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The differences between wild animal caretakers and dog sitters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a wild animal caretaker and a dog sitter. Additionally, a wild animal caretaker has an average salary of $27,846, which is higher than the $25,532 average annual salary of a dog sitter.
The top three skills for a wild animal caretaker include animal handling, facility laundry and general care. The most important skills for a dog sitter are PET, customer service, and dog care.
| Wild Animal Caretaker | Dog Sitter | |
| Yearly salary | $27,846 | $25,532 |
| Hourly rate | $13.39 | $12.28 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 11,735 | 67,682 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
A wild animal caretaker is responsible for administering care to animals at pet shops, kennels, aquariums, zoos, and research labs. They are tasked with grooming, feeding, giving water to, and exercising animals. They monitor animals, record their health conditions, and report any problems. They must have excellent communication, interpersonal, and time-management skills to excel in this role.
A dog sitter is primarily responsible for taking care of dogs while their owners are away. Their tasks include feeding dogs, taking them to walks or daycares, bathing or cleaning their ears, and providing owners with regular updates. Most dog sitters typically meet with clients beforehand to learn about the dogs and their needs, as some of them may require medicine or particular care. Should there be any problems, a dog sitter must report to the owners right away.
Wild animal caretakers and dog sitters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Wild Animal Caretaker | Dog Sitter | |
| Average salary | $27,846 | $25,532 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $37,000 | Between $10,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Warwick, RI |
| Highest paying state | - | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | - | CARE |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a wild animal caretaker and a dog sitter in terms of educational background:
| Wild Animal Caretaker | Dog Sitter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | New York University | Texas A&M University - Commerce |
Here are the differences between wild animal caretakers' and dog sitters' demographics:
| Wild Animal Caretaker | Dog Sitter | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.2% Female, 73.8% | Male, 22.0% Female, 78.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.1% 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% |