If you have a desire to help and care for animals then you may want to consider a career as an animal care attendant. An animal care attendant is responsible for cleaning out animals ears, trimming their nails, keeping their cages and enclosures clean and sanitary, following proper disinfecting guidelines, bathing animals including addressing any special bathing requirements due to skin allergies, and caring for animals. Animal care attendants are commonly employed by nature centers, animal control and welfare establishments, humane societies, animal rescues, veterinary care offices, grooming locations, and boarding locations.

1. Earning animal care training online
If you feel as though a career that involves caring for animals will be a dream job for you then there are a few requirements that you must meet. Much of this job is hands on training, however you must have a high school diploma or GED to even be considered at most facilities. Animal care attendant programs are also offered at local community colleges and online. These courses will go over proper care instructions. Many animal care attendant programs also offer certification, licensing, and registration programs. These will help give you an edge when being considered for an animal care position. Animal care courses go over a wide variety of topics. The benefit of taking these courses online is that you can earn your training around your schedule.

2. Curriculum learning
While in animal care courses you will learn a variety of animal care skills and techniques through classroom or online education. This may include techniques on how to properly trim nails, including where the quick is and how to trim without causing an animal to bleed. You may also learn how to properly restrain an animal and keep it calm during the nail trimming process. Not all animals are receptive to this experience and you will learn how to complete the task while keeping the animals safe and comfortable. Your animal care courses will also teach you about skin ailments and allergies. Most animal care technicians must bathe animals and learn to identify animals with allergies to certain soaps or chemicals. You will need to take note to any skin conditions the animal you are caring for is inflicted with, and use products that don’t cause further irritations.

3. Hands on training
Most animal care attendant courses and certificate programs demand on the job training via an internship. Here you will learn a great deal about the overall care and maintenance of animals by actually working with them, including:

• Animal behaviors
• Communication skills with pet owners and (non verbal) animals
• Animal nutrition
• Animal wellness
• Safe handling of animals
• Legislation and ethics

You may seek an internship at a veterinary office, working closely with veterinarians, vet technicians; with a groomer at a pet salon, through a nature or wildlife center, at a state run Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (or SPCA), with an animal border or rescue organization, or with an animal control and welfare organization, where you’ll gain invaluable hands on training from professionals and support staff.