners reach their goals.
They might also co-ordinate enrichment activities such as obstacle course training, show training or fly-ball training that all add to a dog’s welfare and enjoyment. Dog trainers might specialise in working with puppies, older dogs, or both.
5. Certified Dog Walker
If you love dogs and would rather leave all the training to the professional, dog walking is a viable career opportunity. As more dog owners want to increase the emotional well-being of their dogs, they’re enlisting the support of others to help them make sure their dog gets out and about for an active day rather than staying home alone all week.
Dog walkers have increased in popularity and offer the chance to spend time one-on-one or in small groups with a range of dogs, ensuring their exercise needs are met before making sure they get home safely – ready for a good snooze! The requirements to work as a dog trainer change from state to state, so check your local associations to find out more.
6. Zookeeper
Zookeepers ensure that animals in captivity are kept safe, healthy, and well cared for to the needs that match their species and desired habitats. As part of their roles, they may provide enrichment activities, train animals to accept human contact, take care of their nutrition and deliver talks to zoo attendees to help them learn more about a specific species.
Zookeepers must be physically fit, observant, and able to respond quickly to animals’ needs in their care. Alongside excellent communication and teamwork skills, this is another job that can be demanding but exceptionally rewarding.
7. Horse Trainer
If you love horses, this could be the career path for you! As a horse trainer, you’ll work with horses in various environments, helping to train, manage and care for them for the activities they’ll be used for. This might be for jackets and show jumping or other competitive sports, commercial hose riding, horse therapy, disabled riders, or working horses on farms and ranches.
You’ll work closely with the owners or potential owners of the horses to ensure they’re safe and ready for their new roles.
8. Certified Groomer
Another way to work with pooches – and other small animals – is as a groomer! Just like dog walkers, groomers offer a professional service to pet owners who need assistance with the general care of their pet, in this instance, their grooming! You’ll need to be knowledgeable about different fur types and how to best treat different coats.
Groomers also need to be extremely patient and supportive, working with animals and owners alike to ensure they have a great experience – so they keep coming back!
9. Conservation Officer
Conservation officers work in various environmental areas to evaluate, manage, maintain and make recommendations on the habitats of different wildlife and to keep them safe where needed. They work in partnership with local councils and building developers to understand the nature of different environments and make recommendations on how to maintain them for different species where appropriate.
The role is often a mix of working in the field and office, writing policies and recommendations based on your work.
10. K9 Handler
If you’d love a job in law enforcement AND working with dogs – you can combine both! K9 police dogs are trained to support police and security staff in various ways, including sniffing out hazardous or dangerous goods, finding missing people, and supporting search and rescue.
K9 dogs and their handlers might work as part of police departments, airport security, or emergency services. You’ll usually have to start your training in a police or security role before specialising in working in the K9 unit.
Find Out More
For many of these careers, you don’t need a degree, and there are many different ways to pursue the qualifications and certifications required to work in the industry – including traineeships and apprenticeships!
Keep your eyes peeled for our new industry profile dedicated to animal care coming soon, which will give you more insights on the qualifications you might need and other ways to work with animals!
