Wildlife rehabilitator vs animal caregiver

The differences between wildlife rehabilitators 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 a wildlife rehabilitator and an animal caregiver. Additionally, a wildlife rehabilitator has an average salary of $37,928, which is higher than the $27,665 average annual salary of an animal caregiver.

The top three skills for a wildlife rehabilitator include wild animals, rehabilitation and diet preparation. The most important skills for an animal caregiver are pigs, PET, and animal handling.

Wildlife rehabilitator vs animal caregiver overview

	Wildlife Rehabilitator	Animal Caregiver
Yearly salary	$37,928	$27,665
Hourly rate	$18.23	$13.30
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	11,399	57,251
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	32	32
Years of experience	3	3

Wildlife rehabilitator vs animal caregiver salary

Wildlife rehabilitators and animal caregivers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wildlife Rehabilitator	Animal Caregiver
Average salary	$37,928	$27,665
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $53,000	Between $20,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between wildlife rehabilitator and animal caregiver education

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

	Wildlife Rehabilitator	Animal Caregiver
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	Stanford University

Wildlife rehabilitator vs animal caregiver demographics

Here are the differences between wildlife rehabilitators' and animal caregivers' demographics:

	Wildlife Rehabilitator	Animal Caregiver
Average age	32	32
Gender ratio	Male, 20.3% Female, 79.7%	Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 2.7% White, 67.7% 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 wildlife rehabilitator and animal caregiver duties and responsibilities

Wildlife rehabilitator example responsibilities.

Organize volunteers for capture or pickup of wild injure raptor species.
Deal mostly with feeding and cleaning of songbird habitats, but occasionally help to handle raptor and mammal subjects.
Provide nursing care for temporary and permanent resident animals at accredit rehabilitation facility.
Aid in vaccinations, wind treatment, artificial insemination procedures, castrations, tagging and tattoos.

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.

Wildlife rehabilitator vs animal caregiver skills

Common wildlife rehabilitator skills

Wild Animals, 37%
Rehabilitation, 30%
Diet Preparation, 17%
Acute Medical Care, 11%
Educational Programs, 5%

Common animal caregiver skills

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

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Personal Care and Attendants Industry
Wildlife Rehabilitator
Wildlife Rehabilitator vs Animal Caregiver

Updated January 8, 2025

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