Animal care is the well being of all non-human inhabitants. While the issue has often been addressed on a personal level by those who raise animals as pets or as workers in animal care facilities, more recent efforts to improve the conditions of farm animals have taken the animal care issue to a new level of political and social awareness. Formal standards for animal care vary widely between different contexts, however, are usually debated largely by animal rights enthusiasts, politicians, and academics. The basics of what an animal care provider should do can be understood through this broad outline. The primary duty of an animal care provider is to look after the health and well being of their animals in a safe and hygienic environment. The primary purpose of animal care staff is to make sure that all animal’s needs are met within a safe and comfortable environment.
The second duty of animal care staff is to treat animals humanely, without causing pain or suffering. An additional duty is to prevent the continuation of unnecessary suffering by informing the animal owners of their animal’s welfare and identifying any potential problems so that appropriate actions can be taken. This may include neutering, spaying, vaccinations, microchips, heart worm testing, etc. An additional duty is to ensure that the animals are eating and drinking, and are properly gaining their nutrients (not eating and drinking at a loss because of lack of food and water). An individual or group may also be asked to perform unannounced searches of the facility, take the animals for walks or jogs, and feed them. Ensuring that an animal is getting the right amount of nutritious food and fluid each day will help them remain healthy and strong.
In order to provide the best animal care services to their clients, most service workers must possess some special training in animal care. In most states, certification and licenses are required before individuals can provide service animals to the general public. However, in the few states that do not require licensing or certification, service workers can work without any type of certification. The majority of these states will require that the service worker have either general veterinary training or specialize in an approved field. Some states will require service workers to pass a licensing exam, and others only require that they have a specific degree or certificate. If you are interested in serving animals, it is important to ensure that you are certified and/or eligible to serve in this capacity in your state.