How to become an animal rescuer

The median annual salary for animal care and service workers, including wildlife rehabilitators, is about $23,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2018.

One great way to get paid while helping to save animals is to work directly for the shelter. There are many paid positions at an animal shelter. Next time you visit, take a look around and see who is paid and who is a volunteer. You may be interested to find there are many paid positions available.

An animal rescue operation, whether law enforcement or civilian, identifies animal cruelty, recovers animals from substandard conditions, and makes every effort to give those animals better lives. They investigate perpetrators and help place animals in new homes.

A veterinarian is one of the highest paying animal careers. There are many different types of veterinary jobs. Mixed practice veterinarians work with both small and large animals, domestic or exotic. Others may specialize in working with companion animals such as dogs and cats.

Veterinarians need support staff to keep their business operating. That includes front office staff and veterinary assistants. These positions allow you to work with animals without a degree while getting daily exposure to animals.

Zookeepers. Keepers are the basic caregivers for animals in a zoo setting. The keeper position is one available to those without a college degree, although most do have bachelor’s degrees in biology or animal science. There are also non-degree programs in zookeeping and exotic animal training.

Since most of these jobs are popular, there are often more applicants than positions. You should expect strong competition and salaries considered low relative to the level of education necessary to perform them. And these jobs aren’t easy. Caring for animals can require around-the-clock attention in some settings.