Thinking about a career in pet care?

Summer is a great time to test out whether or not working with animals might be right for you. Because summer is a period of heavy vacation travel for Americans, it is an especially busy time in the pet resort business. As a result many boarding kennels recruit extra help for the summer months -- making this a good time to look for an entry level job in the industry.

Getting started
The good news for pet lovers, is that there aren't a lot of barriers to breaking into the business. "Pet care is different from many other industries. There are opportunities to volunteer at your local animal shelter, or to take a part-time or summer position with a pet care provider," says Li Hayes, Manager of Associate Development for Best Friends Pet Care, the largest company in the pet hospitality business. "This allows you to gain some experience in the industry and also to find out if it's right for you."

Formal schooling isn't necessary for most jobs in pet care and the larger companies provide on-the-job training. "There are definitely opportunities for people new to pet care, notes Hayes. "Because large companies like ours have an internal training program, we can look for people who love animals and teach them what they need to know."

A love of animals
The number one criterion for success in the industry is a love of animals. Not surprisingly, many people working in the industry have been involved with animals in some capacity all of their lives. For example, Sue Sullivan, Manager of the Best Friends Pet Resort in Sudbury, MA, grew up in a household full of pets. She began volunteering at the local humane society when she was 13. Her first "real" job in the industry was as a receptionist for a grooming school. She saw it as an opportunity to learn the business. Over time, she worked hard, moved up through the ranks, and eventually signed on for the management program at Best Friends Pet Care.

"If you're thinking about a career in pet care, you have to be prepared to get your hands dirty," says Sullivan. "But if you love animals, it's incredibly rewarding."

Special training
Some careers, such as grooming, do require specialized training. "My advice to anyone starting out would be to get a broad training in animal care and basic grooming, before getting into haircutting and styling," explains Val Penstone, Best Friends Director of Grooming. "It takes time to learn handling and brushing skills, let alone how to use clippers and shears."

"After that you should take every opportunity to learn," she says. "From buddy training with a more experienced stylist, to seminars and workshops, to video and home study, to a school course. There are countless ways to hone your skills and master stylist status."

A range of opportunities
The opportunities in the industry are varied. Beginners can work as animal care or customer service trainees and can advance to positions ranging from kennel manager to manager of a facility. There is always demand for skilled groomers, professional dog trainers and veterinary technicians. And, with the growth of the industry, there are more opportunities in areas like pet retail. Pet lovers can even find unusual jobs, such as working as a "counselor" in a doggy day camp program.

For more about specific careers in pet care, For more about Sullivan's career, go to Back Issues and check our Pet Care Careers stories in past issues.

As the largest company in the pet hospitality business, Best Friends employs a large number of managers, groomers, dog trainers, animal care technicians and customer service representatives across its 40 U.S. pet resorts, which offer boarding, grooming, training and pet retail. For more information, go to theFOOTERsection of the website.