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Kennel attendant vs pet care associate

The differences between kennel attendants and pet care associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a kennel attendant and a pet care associate. Additionally, a pet care associate has an average salary of $35,635, which is higher than the $26,373 average annual salary of a kennel attendant.

The top three skills for a kennel attendant include PET, animal handling and facility laundry. The most important skills for a pet care associate are PET, customer service, and sales floor.

Kennel attendant vs pet care associate overview

Kennel AttendantPet Care Associate
Yearly salary$26,373$35,635
Hourly rate$12.68$17.13
Growth rate28%28%
Number of jobs72,23984,256
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age3232
Years of experience33

What does a kennel attendant do?

A kennel attendant is responsible for the daily care of boarded dogs and kennel maintenance. Some of the duties that you will perform will include cleaning cages, scheduling boarding appointments, and monitoring the behavior of these dogs. In addition, it is your responsibility to clean spilled food and animal waste and to dispose of trash on time. Other duties include walking animals if required, ensuring that the animals are always comfortable, and evacuating them when an emergency arises.

What does a pet care associate do?

Pet care associates, though holding a small position, will find its scope much larger than one would initially expect. This position requires an individual with gentleness, patience, confidence, carefulness, diligence, and a hard-working attitude. Paying out at around $33K per year, those who choose this career will be required to help customers with questions and issues related to small mammals, reptiles, fish, and birds.

Kennel attendant vs pet care associate salary

Kennel attendants and pet care associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Kennel AttendantPet Care Associate
Average salary$26,373$35,635
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $34,000Between $26,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City-Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state-Oregon
Best paying company-Purr'n Pooch
Best paying industry-Retail

Differences between kennel attendant and pet care associate education

There are a few differences between a kennel attendant and a pet care associate in terms of educational background:

Kennel AttendantPet Care Associate
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesBiology
Most common collegeVermont Technical CollegeNorthwestern University

Kennel attendant vs pet care associate demographics

Here are the differences between kennel attendants' and pet care associates' demographics:

Kennel AttendantPet Care Associate
Average age3232
Gender ratioMale, 20.8% Female, 79.2%Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 2.6% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between kennel attendant and pet care associate duties and responsibilities

Kennel attendant example responsibilities.

  • Assist in managing shelter for animals and arranging for adoption or euthanasia of confiscate animals.
  • Train to give dogs baths, brushing out coats, scissoring, and toenails.
  • Perform animal grooming duties such as washing, brushing, clipping, and trimming coats, etc.
  • Experience in the use of specialize equipment such as cage washers, autoclaves and animal transport vehicles.
  • Assist owner in preforming body clips and bathing/drying dogs and cats, preform all grooming tasks including clipper skills except scissoring.
  • Operate cage/bottle washers, autoclaves and bedding dispensing/disposal equipment.
  • Show more

Pet care associate example responsibilities.

  • Achieve detailed grooming including skin, ear, nail care, coat clips and dental care.
  • Prepare foods for various animals to include reptiles, snakes, hamsters, and birds etc.
  • Communicate with customers about events/concerns in which include their pet.
  • Assist patients in meeting their personal care needs and provide individualized interventions while encouraging patient involvement and promoting independence.
  • Used touch point and SMS and can quickly adapt to other computer software's.

Kennel attendant vs pet care associate skills

Common kennel attendant skills
  • PET, 39%
  • Animal Handling, 10%
  • Facility Laundry, 8%
  • Animal Hospital, 5%
  • Animal Restraint, 4%
  • Administer Medications, 4%
Common pet care associate skills
  • PET, 55%
  • Customer Service, 21%
  • Sales Floor, 4%
  • Quality Care, 3%
  • Administer Medications, 2%
  • Fish Tanks, 2%

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