5 Of The Coolest Jobs That Involve Working With Animals

If you would love to work with furry friends, but feel that being a veterinarian is your only option, I am pleased to inform you that you are wrong. There are a vast array of careers centered around the care and keeping of our animal friends. Read ahead to see a list of five of the coolest jobs that involve working with animals.

A veterinary technician or vet tech is a state licensed individual that works closely with the veterinarian to treat and care for patients. Think of them as the nurses of animal medicine. Vet techs can perform the initial analysis of the patient, check vitals, administer medicine prescribed by the vet, and perform x-rays among other tasks. In 2016, the average salary for veterinarian jobs in America was about $32,000.

Zoologists are the people to thank for monitoring animal behaviors and their habitats. This is important work because it can help preserve animals in the wild and in captivity. Zoologists study animal behaviors such as, how they interact with other animals that live near them, what they eat, and mating patterns. This knowledge can then be used to create comfortable homes in the zoo or to help reverse species endangerment due to predators and a lack of natural resources. Some zoologists choose to specialize and work with specific animals, but some work with all of the animals in a specific controlled environment. A bachelor's degree is typically required to get started in this field.

Pet adoption counselors are very similar to counselors in traditional adoptions. The job of a pet adoption counselor is to help guide future pet owners to potential pets that will make both the pet parent and the pet happy. These positions are most common in animal shelters. Pet adoption counselors need to be able to collect and process client information to see if they are suitable pet parents and then match them to a pet in the shelter. From there, they must see if there is a good connection between the owners and pets when they meet. No formal education is typically required for this position, but previous experience with rescue animals is always great.

Animal nutritionists help to develop meal plans for animals in captivity (think zoos and livestock) to ensure they are eating properly. Nutritionists need to be able to assess not only what the animal naturally eats, but also how healthy they are individually. If an animal you are caring for is over or underweight, it is the nutritionist's jobs to adjust their diets accordingly. Animals also have nutritional needs like allergies and intolerance that the nutritionist need to be able to address. Animal nutritionists can also choose to specialize in one animal or type of animal.

Groomers are more common in the animal industry, but this can actually be a very fulfilling career. Groomers can choose to have their own business (working with multiple or specific clients) or work as a commercial groomer. A certificate in animal studies can give groomers a leg up when it is time to apply for a job and can teach valuable skills to use when working with animals in general. Some groomers choose to work their way up the industry and work solely with animals that are in shows or on television.