Careers with Animals: 23 Exciting Jobs That Pay Well

Love animals? You may be drawn to these great animal jobs where you get to observe, pat, and play with them everyday. Plus, when you work in animal care, you’re also providing a valuable service to the people who own and/or interact with those animals.

This article explores the best, most exciting animal care jobs. There are so many places your career can go, with many fun, inspiring, and well-paid options.

There are a variety of different specialisations in animal care. This article explores five of the most interesting specialisations and the roles available in each.

People who work in animal conservation protect our ecosystems and natural environments so that animals can thrive. If you’re going to be working in animal conservation, it’s a prerequisite to love the outdoors. You also won’t be afraid of scales, claws, or antennae; but you will be passionate about the environment.

Typical responsibilities in animal conservation include:

• Studying water, plants, and soil to ensure they support animal life
• Prevent or mitigate environmental hazards and degradation like erosion, pollution, or bushfires
• Protecting the diversity of plants and animals
• Researching, planning, implementing, or advising on projects to restore environments
• Educating the public about the natural world, wildlife, and the environment

Necessary qualifications for this role vary. Some jobs won’t require any particular qualifications. Others will prefer you to have qualifications in landscaping, or a Certificate or Diploma in Conservation and Land Management. You can get relevant, on-the-job training with a traineeship.

More technical roles may require a Bachelor or Master’s degree in Science, with a focus on areas like environmental science, biology, ecology, or geography.

Often animal conservation is an intrepid, outdoorsy career. It helps if you’re fit, have First Aid qualifications, and can operate a manual car.

Working in the veterinary science field is great for people passionate about animal health. Your job will involve treating animals for injury and illness. You’ll also work to prevent illness through administering vaccinations, flea treatments, and similar. Most people in the field work with people’s pets, although there are opportunities to work with wildlife. You may also work for a veterinary clinic, animal hospital, boarding kennel, or animal shelter.

Typical responsibilities for people in veterinary science include:

• Applying first aid to animals
• Diagnosing and treating pets who are sick or injured
• Educating pet owners about their pet
• Performing surgeries or assisting with surgical procedures
• Spaying pets
• Business management processes like keeping client databases and records

Generally, you’ll require qualifications in veterinary assistance, veterinary nursing, or veterinary science to work in these fields. Becoming a veterinarian in particular requires advanced animal studies, including a bachelor’s degree and an accredited Doctor of Veterinary Science degree. You’ll also love animals and have a good bedside manner with both them and their owners.

Wildlife workers, including zookeepers and animal attendants, have overlapping interests with conservationists, although you’ll likely spend more time with animals rather than the environments they live in. You’ll be driven to understand animal behaviour and educate people about wildlife.

Wildlife workers typically:

• Conduct research about particular species or ecosystems
• Teach students or members of the public about animal biology
• Observe animals either in captivity or in their natural environments
• Feed and train animals

Jobs in wildlife can be competitive and highly technical. Often a bachelor, master’s, or even PhD-level qualifications in areas such as zoology, animal behaviour, and biology are required. You’ll also be able to demonstrate your passion for animals through work or research experience.

If you’re looking to dip your toes in first, you could try a Zoology Certificate.

If you love domesticated animals, there are many full-time career and part-time side hustle options for you. These jobs give you low-pressure, flexible opportunities to hang out with and look after pets. You can be a dog walker, dog groomer, dog trainer, or pet sitter, essentially helping pet owners care for their furry friends.

The general tasks required for these jobs vary depending on the specific job. You may:

• Uphold the wellbeing of companion animals
• Look after pets either at your or the pet owner’s home, or at a pet day care, kennel, or cattery
• Give advice and training on animal behaviour
• Ensure that pets are healthy, well-fed, and clean

Generally no qualifications are required for these jobs. You do need to have good business management skills as you will typically be self-employed and advertise your services to prospective clients. You’ll likely need an ABN. You’ll also need to demonstrate that pet owners can trust you, so a certification in Pet First Aid can be useful, as well as certifications in animal science, animal management, and/or animal handling. To significantly boost your client base, you can also get formal certification in pet grooming, pet care, or training skills.

Farming in Australia is a very diverse industry with opportunities to work with animals. Animal agriculture involves breeding animals to produce animal products. Animal lovers may enjoy working to collect products like wool, milk, eggs, or honey, especially through humane farming practises that meet RSPCA guidelines. There are also non-farming roles in agriculture that emphasise animal welfare and environmental sustainability.

Working in agriculture, you may:

• Implement or develop sustainable farming processes
• Test soil or water quality
• Ensure that animals are healthy

You don’t need specific qualifications to work in agriculture. However, qualifications in agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, environmental science, or geography can be useful, and an undergraduate degree will be required for some roles.

Working with animals gives you lots of opportunities to hang out with creatures both cuddly and majestic. Your career path is all about caring for their health and welfare while also making an impact in the human world: supporting ecosystems, maintaining the wellbeing of our four-legged friends, or allowing people to witness the diversity of the natural world.

Ready to take the first step towards your career in animal care?