When you think of a job working with animals, you’d be forgiven for automatically thinking of vets and dog walkers. It can be hard to come up with an extensive list of roles on the spot. But there are so many jobs that involve animals in some shape or form.
Taking the time to research your options now can help save you time and hassle at a later stage.
An awareness of the wider range of roles in the animal sector will help you find the one that’s the right fit for you. Plus, it helps you see early on what exactly you need to do or achieve to apply.
Whether your passion is in animal-human assistance, understanding animal behaviour or educating the public on animal treatment, there’s a role to suit. And some of these don’t require you to spend years studying at university.
To help, we’ve compiled a list of different jobs working with animals, as well as what you need to apply.
Assistance Dog Trainer
More than 7,000 people in the UK have an assistant dog as a companion animal. These intelligent and intuitive canines help them complete practical tasks, provide emotional support and enable them to live independently.
As such, teaching these dogs how to help people is incredibly important work. Professional training can see them assisting people with physical disabilities, medical conditions and hearing or sight impairments.
As an assistance dog trainer, you’ll generally work with puppies to get an early start in preparing them for this support role. You can also give talks and demonstrations to help raise funds for assistance dogs, and train new dog trainers.
You’ll need to be patient and have good communication skills for this role. As well as be prepared to be active and on your feet for most of the day. You may also be required to travel to visit dogs and the individuals they support.
There are no set entry requirements for the role but experience with dogs and relevant qualifications are always beneficial. Understanding the issues faced by people with disabilities would also be extremely useful. All of which is explored in this Assistance Dog Training Level 3 Diploma.
As you gain experience, you could pursue supervisory and management positions. Or become self-employed and set up your own assistance dog training business or one involved with general dog training.
Animal Behaviourist
As an animal behaviourist, your work would focus on the diagnosis and treatment of behavioural issues in animals. This can sometimes involve working with animals in environments like zoos. But for the most part, you’d work with domestic pets, such as Dogs and Cats.
Animal behaviourists are otherwise known as pet behaviour counsellors and usually get their work from veterinary practice referrals. This is once the veterinarian has confirmed the animal’s issues aren’t illness related and are outside their area of expertise.
You’ll deal with problems ranging from aggression and phobias to destructiveness or anxiety. Your duties will include observing and handling animals to assess their responses, establishing causes and advising animal owners accordingly. Logging each interaction and behavioural development in a detailed record for each animal patient.
After you identify the issue causing the behaviour, you’ll create a behaviour modification plan and monitor progress in follow up sessions.
It’s a role that makes you responsible for the health and safety of pets, pet carers, and others. And as such, you need extensive training to assess risk levels, especially when dealing with aggressive animals.
While there is no set entry into the profession, you need to be registered. Registration with the Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourists (CCAB) and Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) requires degree level study. This generally needs to be in biological studies, animal related courses and behavioural sciences. You’ll also need to have practical, hands-on experience of working with animals.
You could get a feel for this line of work through a course in Animal Psychology. Which teaches you how to observe and interpret animal behaviour. After which, you could pursue qualifications that would lead you to degree level study of animal psychology.
Pet Shop Assistant
A pet shop assistant looks after a range of animals including fish and amphibians, reptiles and small mammals. You’re also responsible for educating the public on how to properly take care of their pets. So they know what’s required to provide proper housing, appropriate forms of enrichment and correct nutrition.
It’s a role that combines current animal legislation with pet care best practices. Which is perfect if you’re passionate about animal welfare. Enabling you to work directly with pet owners within your community and better their pets’ quality of life.
To secure this type of role in a pet store it can be beneficial to complete the Level 3 Award for Pet Care in Retail. As it’s a legal requirement to obtain a level 2 or level 3 Ofqual regulated qualification to work with animals in a pet shop environment.
Conservationist
As an animal and wildlife conservationist, you strive to protect plants, animal species and their habitats from threats. With the diverse range of elements that can lead to destruction and extinction, you can find roles aligned with your interests. Whether it’s the effects of climate change, the preservation of endangered species or conserving natural environments.
As such, there are many roles that come under the subject of conservation. Each with its own goals and workload that can take place in a variety of settings.
Many animal and wildlife conservation roles offer a mixture of community work, wildlife observation, research, events, awareness and educational activities. Ideal if you enjoy being active and having something different to do each day.
Many careers in conservation don’t require specific qualifications. But there are others that will expect you to have completed certain diplomas or degree level study. Either way, courses related to conservation will help you start to build the relevant skills and knowledge base you need.
Qualify for a Job Working with Animals online
If you’re an animal lover who wants a career that indulges your interests, Stonebridge Associated Colleges can help.
As the UK’s leading online course provider, we have many veterinary science and animal care courses to choose from.
Some of which are studied completely online and others that help you prepare for your new career by incorporating hands-on training. Each course has flexible payment options available and dedicated online tutors to support your learning. So you know exactly how you’re progressing and what you need to do to achieve your qualification.
If you’re ready to take the next step towards a job working with animals, simply click to browse our courses below.
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