Animal caregiver vs kennel technician

The differences between animal caregivers and kennel technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an animal caregiver has an average salary of $27,665, which is higher than the $26,664 average annual salary of a kennel technician.

The top three skills for an animal caregiver include pigs, PET and animal handling. The most important skills for a kennel technician are PET, facility laundry, and administer medications.

Animal caregiver vs kennel technician overview

	Animal Caregiver	Kennel Technician
Yearly salary	$27,665	$26,664
Hourly rate	$13.30	$12.82
Growth rate	28%	19%
Number of jobs	57,251	30,123
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	High School Diploma, 39%
Average age	32	29
Years of experience	3	-

What does an animal caregiver do?

An animal caretaker is primarily in charge of the welfare and safety of animals in a particular area. They may work at veterinary shops and clinics, private institutions, kennels, animal shelters, and even zoos. Although their responsibilities vary on the animals and their place of employment, it typically includes feeding, bathing, grooming, exercising, and petting. There are also instances where they must clean and sanitize cages, prepare meals, administer vitamins and medication, and monitor their behavior.

What does a kennel technician do?

Kennel technicians are employees who work in animal boarding houses, veterinary clinics, and shelters. Primarily, they take care of and maintain animals living in a kennel. They are responsible for the upkeep of animals under their supervision and ensure they are healthy, happy, and clean. Often, they work with cats and dogs, although they may also care for other domestic animals. They should have skills in handling animals, sanitation, cleaning, friendly office help, and primary animal care.

Animal caregiver vs kennel technician salary

Animal caregivers and kennel technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Animal Caregiver	Kennel Technician
Average salary	$27,665	$26,664
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $36,000	Between $20,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	-	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	-	North Dakota
Best paying company	-	VetCor
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between animal caregiver and kennel technician education

There are a few differences between an animal caregiver and a kennel technician in terms of educational background:

	Animal Caregiver	Kennel Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	High School Diploma, 39%
Most common major	Biology	Medical Assisting Services
Most common college	Stanford University	Northwestern University

Animal caregiver vs kennel technician demographics

Here are the differences between animal caregivers' and kennel technicians' demographics:

	Animal Caregiver	Kennel Technician
Average age	32	29
Gender ratio	Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5%	Male, 24.0% Female, 76.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 2.8% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 3.2% White, 69.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	11%	10%

Differences between animal caregiver and kennel technician duties and responsibilities

Animal caregiver example responsibilities.

Assist in managing shelter for animals and arranging for adoption or euthanasia of confiscate animals.
Educate pet owners about illnesses, medications, and general care, and answer their questions and concerns.
Walk all dogs, and occasionally strange animals such as pigs.
Create neighborhood service providing in-home pet care including; leash walks, off leash socials, and cat care.
Assist veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants in providing the best care possible for patients.
Provide routine grooming including brushing and clipping claws.

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Kennel technician example responsibilities.

Manage, and safely operate the MWD explosive program.
Place iv catheters in dogs and cats.
Maintain and update website and FaceBook page.
Restrain animals for various procedures such as blood draws and catheter placement.
Operate autoclaves for the sterilization of clean supplies as well as potentially infectious waste for disposal.
Perform animal grooming duties such as washing, and brushing coats, trimming nails, and cleaning ears.

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Animal caregiver vs kennel technician skills

Common animal caregiver skills

Pigs, 51%
PET, 19%
Animal Handling, 5%
Animal Shelter, 3%
General Care, 3%
Facility Laundry, 2%

Common kennel technician skills

PET, 27%
Facility Laundry, 10%
Administer Medications, 10%
Scheduling Appointments, 5%
Animal Handling, 4%
Front Desk, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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