Animal Caretakers
Personal Care and Service · SOC 39-2021
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 39-2021 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 45/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $35,360
- H-1B offered wage $30,472; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 54,500
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +12.1%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 1
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 70,628 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~27.3% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish or birds, zoo animals, and mice. Work in settings such as kennels, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums. May keep records of feedings, treatments, and animals received or discharged. May clean, disinfect, and repair cages, pens, or fish tanks.
Common titles: Animal Care Giver (ACG), Aquarist, Dog Bather, Dog Groomer, Groomer, Kennel Attendant
Representative Tasks
- •Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
- •Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
- •Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
- •Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.
- •Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Care for animals.
- •Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
- •Monitor health or behavior of people or animals.
- •Prepare foods or meals.
- •Maintain facilities.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 2.1% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 52% Bright |
| Median Salary | $35,360 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |