Pet daycare facilities provide social interaction and physical activities for animals while their owners are at work. Pet daycare facilities normally maintain daily operating hours during the week and may close on the weekends or over holidays. Certain facilities may also offer overnight boarding or grooming services in addition to pet daycare.

On-the-Job Training

Pet daycare facilities normally train workers on the job. Workers learn the proper way to handle and restrain animals, safety practices associated with aggressive animals and how to administer medication if necessary. Employers may teach workers how to identify injuries or conditions that require veterinary attention. Workers also learn basic administrative tasks like booking daycare appointments and collecting payments from clients.

Working Conditions

A pet daycare worker may spend equal parts of his day inside the daycare facility caring for animals and outside in play areas supervising physical activity. Pet daycare workers may work part- or full-time schedules, and some employers may require pet daycare personnel to work early morning or late evening hours to accommodate the drop-off and pick-up needs of pet owners.

Job Duties

Job duties of pet daycare workers may include refilling water bowls, laundering blankets, engaging in private playtime with guests, feeding animals and cleaning both outdoor and indoor play areas. Pet daycare personnel may also take guests on private walks, offer guided tours of the daycare facility to prospective clients, verify vaccination status of guests and maintain client files. People working in this profession may also need to administer medication, like insulin, to animals with special needs.

Salary and Career Outlook

As of May 2013, non-farm animal caretakers received an average hourly wage of $10.82, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS expects job opportunities for animal care workers to increase by 15 percent from 2012 through 2022. Pet daycare workers who have previous experience in the occupation or in animal training may have more job opportunities.

Other Considerations

A pet daycare worker has an increased risk of getting bitten or scratched by an animal during the course of her workday. Workers in this profession may be exposed to chemicals like bleach while cleaning the pet daycare facility. Pet daycare workers must enjoy working with animals in addition to interacting with clients.