With professional experience and continuing education, you can run your own animal shelter or salon if you have an animal caretaker's license. With appropriate continuing education, promotion to district, head or chief animal keeper in zoos or laboratory animal facilities is possible, as is employment abroad.
The tasks can vary depending on the specialization and place of work, and the range of training places available differs depending on the specialization.
According to the Directorate of Education, animal caretakers are divided into specializations:
Specialization in pets: these animal caretakers work in animal shelters, pet kennels or dog salons. In animal shelters, they care for dogs, cats and small animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits and birds that are taken in as vacation guests or foundlings. In breeding stations they deal with the breeding of cats and dogs. They know the different breeds, their characteristics and needs and monitor the development of the young animals. In dog salons, they take care of fur, ears, claws, teeth, and paw and skin care. They bathe, shear, and trim the coats of dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Customer contact and professional advice are important at all work locations.
Specializing in laboratory animals: these animal caretakers work in research institutions. There they breed and care for animals for experiments. Most of the time, these animals are small mammals such as mice and rats. Experiments are also conducted on frogs, fish and larger mammals such as monkeys, dogs or cats. They care for the animals and prepare them for the experiments. They know breeding methods, adhere to strict hygiene and work regulations and work closely with the researchers. In some cases, they carry out measures themselves during animal experiments, which they document in detail.
Specializing in wildlife: these animal caretakers care for animals in zoos and animal parks. From amphibians to fish to various mammals, they are usually responsible for a territory and individual animal species. They are specially trained to handle poisonous and dangerous animals. They ensure that cages, aquariums and facilities are set up appropriately for the species. They keep the animals busy by hiding food or playing games. They also maintain contact with zoo visitors and provide information about the animals.