Career Explorer Personal care
Human edge, growing
Animal caretakers
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.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 77% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +12.1% by 2035, much faster than average.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $35,360
- Job growth to 2035
- +12.1%
- Openings a year
- 62,800
- People doing it (2025)
- 365,000
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Care for plants or animals
- Maintain facilities or equipment
- Respond to customer problems or inquiries
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas
- Administer basic health care or medical treatments
- Monitor health conditions of humans or animals
What the work looks like
- Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
- Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
- Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
- Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.
- Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as more Americans own pets, and pet owners are spending more on their pets, which will continue to drive demand for animal caretakers in other personal services.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Grounds maintenance workers, all otherHuman edge, growing, Index 84, +3.7%
- Highway maintenance workersHuman edge, steady, Index 84, +3.4%
- Shuttle drivers and chauffeursHuman edge, growing, Index 87, +7.1%
- Farm labor contractorsHuman edge, growing, Index 82, +7.4%
Also known as: Aquarist, Dog Groomer, Groomer, Kennel Technician (Kennel Tech), Animal Care Giver (ACG), Dog Bather, Kennel Attendant, Pet Groomer.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.