My favorite trip was to an exotic feline facility where the highlight of many students was that they were licked by a leopard.

Hmm, that might be a good title for something.

Anyway, when I moved away from the San Diego location, I moved my animal career coaching to private sessions and have enjoyed watching some of those clients move into careers with animals.

At long last I will begin offering animal career coaching again for selected people who want to participate.

I’ll be sending out notices within a week to my subscribers so I’d urge you to make sure to sign up to the list.

A select group of individuals will be chosen to participate in a beta test of a new online program and course work designed to help you identify if you have what it takes to be involved in an animal career and then direct you into actions that can help you make the career with animals dream a reality.

I’ll be only selecting a few people for this program test and it will be fee based.

It will include some great perks and introductions to a variety of aspects in the animal field (both wild and domestic) so if you want a career with dogs or seek something more exotic–you won’t want to miss it.

The first pre-requisite is that you have to be a subscriber on my list–so sign up now and wait for the announcement!

In the past few years there have been a number of new types of pet businesses exploding across the nation, many are prominent in urban areas and some pet businesses are more susceptible to challenges when there are fluctuations in the economy.

One of the reasons for this is that many consider them non-essentials. Pet food and veterinary medical services will always be needed but not every pet service or business will be.

At the moment, it looks like we are headed into tougher times. In the past, I’ve watched specialty boutiques, training businesses, grooming services, dog walking, and pet clean up services suffer from lower demand in the face of economic hard times.

Customer service and quality products or services can help fight against economic ups and downs but there are a few things to consider. One of the things many pet businesses do is diversify.

Not too long ago I remember when most groomers refused to sell products. I had been commissioned by one of the major pet wholesale distributors to open up that market since they had been unsuccessful at doing that.

It would seem like this would be a no-brainer but most didn’t want to deal with sales or keeping products on the shelf clean. I have to admit that in my training business at the time I preferred to refer to local pet businesses for products so as not to compete–and to create goodwill so that my business would thrive from the referrals for animal behavior instead.

However, as time passed many of those business owners realized that they were missing on out sales that could increase their revenue and create an additional income on a regular basis. Today, I still refer but I also have product on hand to sell to clients and have my own proprietary products as they are a big boost to the bottom line.

Another strategy is to network with other pet related services and businesses. Cooperation and cross referral creates good will and additional customer loyalty—not to mention the additional dollars from sales.

My point in bringing this up is to challenge those who are interested in pet businesses to use a bit of creative thought on how to make your business as profitable and stable as you can.

Think about ways you can increase revenue, keep current clients and customers happy, and attract new clients. If you make these efforts part of the business plan, should the economy takes a serious hit, your business will continue to move forward despite challenges.

While I am on the topic, many businesses start up with little capital to fund their first years. In general, most businesses will fail in the first five years and it would be a good idea to do ample research, construct a good business plan, and consult with experts who can help steer you in the right direction.

If you do decide your own business is the way to go, the groundwork you do in advance will save you heartache and stress in the future.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Animal Career Secrets Shares Link to Pet Detectives. All content copyrighted 2007 by Diana L Guerrero. Some rights reserved.

In a recent post I discussed pet detective careers and gave you some resources for pursuing information related to the career along with a few book recommendations but I forgot to post some of the articles on working pet detectives that I thought you might find useful and interesting.

I am not endorsing any particular pet detective and have only included articles or videos I have found. If you are seeking a pet detective to help find your lost pet you can conduct a search from this site using the Google Box to your right. Use the term, pet detective, pet hunter, pet search and rescue.

As promised, here are a few articles. Feel free to add you suggestions by using the comment box below:

Kat Albrecht FAQ 

Hope McClure, Pet Detective Interview at the Founding Bin

Landa Coldiron, Pet Detective Article Links

Ellie Mae the Blood Hound Video

Millie Sharpe, Pet Detective Article

John Keane, Pet Detective Sherlock Bones

Animal Career Secrets explores how to avoid internet garbage content. All content copyrighted 2007 by Diana L Guerrero. Some rights reserved.

The Internet has changed drastically since I first launched my authority site in 1995. Today you have to be careful to sort through content that is generated simply to drive you into a site. The idea is that if they get you to their site, perhaps you will purchase something or click through to generate an income at that site.

Since I need to stay on top of the many changes and trends within the animal world, I track news and key phrases. When I started my authority site back in 1995 there was not a lot of garbage. Today, I see a bunch of it all around the Internet. These are sites that promise information but give out poor advice or erroneous material.

