by Pat Gray

Created on: February 04, 2009   Last Updated: February 05, 2009

With more jobs going overseas and with domestic companies cutting back or closing down, the number of pet care jobs are still growing, and the projection is for steady growth over the foreseeable future. Although not all jobs are highly paid, they do offer other benefits, and ANY income may be more important than the fancy office or the company car in the years to come.

One niche area in the animal career sector is animal welfare - working with shelters, animal control and sanctuaries to care for and rehabilitate some of the most vulnerable members of our communities - animals. In some cases, it isn't only the animals that benefit - placing just the right senior animal with the right senior citizen can give both a new lease on life, and many rescued animals can easily become therapy animals or be trained as service animals.

Positions range from upper management - managing a facility, working with staff and the public, to hands on animal care.

- Management Depending on the size of the facility, management may involve working directly with the animals, or it may involve dealing only with staff, the board of directors and the public. In a major operation, the salary is higher, but more experience and education required. All the skills for running a business - budgeting, man-management, facilities management, advertising, sales, customer service - are required, but there will also be a greater emphasis placed on public relations.

However, though the general public likes to talk about their concern - "I'd take all of them home if I could" - when it comes to action they are more likely to complain than contribute, and the manager is the one who ultimately will have to deal with problems, and highly emotional problems at that.

- Kennel Staff/Care Givers An entry level position, but a very necessary and rewarding one - cleaning cages, feeding, cleaning litter boxes, laundry, exercising and socializing animals is all a part of the job. Depending on the size of the facility, you may be required to answer phones and greet prospective pet-parents. Because you know the animals best, you may be called on to evaluate adopters and adoptees to ensure the right fit.

However, on desk duty you will also be responsible for turning animals away when the facility is full, often dealing with comments like "well I guess it's the nine millimeter for him then". If you love animals, you will also get attached, and unlike the casual "caring" passer-by, you KNOW you can't take all of them home

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