It's one thing to love animals, but it's another to make it your life's work. "If you're thinking about a career in pet care, be prepared to get dirty," says Li Hayes, Director of Human Resources and Service Development for Best Friends Pet Care. But if you love animals, it's incredibly rewarding."

There are many job opportunities in the industry, from basic care to management. Beginners can work as animal care or customer service trainees and can advance to positions ranging from kennel manager to manager of a facility. Many jobs are part-time, and there increased demand for staff during summer vacation and holiday periods when many families travel and need to board their pets.

Getting Started

The most important credentials for working in the pet industry are a deep love for animals and a willingness to literally get dirty. "No matter what the job title, everyone steps in to help care for pet guests as needed," Hayes says, "and everyone is responsible to mop up an occasional 'accident'."

While some positions require prior experience, many positions are entry level. And larger pet care companies, including Best Friends, provide on-the-job training. Some of the job opportunities include:

Animal Care -- The majority of jobs in the pet boarding industry are in animal care. This includes the day-to-day care of the pets - cleaning their kennels, washing their bedding, preparing their meals, and so on. "It's hard work work and everyone in animal care goes home tired and dirty," says one Animal Care Manager, "but we are in constant contact with the pets. We get to know each and every one of them and have lots of opportunities to give them individual attention."

Activity Associates -- Playtime associates and day camp counselors make sure pets get exercise and have fun. According to Best Friends managers, it may sound easy, but it's not. "Hands get dirty and legs get tired," says Becky Powers, manager of Best Friends Tyngsboro. "Associates who work with the dogs have to have an extraordinary amount of energy, and always have to be willing to play, run, fetch... any type of activity!"

Groomers & Grooming Assistants -- Groomers are the professional stylists of the industry. Many specialize in certain breeds or certain types of haircuts. It takes many years of training to achieve the status of professional groomer. Grooming assistants help with tasks like bathing. Best Friends offers a "Buddy Training System" in which individuals without formal grooming training have the opportunity to learn by working alongside an experienced groomer. Training continues according to aptitude, business needs and skill level. 

Dog Trainer -- Best Friends requires not just formal schooling in dog training, but also a minimum of three years as a trainer, and several references (and, of course, a deep love of animals!). All training methods employed by Best Friends professional trainers must be approved by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (these methods often focus on using positive reinforcement and rewards to achieve desired behavior) .  For information on how to become a certified pet dog trainer, visit the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers web site at www.ccpdt.org .