Pet Shop Assistant

Typical Salary

£14,500 To £17,500

Typical Hours

39 to 41 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota

How To Become a Pet Shop Assistant

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
volunteering
applying directly
a course run by a specialist training provider

College / University

You could do a qualification to improve your career prospects and show employers that you're committed to learning more about working with animals. Relevant courses include:

Level 2 Diploma in Animal Care
Level 3 Diploma in Animal Management

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

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can get into this job through an animal care and welfare assistant intermediate apprenticeship.

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

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You may not need any formal qualifications to apply to work in a pet shop. It'll help if you've got experience of working with animals or a background in retail customer service.

Other Routes

You may be able to study with specialist animal welfare college or the Pet Industry Federation for a qualification in animal care.

Course are offered online, in the workplace and at college.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

customer service skills
the ability to work well with others
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
sensitivity and understanding
the ability to use your initiative
excellent verbal communication skills
the ability to sell products and services
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

You will:

give food and water to the animals
clean out cages
groom and exercise animals
advise customers
sell pet care products
maintain stock levels
deal with deliveries
keep the store clean and tidy
check the water temperature and chemical balance in fish tanks
check all animals regularly for signs of disease

Working Environment

You could work at a store.

Career Path & Progression

Career Path & Progression are not listed for this job.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering is a great way to get experience of working with animals and could lead to paid work. You could look for opportunities with the:

Tips & Information

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.

Restrictions & Requirements