Accredited online and on-campus courses from leading Australian universities, TAFEs and colleges
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About Animal Care
You'll become
Average Salaries
Animal Care workers may earn between $31,000 and $54,000 per year
Work with animals every day and build professional skills for a growing industry. Start by studying an animal care course.
You’re passionate about animals and want to use your skills to ensure their wellbeing. By studying an animal care course, you can turn your natural talents into a rewarding new career, working hands-on with animals every day and building in-demand skills for an exciting growth industry.
Animal care attendants work hands-on with animals to ensure their complete health, welfare and developmental needs are met. By studying an animal care course, you’ll learn the essential theoretical knowledge and practical industry skills required to make a real contribution to the lives of thousands of animals.
You’ll be immersed in all aspects of caring for animals – from bathing and playing with animals, to managing their habitats, diets and feeding schedules, to ensuring their vaccinations and medications are administered properly. You’ll act as a source of comfort, fun and support – ensuring all animals under your care have the best possible quality of life, and developing your professional skillset in the process.
If you care about animals and want to make a real difference with your work, studying an animal care course is for you.
You can study an animal care course as a certificate or diploma course, and you may also choose to study veterinary nursing or veterinary science as a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
After completing an animal care course, you’ll be qualified to seek employment working as an animal care attendant, animal handler or animal trainer in a variety of settings, including animal shelters, wildlife sanctuaries, animal training centres, pet stores or zoos.
Courses in animal studies, animal handling and wildlife offer pathways to pursuing further study in veterinary nursing or veterinary science, and you may choose to pursue an animal care course as the exciting first step on a pathway to working in animal science.
What do animal care graduates do?
Animal care attendants work hands-on with animals, and are involved in all aspects of the day-to-day care and management of captive animals.
As an animal care attendant, you may perform tasks like:
- Preparing and managing appropriate environments and habitats for animals;
- Preparing meals for animals, including designing and researching diet plans, filling troughs and feeding animals;
- Teaching and training animals to obey verbal and non-verbal commands, accept riders, and behave in certain ways;
- Bathing, cutting, combing and styling animals’ coats;
- Administering medicine and treatments to animals;
- Inspecting, preparing, cleaning and disinfecting animal habitats;
- Exercising and playing with animals;
- Handling and leading animals;
- Maintaining animal health records and other records; and
- Answering questions from visitors and others.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
You can show your love for animals in a variety of ways!
After completing an animal care course, you’ll be qualified to work as a:
- Veterinary Nurse
- Animal Hospital Assistant
- Wildlife Hospital Nurse
- Veterinary Assistant
- Veterinary Technician
- Guide Dog Mobility Instructor
- Animal Care Attendant
- Pet Shop Assistant
- Kennel Hand
- Cattery Attendant
- Pet Exerciser
- Pet Shop Manager
- Animal Shelter Supervisor
- Boarding Kennel Manager
- Cattery Manager
- Animal Shelter Manager
- Animal Technician
- Assistant Zookeeper
- Wildlife Animal Carer
- Senior Zookeeper
- Wildlife Care Manager
- Researcher
- Complementary Therapies
- Equine Nutrition
- Pharmaceuticals
- Horse Training and Breeding Management
- Horse Racing
- view all
Is animal care right for you?
You’ll thrive working in the animal care industry if you:
- Love animals
- Communicate well
- Enjoy practical work
- Can work effectively in fast-paced environments
- Are organised
- Can work independently
- Work well with details
- Enjoy working closely with others
- Want a meaningful and rewarding career
Job opportunities
According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook, the animal care sector in Australia is moderately large and growing. Currently employing approximately 15,900 people, it’s predicted to expand to employ approximately 16,300 people by 2020.
While growth in job opportunities in the animal care sector has contracted in the last decade, the fall in opportunities has steadied since 2013. Nearly doubling in size between 2008 and 2013, the industry has since grown at a more moderate rate and is predicted to continue growing modestly for at least the next decade.
While a limited number of job opportunities make sector competitive, Australia’s agricultural sector provides animal care jobs in most regions of Australia. Job Outlook notes that due to the large agricultural populations in Queensland and Western Australia, jobs in animal care are available in those states at a rate nearly twice as high as usual employment opportunity numbers.
Average Salaries
According to PayScale, animal care attendants can expect to earn on average between $31,000 and $54,000 per year, with an average annual salary of approximately $40,000. PayScale notes a moderate positive relationship between experience and earning capacity, with more experienced attendants earning higher salaries.
After completing an animal care course, you may choose to undertake further study and work as a veterinary nurse. According to PayScale, veterinary nurses can expect to earn on average between $36,000 and $55,000 per year, with an average salary of approximately $46,000 per year.