In some cases the websites or blogs are simply set up to attract people and generate an income. These website use click throughs or encourage visitors to purchase related material–some of which is just junk. Today alone, five emails promising valuable material on the animal career topic arrived but zero contained anything useful. Out of hundreds of promising content only about two dozen seem to give me anything worthwhile in all the topics I track.

This space waster titled, Careers with Animals offered nothing useful for anyone seeking an animal career. I link it here to show you an example of how the article came to me; it used key words and lots of them. In addition, they have a variety of ads for the key words. I was disgusted that I wasted my time to click onto the page and sadly they probably do well with their ads. This is the age of internet marketing–so what can you do?

In most cases, I would recommend that you review the link before clicking into a site from a search engine. You can use a mouse rollover to view the URL from an email or search engine and over time you begin to discern what is wasteful.

One solution is a nifty download from SNAP. It can be added to your browser or used in your blogs or websites–I have it on my other sites and hope to incorporate it here too. I like that I can preview the site before clicking over into it. I can’t tell you how many times it has saved me from wasting time surfing the web.

Careers with animals is a specialty area and poor material is a waste of your time. I’m tracking a few sites now to see how they develop. You can look forward to Animal Career Secrets providing website reviews, book reviews, programs, and linking to valuable content to save you time and hopefully helping steer you into quality animal career content.

My hope is that these efforts will save you some time and direct you to resources that are useful–because there are many that are not.

Here is a great commentary from Christie over at the Pet Connection about sorting through the mess.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Many people think they should focus their animal career interest to one type of animal. Personally, I think this is a mistake. You’d be more vulnerable to industry changes and find fewer jobs you could qualify for.

Animal groups of interest would be a better choice. Wanting to work with tigers is not as sound as working with large wild cats. Selecting lemurs is perhaps a better choice but focusing on primate would allow you to have more animal career job options.

Once you have narrowed down what type of animals you are interested in, you should then begin to look at what specific area of interest you have in working with them. If you are interested in domestic animal care-taking, for instance, then you should consider such things as pet-sitting, humane society work, kennel attendant, or something related.

If you like the scientific side of things, you could get more into the medical area, and could consider studying to become a veterinarian, veterinary technician, laboratory technician, biologist, genetics specialist or something along those lines.

In the psychology realm, you could consider becoming an animal trainer, animal behavior consultant, or animal psychologist. There are also opportunities for studies on the human and animal bond from within the animal welfare area, and a variety of other types of work with therapy animals and related research from the clinical realm.

If you are interested in wild or exotic animal work, it gets more complicated. You need to ask the same questions as above, and decide where you want to ultimately be in your own country or another one? If you pick a foreign country, you will need to know what the culture is like, what languages are used, and what the political complications may be.

After you have decided what animals or species you are interested in, ask yourself if it is a realistic goal. Carefully review or list those animals that most attract you. Do you want to work with captive animals or wild animals? Any particular species? Marine mammals, terrestrial animals, or do you care? Where will you be in ten years if you are in that work? Do you want indoor or outdoor work?

You will need to really get a good feel about this to see if it is the right area for you, and what you will want to do for a career. For instance, many careers with animals do not pay well. If that is a concern, could you do animal work part-time? What about just helping from a volunteer or docent position? Once you narrow down what kind of work you are interested in and in what capacity, there are a few steps you can take.

One of the first things to do is to start reading related publications; this can be professional journals, books on the subject, and company or organizational reports. Many times your local public library or college/university library will have some of these specialty works. If not, check to see if some of your local professionals will refer you to a professional library source, or perhaps let you look at some of their personal subscriptions. I’ll get into this a little more in my next post.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Rumors that I am off reading Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows are not true but it isn’t a bad idea…I was traveling all day yesterday and today was a full day with appointments and other commitments but in all that activity I remembered another question that was posed by a reader.

I mentioned that apprenticing is a good way to get experience but many people call that volunteering or interning. Basically the underlying experience is the same—you gain practical experience and first hand knowledge before you make the commitment to an education program for that career AND commit to that professional field.

The hands-on work is vital to get before you make a final decision on what career path to pursue. I know that I did not want to be a veterinarian because I didn’t want to work with sick animals—and because all the exotic animals I knew hated their veterinarians—and I wanted them to like me!

Also, the veterinary medical field is similar to studying for a medical degree and you have to have the stomach for all things bloody and yucky. I know that isn’t too professional sounding but it gets the point across.

Even unpaid positions require preparation and commitment. You need to show up for work and work hard because you are being prepared for a career and those working with you will pass the information on to others in the field.

