kennel worker
Snapshot
Do you love animals and enjoy providing care and companionship? A career as a kennel worker offers a rewarding opportunity to work directly with pets in a supportive environment, ensuring their wellbeing and happiness.
Kennel workers play a vital role in the care of animals housed in kennels or catteries. Your days will be filled with hands-on tasks, from feeding and cleaning to providing comfort and enrichment for a variety of animals. This role requires a blend of physical stamina, attention to detail, and genuine compassion for animals, often working with both healthy and animals needing special care.
- • Feeding and watering animals according to specific dietary needs.
- • Cleaning and disinfecting kennels, cages, and surrounding areas to maintain a hygienic environment.
- • Providing exercise and enrichment, including walks and playtime.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Personal service workers — 86 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Hungary.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Could kennel worker fit you?
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Future Outlook for kennel worker
The outlook for kennel worker reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could kennel worker change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could kennel worker change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- protect health and safety when handling animals
- follow written instructions
- follow verbal instructions
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- assess animal's condition
- monitor the welfare of animals
- control animal movement
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Agriculture
A typical day as a kennel worker
09 09:00 · Morning assess animal behaviour
10 10:30 · Mid-morning assess animal's condition
12 12:00 · Midday bathe dogs
14 14:00 · Afternoon assist in transportation of animals
15 15:30 · Late afternoon control animal movement
17 17:00 · Wrap-up feed pets
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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anatomy of animals
The study of animal body parts, their structure and dynamic relationships, on a level as demanded by the specific occupation.
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animal behaviour
The natural behavioural patterns of animals, i.e. how normal and abnormal behaviour might be expressed according to species, environment, human-animal interaction and occupation.
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animal training
Animal responses to specific conditions or stimuli. Animal behaviour, ethology, learning theory, training methods, equipment, as well as communicating and working with animals and humans.
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physiology of animals
The study of the mechanical, physical, bioelectrical and biochemical functioning of animals, their organs and their cells.
- animal nutrition
- animal welfare legislation
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bathe dogs
Prepare dog by removing excess hair, knots and tangles. Bathe and clean a dog’s coat and skin.
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feed pets
Make sure that pets are given appropriate food and water on time.
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groom animals
Prepare the environment for grooming, select the correct grooming equipment and grooming methods for the animal. Apply occupational health and safety principles, of basic animal anatomy and physiology, including the identification and reporting of any abnormalities.
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control animal movement
Direct, control or restrain some or part of an animal's, or a group of animals', movement.
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assist in transportation of animals
Assist with the transportation of animals, including the loading and unloading of animals, the preparation of the transport vehicle, and maintaining the wellbeing of the animal throughout the transport process.
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follow written instructions
Follow written directions in order to perform a task or carry out a step-by-step procedure.
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follow verbal instructions
Have the ability to follow spoken instructions received from colleagues. Strive to understand and clarify what is being requested.
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provide dog walking services
Provide dog-walking services, including activities such as agreement of services with the customer, selection and use of handling equipment, interaction with the dog, and safe and responsible dog walking.'
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work with veterinarians
Consult veterinarians and assist them in the examination and nursing of animals.
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protect health and safety when handling animals
Protect health and welfare of animals and their handlers.
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assess animal's condition
Inspect the animal for any external signs of parasites, disease or injury. Use this information to determine own actions and report your findings to owners.
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stay alert
Stay focused and alert at all times; react quickly in the case of unexpected events. Concentrate and do not get distracted performing a task over a long period of time.
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maintain customer service
Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does kennel worker fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of animals might I work with as a kennel worker?
- Kennel workers typically care for dogs and cats, but depending on the facility, you could also encounter other animals like rabbits, birds, or small mammals.
- Are there any specific skills needed beyond a love for animals?
- While a genuine affection for animals is essential, you'll also need good physical stamina, the ability to follow instructions carefully, and strong observation skills to identify potential health issues. Communication skills are important for reporting concerns to supervisors.
- What is the typical work environment like for a kennel worker?
- The work environment can be physically demanding and involve exposure to animal waste and noise. You'll primarily be working indoors, but may also spend time outdoors exercising animals. It's mostly an employment-based role.
- Kennel Worker — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 7 of the 8 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Czechia, Germany, Denmark and 3 more. One country reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Kennel Worker — what does it pay in the United States?
- $33,470 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $26,970 to $44,210. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.