Do you see dogs as friendly companions instead of feral beasts? Or cats as cuddly pets instead of annoying little furballs? Then chances are that you are an animal lover. You might not have seen animals as a part of your career path, but there are so many professions that deal with animals every day.
With the many aspects of caring for animals, it can be hard to settle on just one. However, that is the key to establishing a goal-oriented career path you are looking for. To set you down the right track, here are a few of the most common jobs that involve animals:
Animal Trainer
If you like teaching your pets tricks and behaviors that can wow passersby, you can become an animal trainer. These are experts who can teach birds, dogs, horses, seals, or dolphins to respond to human contact and commands.
Dolphins or seals are usually trained to become show animals in ocean parks. They can perform certain tricks that can amaze people of all ages. Dog trainers are usually more versatile as they can teach dogs to perform in shows or act as service animals for people with disabilities.
Equestrian horses are also trained so that they can be tamed for horseback riding lessons and competitive sport. Almost any animal can be trained, provided that it is done by an expert or someone knowledgeable in the field.
Veterinarian
If you like caring for the animals’ health and you believe you can get them back on their feet, then you can become a veterinarian. It may take you a few years before actually being a doctor who can perform surgeries on pets. But if you are really fond of the task, you will become a vet in no time.
Some functions you’ll have as a vet include diagnosing physical problems, nursing animals back to health, vaccinating against diseases, and informing owners of the proper way to take care of their pets. It’s not an easy job, but it can be gratifying to animal lovers.
Zookeeper
If you’re fond of all animals and always want to spend time with them, you can become a zookeeper. You’ll be working closely with animals of all kinds and taking care of them. Some of your tasks may also include giving medication, feeding, and cleaning up after animals.
Zookeepers usually work with veterinarians by keeping them updated on the conditions of the animals in the zoo. On some occasions, they can also assist in veterinary procedures such as giving birth to baby animals.
But there is more to zookeeping than just caring for the animals. Zookeepers can also share their knowledge with visitors about certain animals and how they live in their natural habitats. Zookeepers can also act as guides and demonstrators during school trips and family bonding.
Pet Groomer
If you love taking care of animals and keeping them hygienic, then you can become a pet groomer. Groomers are usually artistic people who value good-looking pets and their relationship with their owners. Starting a career in pet grooming can also lead you to become a business owner one day.
You can open up a pet grooming service that will allow you to cater to all the pets you wish to accommodate. Pet grooming isn’t limited to cats and dogs; any tamed pet can be groomed as long they can sit still and remain indoors.
Grooming isn’t just shampooing or conditioning fur. It can also be in the form of trimming nails, cleaning the ears, and checking for infections, as well as brushing their teeth. Pets need to be groomed and cleaned once in a while too.
Vegan Entrepreneur
If you are a self-proclaimed vegan and you can no longer fathom the idea of seeing animals as a commodity, then you can become a vegan entrepreneur. This will be great if you like creating food that is completely on a plant-based diet.
Your business can offer vegan alternatives to the usual food products that are available in the market. Or you can develop recipes that follow a plant-based diet for people who are thinking of converting to veganism.
There are a lot of aspects to being a vegan that can also be highly profitable. Especially now, since more people are becoming aware that Earth’s entire population can no longer survive on animal products alone. But the concept of veganism doesn’t just revolve around food. It can also be applied in fashion or the cosmetic industry.
There are a lot more professions that you can consider as a life-long career when you’re an animal lover. It can be a career mentioned above, but with a more focused specialization. Or it can be something no one has ever heard of yet. Either way, know that no matter what you end up doing, how you care for the animals is the only important factor to consider in this quest for your new job.
