Pet Shop Workers
Overview
Introduction
Pet shop workers, from entry-level clerks to store managers, are involved in the daily upkeep of a pet store. They sell pet supplies including food, medicine, toys, carriers, and educational books and videos. They work with customers, answering questions and offering animal care advice. They keep the store, aquariums, and animal cages clean, and look after the health of the pets for sale. They also stock shelves, order products from distributors, and maintain records on the animals and products.
Pet stores have experienced he...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Entry-level pet shop workers usually start at minimum wage ($7.25 an hour, or $15,080 annually). The U.S. Department of Labor reports the May 2018 median annual salary for all retail sales workers, which included those who worked pet stores, was $25,250. The lowest 10 percent earned $18,900 or less annually, and the top 10 percent earned $42,780 or more. Nonfarm animal caretakers earned salarie...
Work Environment
A clean, healthy pet shop should make for a very comfortable work environment. But to keep the place clean and healthy, workers in this field handle animals, clean cages and fish tanks, and prepare medications. They also sweep the floors of the store and dust shelves. A pet shop should also be well ventilated and temperature controlled. During work hours, pet shop workers usually stay indoors a...
Outlook
According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), employment of animal care and service workers is expected to grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2028. The DOL reports that "Employment of animal care and service workers in kennels, grooming shops, and pet stores is projected to increase in order to keep up with the growing demand for animal care." Job opportunities for ret...