Animal Caretaker
Agriculture
Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish or birds, zoo animals, and mice. Work in settings such as kennels, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums. May keep records of feedings, treatments, and animals received or discharged. May clean, disinfect, and repair cages, pens, or fish tanks.
You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
- 1Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
- 2Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
- 3Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
- 4Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.
- 5Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.
- 6Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health.
- 7Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake.
- 8Observe and caution children petting and feeding animals in designated areas to ensure the safety of humans and animals.
- 9Clean and disinfect surgical equipment.
- 10Find homes for stray or unwanted animals.
- 11Respond to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, breeding habits, or facility activities.
- 12Answer telephones and schedule appointments.
- 13Advise pet owners on how to care for their pets' health.
- 14Discuss with clients their pets' grooming needs.
- 15Transfer animals between enclosures to facilitate breeding, birthing, shipping, or rearrangement of exhibits.
- 16Perform animal grooming duties, such as washing, brushing, clipping, and trimming coats, cutting nails, and cleaning ears.
- 17Adjust controls to regulate specified temperature and humidity of animal quarters, nurseries, or exhibit areas.
- 18Anesthetize and inoculate animals, according to instructions.
- 19Install, maintain, and repair animal care facility equipment, such as infrared lights, feeding devices, and cages.
- 20Train animals to perform certain tasks.
- 21Order, unload, and store feed and supplies.
- 22Sell pet food and supplies.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
- ACG
- Bather
- Keeper
- Walker
- Farrier
- Groomer
- Ringman
- Aquarist
- Caretaker
- Zookeeper
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
Typical entry
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
3
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
4
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Customer and Personal Service84%
- Administrative63%
Business
- English Language61%
English
- Education and Training52%
- Administration and Management51%
BusinessEconomics
- Psychology50%
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleConstant contact
- Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
- Leading or coordinating othersVery high
- Handling conflict situationsOften
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherEvery day
- Noisy environmentEvery day
Where this job is heading
Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.
- Scuba dive in aquariums to perform exhibit maintenance.
- Train volunteers and facility staff.
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Animal Caretakers
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org