Animal handler vs pet sitter

The differences between animal handlers and pet sitters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both an animal handler and a pet sitter. Additionally, an animal handler has an average salary of $27,820, which is higher than the $25,823 average annual salary of a pet sitter.

The top three skills for an animal handler include animal handling, goats and animal species. The most important skills for a pet sitter are PET, walkers, and clients homes.

Animal handler vs pet sitter overview

	Animal Handler	Pet Sitter
Yearly salary	$27,820	$25,823
Hourly rate	$13.38	$12.41
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	28,040	21,735
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	32	32
Years of experience	3	3

Animal handler vs pet sitter salary

Animal handlers and pet sitters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Animal Handler	Pet Sitter
Average salary	$27,820	$25,823
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $40,000	Between $10,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	-	Newport, RI
Highest paying state	-	Rhode Island
Best paying company	-	CARE
Best paying industry	-	Non Profits

Differences between animal handler and pet sitter education

There are a few differences between an animal handler and a pet sitter in terms of educational background:

	Animal Handler	Pet Sitter
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Biology	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	University of Massachusetts Amherst

Animal handler vs pet sitter demographics

Here are the differences between animal handlers' and pet sitters' demographics:

	Animal Handler	Pet Sitter
Average age	32	32
Gender ratio	Male, 38.8% Female, 61.2%	Male, 19.7% Female, 80.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between animal handler and pet sitter duties and responsibilities

Animal handler example responsibilities.

Handle, dogs pigs, donkey, and horses.
Assist veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants in providing the best care possible for patients.
Provide environmental enrichment for various mammal and raptor species.

Pet sitter example responsibilities.

Help managed the company and train new walkers
Cat and dog feeding, medicine, dog walking, cleanup; 5 animals : 3 cats , 2 dogs.
Provide constant supervision and companionship for elopement risk and suicide precaution patients.
Provide care for dogs, fish, cats, bunnies, birds, snakes, hamsters and most other household pets.
Execute cash register POS system.
Specialize in extra TLC for elderly pets.

Animal handler vs pet sitter skills

Common animal handler skills

Animal Handling, 55%
Goats, 13%
Animal Species, 8%
Exotic Animals, 4%
Zoo Animals, 3%
Animal Welfare, 3%

Common pet sitter skills

PET, 90%
Walkers, 2%
Clients Homes, 2%
CPR, 1%
Topical Medications, 1%
Litter Boxes, 1%