Most of the people who end up in jobs work hard to get to know the professionals in the animal career of their dreams. When I was in the marine mammal world, I knew pretty much everyone working in the local oceanariums, networked at the meetings instead of playing, and really studied the natural history of the animals I was interested in.

If you remember nothing else when you are miserably doing a job you consider menial—but which is probably a vital task for animal management—remember that the work you are doing as an intern, volunteer, or apprentice is a foot in the door and a step onto the ladder of the animal career you dream about.

In some cases, it is a rude awakening that you are not suited for that particular role. Often people find that they are really better at something else instead of the role they thought they would pursue.

Okay, that is it for today. I’ll get into some meatier topics this weekend.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

It was a relief to leave the private animal facility and animal acting world but when I landed at the “Harvard of animal trainers” it didn’t seem much different—except for that I was now accepted into the zoo realm.

Most people think that if you work with animals that you know everyone in the field. They also think that all the different realms of the animal industry are similar—they are not.

As animal trainers we were glorified in some circles but were snubbed in others. Believe it or not, at one time the zoo industry looked down on private animal facilities (and in some circles they still do) even though most zoological parks started as private menageries that evolved into the facilities you see today.

I wrote an animal behavior column for animal professionals for about ten years. When I decided to write about a privately owned primate the wrath of the readership reared up—but no bothered to talk to me about it! In the end I dedicated an entire column to why, as an animal behavior consultant, I would help someone who had a captive exotic animal as a pet.

Also, just because you work with captive wildlife doesn’t mean that you will interface with others. Marine mammal trainers are in their own industry just as the primatologists are.

In the animal training world, the horse people don’t usually interface with the dog world or the cat fancy unless they work for the movie studios. If you take a look into the dog world you will find that service dogs, therapy dogs, search and rescue, agility, obedience, and other specialty trainers don’t all mix either.

So, you see things can get really confusing which is why I wanted you to answer some of those questions in my earlier posts. The important point is that there really is not a blanket “animal industry” of one size fits all.

Ultimately, my decision to go to college for animal training and behavior management was a good one. The academic training and rigorous demands of the program came with a gold seal of approval.

At the time I beat out 1300 applicants for my spot and once in the elite group was able to meet and interact with industry professionals from around the world. The seal of approval allowed me to enter the gates of zoos, oceanariums, and other animal facilities as a colleague—and I was treated as an up and coming professional.

But that was not all; I worked my tush off and began networking so I would become known to industry leaders. It worked pretty well—but it was not really intentional—I was passionate about my career and very driven to make it a reality.

So, my point here is that although I have stressed that an apprenticeship program is really vital to becoming a good animal person, you also should get some academic training under your belt, too. The collegiate experience will give you tools and understanding that will take you beyond what the visceral experience gets you.

Basically, you get the competitive edge.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Oliver Dingwell conducted his first pet funeral, which commemorated the unfortunate passing of Freddy the Frog, when he was just six years old [read more about Oliver Dingwell… ] but other than the fact that Oliver’s is a whopping twelve years old, the career path isn’t too unusual—any more.

The 1900s were significant as animals and pets moved from utilitarian roles and workers into the homes to become valued family members. Pet cemeteries and burials began to become more common right at the turn of the century.

In fact, Hartsdale Pet Cemetery has the distinction of being one of the oldest established pet cemeteries in the United States. Hartsdale Canine Cemetery was originally established in 1896 by a prominent veterinarian and was one of a few early trend setting businesses in the pet cemetery and pet crematoria fields.

However, pet burial services have a much longer history. For instance, the National History Museum in Los Angeles estimates that the presence of pets in human burials began between 14, 000 and 9,000 years ago.

In my interview with Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist with the Cairo Museum, she said that animal mummification reached its pinnacle of popularity between 664-525 BCE. There was an evolution from animals being interred in the tombs of their owners, or with their owners, to that of animal specific burial grounds—and some even warranted their own tombs.

In my research for Blessing of the Animals (ISBN 1402729677) I found that many of the newest trends really took hold in the 1990s, but that early innovators began holding ceremonies and celebrations as early as the 1970s.

Pet services in the pet burial and pet memorial field that are gaining momentum include pet hospice worker, pet funeral director, and pet bereavement counselor. I believe that this field is still at the early stages and will only increase as the numbers of pets within households age and their status as valued furry family members solidifies.

Because the industry is still pretty new, just what qualifications you will need are not clear. The academic training falls under Mortuary Science (no, I am not kidding) where the minimum is a Bachelors degree. There are a few US programs available to animal career seekers but these are not specifically animal oriented. I just received a special report from the industry concerning pet trends so check back because I’ll put this in a special report about the pet burial industry in the near future.

