Animal Care Attendant

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

• 6483: Pet Groomers and Animal Care Workers

2006 NOC-S

• G923: Pet Groomers and Animal Care Workers

2011 NOC

• 6563: Pet groomers and animal care workers

2016 NOC

• 6563: Pet groomers and animal care workers

2021 NOC

• 65220: Pet groomers and animal care workers

2023 OaSIS

• 65220.00: Pet groomers and animal care workers

Duties depend on the type of animal and place of work. In general, animal care attendants:

• Clean and disinfect equipment and enclosures (such as pens, cages, aquariums, kennels, or stalls) by removing feces, soiled bedding, and food
• Clean, disinfect, and refill water dishes, buckets, or troughs
• Spread fresh bedding materials like straw, paper, sawdust, or gravel
• Wash floors, walls, and windows
• Clean and repair tools such as shovels, rakes, and garbage cans
• Feed animals
• Watch animals and report unusual behaviour and health concerns
• Groom, trim, bathe, and clip animals
• Dust, spray, or bathe animals to control insect pests
• Help give treatments prescribed by veterinarians
• Keep complete, organized, and up-to-date records (both medical and behavioural)

Animal care attendants at shelters, dog pounds, and wildlife rehabilitation centres care for stray dogs, cats, other pets, and wildlife as well as pets given up or lost by owners. Along with giving general care, they may:

• Answer public inquiries
• Contact the owners of found pets
• Collect payment for adoptions, food, or merchandise
• Arrange for pre-adoption meetings between animals and prospective owners
• Providing vaccinations, deworming, or other procedures as needed for animals in care
• Adopt out unclaimed pets after a waiting period
• Help euthanize unclaimed or unadoptable animals
• Release rehabilitated wildlife

Aquarists work at aquariums. They:

• Feed and care for fish and other aquatic life
• Clean and maintain aquariums
• Maintain water quality for a variety of species
• Check the chemical content, oxygen level, and temperature of tank water
• Add chemicals to the water when needed
• Report any findings to other staff
• Provide the public with information
• Ship, receive, and transport animals

Grooms and stable workers care for horses at stables, farms, and racetracks. In addition to general care, they:

• Exercise horses
• Help train, breed, and foal horses
• Transport horses to and from racetracks or events
• Act as trail guides
• Clean and repair riding equipment

Kennel attendants care for dogs, cats, and other pets that are boarded or bred and sold. In addition to general care, they:

• Exercise and play with dogs
• Give attention and affection to animals in their care
• Answer public inquiries
• Help breed and birth pedigreed dogs and cats

Pet shop attendants work in retail stores. They:

• Care for and sell birds, fish, reptiles, cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and other animals
• Sell pet supplies, accessories, and related books
• Answer questions about pet care and supplies
• Advise customers about choosing a pet

Ranch or farm hands work in rural settings with many species of farm animals. These may include beef or dairy cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, and other animals. In addition to general care, they:

• Monitor the health and welfare of animals
• Maintain pens, fences, or buildings that house animals to ensure their safety
• Move and transport animals using practices designed to minimize the animals’ stress
• Perform daily milking, feeding, and cleaning chores as needed
• Help breed and birth animals as required

Zookeepers and wildlife park attendants work in zoos and wildlife parks. They are usually assigned to a specific section of the zoo or park. They:

• Help other workers transfer, restrain, crate, and uncrate animals
• Train animals to accept human care and management
• Repair enclosures, settings, and living areas
• Watch for births, breeding, and unusual behaviour and record their observations in logbooks
• Develop and carry out plans to meet animals’ psychological, emotional, and physical needs (such as by providing and regularly moving ropes for primates to swing on)
• Answer visitors’ questions
• Educate visitors about animals and species, and spread awareness of conservation practices and programs
• Advise people not to feed animals
• Warn people to be cautious near animals that might be dangerous

Animal care attendants may work indoors in labs, shelters, or pet shops. At kennels, stables, barns, racetracks, aquariums, zoos, or wildlife parks, they may work both indoors and outdoors. Those who work outdoors do so in all kinds of weather. Animal attendants must be able to tolerate strong odours. They should not mind getting dirty. They may need to restrain animals and lift or carry animals and cages. Animals may bite, scratch, or kick. They may also transmit disease. Zoo work is physically demanding, requiring lots of lifting and shovelling. Injuries are common, including back strains, joint problems, cuts, and scrapes.

Animals need daily care. Most attendants work shifts that include weekend and holiday hours.

Jobs for some types of animal care attendants are limited in Alberta. There are few employers of aquarists, zookeepers, wildlife park attendants, shelter attendants, or dog pound attendants. There are more opportunities for grooms, barn or ranch hands, kennel attendants, and pet shop attendants.

One way to gain experience is to do volunteer work or short-term work, such as during the spring and summer or on holidays. Employers may need more staff at these times.

Chances to advance are limited. Shelter and dog pound attendants, aquarists, zookeepers, and wildlife park attendants may move up to supervisory positions. With experience and training, grooms may become trainers, drivers, barn hands, race secretaries, managers, or judges. Kennel attendants who learn grooming on the job may become pet groomers. (For more information, see the Pet Groomer occupational profile.) With experience, kennel and pet shop attendants may become managers or start their own businesses.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

In the 6563: Pet groomers and animal care workers occupational group, 82.6% of people work in:

• Other Services
• Retail Trade

Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

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Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors. Learn how these factors can affect your career decisions.

• Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
• Location in Alberta
• Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
• Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
• Size of the occupation
• Trends and events that affect overall employment, especially in the industry or industries from the previous list

In Alberta, the 6563: Pet groomers and animal care workers occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 2.3% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 96 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.

Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.