Animal shelter worker vs animal caregiver

The differences between animal shelter workers and animal caregivers 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 shelter worker and an animal caregiver. Additionally, an animal shelter worker has an average salary of $33,011, which is higher than the $27,665 average annual salary of an animal caregiver.

The top three skills for an animal shelter worker include crisis intervention, mental health and direct care. The most important skills for an animal caregiver are pigs, PET, and animal handling.

Animal shelter worker vs animal caregiver overview

	Animal Shelter Worker	Animal Caregiver
Yearly salary	$33,011	$27,665
Hourly rate	$15.87	$13.30
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	72,185	57,251
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	32	32
Years of experience	3	3

Animal shelter worker vs animal caregiver salary

Animal shelter workers and animal caregivers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Animal Shelter Worker	Animal Caregiver
Average salary	$33,011	$27,665
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $49,000	Between $20,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between animal shelter worker and animal caregiver education

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

	Animal Shelter Worker	Animal Caregiver
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Psychology	Biology
Most common college	Texas A&M University - Commerce	Stanford University

Animal shelter worker vs animal caregiver demographics

Here are the differences between animal shelter workers' and animal caregivers' demographics:

	Animal Shelter Worker	Animal Caregiver
Average age	32	32
Gender ratio	Male, 30.7% Female, 69.3%	Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between animal shelter worker and animal caregiver duties and responsibilities

Animal shelter worker example responsibilities.

Assist in managing shelter for animals and arranging for adoption or euthanasia of confiscate animals.
Maintain an aquatic system of zebrafish and rotifers.
Assist veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants in providing the best care possible for patients.
Milk animals such as cows and goats, by hand or using milking machines.

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.

Animal shelter worker vs animal caregiver skills

Common animal shelter worker skills

Crisis Intervention, 15%
Mental Health, 14%
Direct Care, 11%
Emergency Shelter, 10%
Client Intake, 10%
Community Resources, 9%

Common animal caregiver skills

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

Animal Shelter Worker vs. similar jobs

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Personal Care and Attendants Industry
Animal Shelter Worker
Animal Shelter Worker vs Animal Caregiver

Updated January 8, 2025

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