Build your career as a Veterinary Assistant

environment & animal & studies

Veterinary Assistant

If you have a passion for animals and want a hands-on role in their care, a career as a Veterinary Assistant could be a great fit. Working alongside veterinarians and vet nurses, you’ll assist with animal handling, clinic administration, and basic care, ensuring the well-being of pets and wildlife. This rewarding career offers opportunities in vet clinics, animal hospitals, shelters, and research facilities, with plenty of room to grow into specialised roles.

If you love working with animals and want to turn your passion into a fulfilling career, take the next step today and start making a difference. 

Explore your career as an:

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EMPLOYED 25,400
PART-TIME SHARE 39%
AVERAGE FULL-TIME HOURS 46
MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS $1,280

The demand for Veterinary Assistants in Australia is steadily growing, driven by the increasing number of pet owners and advancements in animal healthcare. Clinics, hospitals, and shelters are always in need of skilled professionals to support veterinarians and ensure smooth daily operations. This role can also serve as a stepping stone to more advanced positions in veterinary nursing or animal welfare, offering plenty of opportunities for career progression in the animal care industry.

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What can you expect from working as a Veterinary Assistant?

Veterinary assistants support animal care professionals by providing essential care and assistance to animals in various settings. Key duties typically include:

  • Animal Training: Teaching animals to obey verbal and non-verbal commands and addressing behavioural issues.
  • Performance Training: Training animals to accept riders, pull vehicles, or perform in competitions.
  • Grooming & Hygiene: Bathing, cutting, combing, blow-drying, and styling pets’ coats, as well as clipping their nails and cleaning their ears.
  • Cage & Enclosure Maintenance: Inspecting, preparing, cleaning, disinfecting, and maintaining comfortable animal cages and enclosures.
  • Feeding & Nutrition: Transporting food, filling water troughs, and feeding animals according to their individual dietary needs.
  • Health Monitoring: Maintaining animal health records, treating minor injuries, and reporting serious conditions to veterinarians.
  • Animal Enrichment: Exercising and playing with animals, answering visitor questions, and transferring animals between enclosures by leading or carrying them.
  • Pest Control: Dusting and spraying insecticides on animals or immersing them in insecticide baths to control insect pests.

How to become a Veterinary Assistant?

To become a Veterinary Assistant, you typically need a certificate or diploma in animal care or veterinary assisting. Gaining hands-on experience through volunteer work or internships at vet clinics and animal shelters can also help you get started. Online courses make it easier to enter this field by providing flexible study options, industry-relevant training, and practical knowledge to prepare you for real-world vet clinic environments.

ACM20121

Certificate II in Animal Care

Get ready to spend your days surrounded by animals. Equip yourself with the practical skills to set yourself up for a long-term career in this popular industry. By graduating industry-ready you will enjoy a diverse range of career opportunities.
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*The information on this page is sourced from the Jobs and Skills Australia website, based on their occupational data collected in May 2024. Where job titles may not be exact matches, related job areas have been used. This data is intended as a guide only.

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