Kennel Worker

Typical Salary

£12,000 To £17,000

Typical Hours

38 to 40 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays flexibly

How To Become a Kennel Worker

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
volunteering
applying directly

College / University

You could take a college course, for example:

Level 1 Certificate in Introduction to Animal Care
Level 2 Diploma in Animal Management

2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

Apprenticeship

You can do an intermediate apprenticeship as an animal care and welfare assistant or an advanced apprenticeship in animal care.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

There are no set qualifications for applying directly to become a kennel worker. Some employers may ask you for GCSE grades at 9 to 4 (A* to C), including maths and English.

Experience of working with animals will be useful.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to use your initiative
to be flexible and open to change
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to work well with others
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
customer service skills
excellent verbal communication skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day tasks might include:

preparing food and feeding the animals
keeping animals clean and grooming them
exercising dogs in a yard or taking them for walks
cleaning out kennels and cages
maintaining cages, runs and grounds
looking after animals which are elderly, ill or distressed
answering telephone calls and greeting visitors to the premises

Working Environment

You could work in kennels or at an animal welfare centre.

Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression

Career Path & Progression are not listed for this job.

Volunteering Opportunities

Competition for full-time jobs is strong. Volunteering is a useful way to get experience and shows employers that you are enthusiastic and interested in working with animals.

You can find out about opportunities for volunteering in your area from:

Tips & Information

Career tips

Kennel work is very practical and experience of working with animals, paid or unpaid, could improve your job prospects.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in animal care from the National Land Based College UK and the The College of Animal Welfare.

Restrictions & Requirements

You may need a driving licence for some jobs.