Most workers in the field of memorial or burial services state that it is very rewarding and it must be since the average funeral director salary is estimated to be an average of about $45,000 a year according to the US Board of Labor estimate.

Leanne McMahon (Read more about Leanne McMahon) is a pet funeral director who said, “Simply put, I believe I have the best job in the world. I believe that I’m helping families, particularly when they need that help.”

Today, there are a couple of professional organizations specifically for pet cemetery and crematoria businesses. If you are interested in an animal career find out who the members are in your area. Leave me a comment because I’d be happy to conduct interviews, record them, and post them for you if you have specific questions.

Founded in 1971, the International Association of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories (IAOPCC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of pet cemeteries through public awareness programs.

The Association of Private Pet Cemeteries & Crematoria is the largest and longest established pet bereavement trade association within the United Kingdom and set the standards for the cremation and burial of pets.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Careers for Animal Lovers & Other Zoological Types by Louise Miller has been out since 2000 but remains a good beginning resource as you start to search a career. The text is geared towards all ages but I’d recommend it to students who are beginning to explore just what types of animal jobs fit their interests and what some of the requirements are for those careers with animals.

The book is different in that it categorizes the jobs under the general types of work such as “Training and Handling Our Best Friends” and “Protecting Our Furred and Feathered Friends” and even “Building a Business Around Animals.”

What I like about the book is that Miller actually looks at the strengths and skill sets and then talks about the careers with animals that might be of interest (This goes along with that list I had you do early on…remember?)

The author discusses the types of careers within the different agencies-everything from clerical to management so it doesn’t specifically talk just about the touchy-feely aspects of the jobs available.

Because the industry has changed drastically over the past ten to fifteen years you’ll need to do some digging and round out your research with some other resources.

I’ve heard seekers complain about the fact that animal career books or articles do not get into salary ranges. My advice? Get over the complaining and do some work to find that information on your own.

Salaries vary greatly throughout the country–and also depending on the agency. If you take my tips to start reading specific journals and building industry relationships you’ll find the salary ranges there or by simply picking up the phone and calling the human resource office of the facility you are interested in working for.

Louise Miller just updated another career book (which I will review later) and so I am guessing this book will be updated soon as well.

If you are just starting to research animal careers buy Careers for Animal Lovers & Other Zoological Typesby Louise Miller now.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and writes for a variety of websites.

So, this question crossed my desk and I thought it might be worth taking a short look at: What is the minimum degree you should have to obtain a career with animals?

It really depends on the type of animal career you are seeking. In future posts on Animal Career Secrets readers will get assistance in narrowing their interests down and learning about animal careers that they might not ever have heard of. This will be helpful because there is a wide range of requirements between the many types of careers with animals.

For instance, if you are applying at a municipal zoo, the competition is tough and most are looking for the minimum of a Bachelor’s degree. If you want to move up through the ranks you either have to be around for a long time or work on a more advanced degree.

However, the degree or experience requirements at other types of jobs vary. In the animal behaviorist realm, which has only been a profession for the 15-20 years, there is a board certification for veterinary behavior but some jobs may accept a bachelor in arts or science while others may look for a master degree. It requires research on the seeker’s part—which I’ll explain how to do a little bit later because that is a whole topic in itself.

In other cases, aptitude wins out over a degree but these types of animal jobs tend to be in the private sector or in private non-traditional types of jobs. Sometimes facilities look for special certifications for the specific practice or job–so you don’t need a degree but you do need the specialized training or continuing education.

I’ve schedules a couple of interviews with industry leaders who are starting some institutes for specialized training in two specific fields where there historically hasn’t been much regulation or guidelines for operation. This is significant and will signal some big changes in the areas of animal training and animal communication.

Since the animal industry is growing at a rapid rate there will be more and more changes such as these. Each has a unique answer and not a blanket approach. So, if you are seeking a career with animals I would recommend the following:

List the types of animals you are interested in working with.

List the types of animal jobs you think would fit your interests and lifestyle.

List the activities that give you the most joy.

Find professional literature and organizations relevant to those jobs and interests and begin reading them.

Once you have taken the above actions, you can begin delve into the types of animal jobs that fit within your lists. You will become familiar with what actually goes on within the field and who the industry icons are. Then you can begin to find out what specifically is needed while you develop important contacts along the way.

I’ll provide more questions and resources for you to help you narrow down your selection but you really have to get into some soul searching and details first so you don’t waste your time in the quest for your dream animal job or animal career.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and writes for a variety of websites including Ark Animals.