The Small Animal Care Industry- Part I

Benefits to society Economic benefit from thousands of jobs and $32 billion dollars input into the national economy Social benefit of small animals serving as companions and pets to almost 60% of all American families. Children learn responsibility and social skills and elderly benefit from improved quality of life as a result of keeping pets

Benefits to society Valuable means of testing and developing new products such as drugs and vaccines in a laboratory and research setting. (Hepatitis, diphtheria, tetanus, and polio vaccines were perfected through small animal research)

Benefits to society Small animals are being used in pet therapy to help patients overcome illness, improve vital signs, relieve depression, and provide a better quality of life for senior citizens and the disabled

Benefits to society Dogs, in particular, are useful as watch dogs, police dogs, and seeing eye dogs Rabbits are useful as an excellent source of meat that is low in cholesterol, sodium, and fat while being a highly palatable food source for protein

Benefits to society Some small animals are used to provide products such as fur/wool for the production of coats, hats, gloves, and other articles of clothing

Benefits to society Exhibition of animals provides entertainment in zoos, circus acts, etc and increases an appreciation for animals Rabbits are one of the more versatile small animals in that they are raised not only for pets but for food, clothing, and research purposes also

Economic Impact 10,500-11,000 retail pet stores produce $21 billion in sales Biomedical research supported by $15 billion in taxes and charity used 65-100 million small animals

Economic Impact 6 million small animals were used in educational facilities for dissection 4 million small animals were used for the LD50 (lethal dose 50) test

Economic Impact Americans spend $20.3 billion per year on pets Vet expenses exceed $11 billion annually. Dogs require twice as much for veterinary care as cats and more than any other small animal Pet food manufacturers produce $9.0 billion in sales

General pet ownership There are about 7 million more cats than dogs, with each cat owner averaging owning 2 cats However, dogs are found in more households than cats Fish, birds, and rabbits rank third, fourth, and fifth as far as pet ownership

Types of Jobs Pet industry is just one small area of small animal care and management. Other jobs are: lab animal care, zoo animal care, animal health, animal training, and in the area of biological sciences

Types of Jobs Jobs to supply food, equipment, and healthcare to small animals Research in hospitals, colleges and universities, diagnostic labs, and private firms in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries

Types of Jobs Exhibitors: operate animal acts, carnivals, circuses, public zoo, and marine mammal displays

Small animal careers and jobs Pet care workers: many types provide many services to small animal owners. They are employed in boarding kennels, animal hospitals, animal shelters, pet stores, pet training schools, and pet grooming parlors

Small animal careers and jobs Kennel attendants: feed and care for animals and keep kennels clean Animal groomers: bathe pets and brush the pet and keep hair and nails trimmed

Small animal careers and jobs Dog trainers: teach dogs to obey signals or commands, hunt, herd, or track, to guard lives or lead the blind

Small animal careers and jobs Small animal breeders: raise and market fur-bearing animals, animals for sale to pet shops, labs, and for the general public, they also arrange matings and care for females and the young. Usually specialize in one breed.

Small animal careers and jobs Pet shop owners: care for small animals they offer for sale, they offer a variety of small animals and need to be knowledgeable in running a business and dealing with customers

Small animal careers and jobs Pet shop manager: run the daily pet store operations

Small animal careers and jobs Vets: Doctors of veterinary medicine, treat, and control animal injuries and diseases. They also vaccinate animals against disease, and inspect animals and meat products used for food.

Vets They will also perform surgery, set broken bones, establish diet and exercise routines, and prescribe medicines. 1/3 of vets in US treat only small animals

Small animal careers and jobs Dealers: people who sell lab animals for research and teaching Vet technicians: assist vet and other members of the vet staff in diagnosing and treating animals for injuries, illness, and routine vet needs, this can include vaccinations and routine checkups

Skills and credentials Previous experience as an animal keeper or an aquarist Part-time or volunteer work in animal shelters, pet shops, or vet clinics

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