For many animal lovers out there, having a career where you deal with the adorable non-speaking friends of man feels like a great career choice. For some it even feels like the best job in the world. Regardless of whether working with animals makes some prone to hyperbole or not, one thing is for sure: it can be a very pleasant experience and one that an animal lover should try at least once.
Not all people are cut for this line of work, even though they adore animals and love them dearly. If you or one of your close acquaintances are interested in making this a career choice, you should first start by either volunteering to work with animals as a hobby, in a field that you find the most interesting, or alternatively, buy or adopt a pet and learn to take good care of it. If you are successful in such an endeavor, than maybe you truly have what it takes to make this your future career.
There are numerous career choices available, including being a veterinarian, dog trainer, zookeeper, animal welfare officer, pet behaviorist, animal groomer and so on. Here people will be working with animals big and small, exotic or mundane, depending on the case. Some of the most sought after qualities are devotion and patience. Candidates that are interested in such a job must have ample amounts of these qualities if they want to properly handle animals.
The different jobs also require different levels of qualification. Some simply require that you be comfortable around animals, while others require that you study in schools or universities that specialize in this field. Skills such as leadership, team work and time management will also be important in certain career choices. You must also be well aware of what the particular job requires you to do.
For instance, if you want to be, say, a kennel attendant, you must clean the cages, bathe animals, feed them at set intervals of time, make them exercise, trim nails and so on. A dog or cat groomer must brush fur, clean it, trim nails, clean ears, style the pet and give it a bath. Most of these smaller jobs require little training.
If you want something big, however, there are options to suit your ambitions. Vets and zookeepers are at the top of the pyramid, so to speak. In order to become one you will need to study hard, as knowledge is everything in these careers. You cannot afford mistakes, as the well being and, sometimes, even the lives of the animals are at stake. So only do it if you really feel prepared.
Another interesting job that many probably have not thought about is being an Animal Cruelty Investigator. Many people choose this career because they want to have an active role in stopping animal abuse.
If you are interested in working with animals and think you have what it takes, then give it a shot, as it can be a very fulfilling career choice!
