Working with animals is incredibly rewarding and might sound like a dream job but can you be sure that you are suited to the role? There are all sorts of careers in animal care but they often have certain things in common. We’ve put together a list of what you can expect from a job in this area, as well as some key skills that would make someone a suitable candidate for animal care.
What are the key skills and attributes you need to work with animals?
- Patience – Careers in animal care often involve dealing with animals who are nervous or fragile. It is important that you have a gentle and patient approach when interacting with vulnerable animals as they can be easily spooked.
- No squeamishness – Animal care jobs will sometimes require you to deal with the gruesome, the gory and the gross! Although animals are cute, some of the tasks may be unpleasant or dirty so it’s important that you are prepared for this side of the job.
- Ability to deal with upsetting situations – Unfortunately, working with animals is likely to expose you to upsetting sights and situations. It’s important that you are able to cope with this without letting it have a damaging impact on your mental health. Vets and other animal care workers are encouraged to talk and should be willing to seek help if needed.
- Decision making – You will often have to make important decisions about the welfare of an animal under pressure so it’s important that you are able to choose options quickly, logically and calmly.
What can you expect from a job in animal care?
- Hard work and long hours – You are dealing with the welfare of animals on a daily basis and this can be tiring, both mentally and physically. You should also bear in mind that animal care workers can end up having an irregular working pattern.
- Admin – The main thing that attracts people to careers in animal care is the idea that you will be interacting with animals all day, every day! Although this is true, there is also a lot of paperwork involved…
- Responsibility – Animals are living beings who feel emotions and pain, so you are undertaking a huge level of responsibility by taking them into your care.
- A rewarding experience – This blog post has been pretty heavy so far, but it’s so important to remember that careers in animal care are some of the most rewarding out there. If you have the passion for it and believe you can deal with the more difficult parts of the job, then you should go for it!
Hopefully, this guide to careers in animal care has helped you to decide if you would be suited to this kind of job. If you dream of working with animals but you don’t have a degree, check out our blog post on animal care roles which don’t require a degree qualification. And, if you’re currently looking for work as a vet or vet nurse, browse the job listings available on our website.