Are you someone who wants to take care of cute, fluffy animals? Or ever want to turn your enthusiasm for animals into a profession. If you answered yes to these questions, then you are definitely an animal lover. To continue your passion for the same, there are many career paths that can lead you to work with animals.

1. Veterinary Doctor

Veterinary doctors are medical professionals whose job is to diagnose and treat the injuries and illnesses of animals. They also provide vaccines, first-aid, and their main responsibility is to take care of the animal’s overall health. Being an animal lover, the work of a Veterinary doctor seems to be very exciting as vets have to work with animals throughout the day, and they satisfied themselves by saving their lives. Veterinary doctors can either work with particular kind of animal such as cats or dogs, wild animals, etc. or as general veterinary can work with all kinds of pets.

How to become a Veterinary Doctor?

Interested candidates first have to complete their Bachelor’s in Veterinary Science (BVSc), the duration of which is 5 years. For admission in this course, candidates have to appear in the NEET exam after class 12th. After graduation, the candidate must register themselves with the State Veterinary Council. For license, interested candidates must have completed his/her internship under the council for 6 months. After the Bachelor’s degree, the candidate can choose a Master’s in Veterinary Science (M.V.Sc) as this will allow vets to work in a particular area of specialization.

Top Colleges for Veterinary Science

Given below are some colleges in which candidate can pursue their career for Veterinary Doctor

• Banaras Hindu University Varanasi
• Indian Veterinary Research Institute, ‎Bareilly
• The Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar
• College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Aizawl
• Veterinary College And Research Institute [VCRI], Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu and many more.

Professional Opportunities for Veterinary Doctors

• Companion animal veterinarians – Their job is to work in private hospitals and provides treatment to pet animals like dogs, cats, birds, etc.
•  Equine veterinarian – Such vets work with horses and provides medical treatment to them.
•  Food animal veterinarians – Veterinarians treat farm animals like pig, cattle, ships and provides knowledge to the farm owners about food and other health practices.
•  Food safety & Inspection Veterinarians – These veterinarians are generally involved in the research of finding and preventing diseases that may transfer among animals and between animals and humans.
• Research Veterinarians – These vets have to work in laboratories and involved in the research of finding new technical surgical techniques.

 2. Wildlife Photographer

If anyone is interested in capturing the animal’s beauty on camera by spending time close to nature and animals in the wild. Wildlife photographers spend hours in jungles, observing animal movements and patiently waiting for the perfect capture. This is a profession that provides an opportunity to love of nature with a passion for photography. Apart from patience, the candidate must have knowledge about cameras, angles, photography terminologies, usage of light, etc.

A Wallpics photo tile is a user-selected picture printed on canvas web site.

How to become a Wildlife Photographer?

Any type of degree is not required to practice wildlife photography. However, a candidate with a degree or diploma in Photography will have more knowledge and skills that can be used in this field. Interested candidate can either opt for specialisation like Bachelors in Fine Arts (B.F.A Photography), Bachelor’s degree in Photography (B.A Photography) etc., or go can pursue a diploma or short-term certification course in Wildlife Photography.

Colleges/ Institutes for Wildlife Photography

Given below is the colleges and institutes which provides career in Wildlife Photography:

• National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
•  National Institute of Photography, Mumbai
•  Delhi College of Photography, New Delhi
• Indian School of Photography, New Delhi
•  Symbiosis School of Photography, Pune
• Raghu Rai Center for Photography, Multiple Locations
•  Mass Communication Centre, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi and many more.

Professional Opportunities in Wildlife Photography

Most wildlife photographers work as freelancers. This means that they take photographs by their own interest in hopes of selling them, or such photographers may be commissioned to take photographs of certain animals. The photographs of wildlife photographer are featured in different types of publications or magazines, including books and scientific journals. Wildlife photographers generally work with travel and nature magazines on a regular basis. Some of the publishers might even hire full or part-time wildlife photographers as staff members.

3. Pet Groomer

Pet Groomers generally maintains the appearance and works on animal’s hygiene. They take care of the physical appearance of animals such as whether their nails are cut, fur is well-shaped, animals are properly groomed and de-wormed, etc. Pet groomers suggest pet owners about different accessories and dresses that may enhance their pet’s look.

How to Become a Pet Groomer?

Being a Pet Groomer doesn’t need any specific degree, but the candidate needs to pursue certificate or diploma courses that may teach specific skills required for the job, such as grooming, styling, handling pets, etc. Nowadays, there are various specialized pet grooming courses, by which candidate can learn about different pet breeds, understand various breeds of dogs and cats, administer emergency first-aid to animals, gain knowledge of grooming equipment, etc.

Colleges/ Institutes for Pet Grooming

Check the list of institutes and colleges which provide a career in Pet Grooming:

• Scoopy Scrub, New Delhi
• Fuzzy Wuzzy Pet Styling Studio and Spa, Bangalore
• PoochMate, New Delhi
•  Pet Bytes, New Delhi
•  RedPet Paws Pet Spa and Shop, New Delhi, 

Professional Opportunities in Pet Grooming

Pet Groomers have to work with veterinary doctors. They also work at different places catering to animals, such as animal salons, dog shows, etc. They groom pets and trained cats and dogs for various animal shows. They can also take care of pets nowadays living in houses. The demand for pet groomers is high as people are concerned about their pet’s grooming and hygiene.

4. Wildlife Conservation

Nowadays wildlife conservation is gaining importance at a very pace rate. As, forests are the home of the wildlife, and therefore wildlife conservation does not need to protect only the wildlife but also the forest. Conservationists mainly focus to maintain and regenerate forest wealth and resources and focuses on the preservation of wildlife.  They have to study various animal habitats, climate trends of particular areas, their demographics etc.

How to become a Wildlife Conservationist?

Interested candidate must have Physics, Chemistry and Biology in class 12th. They must pursue either a B.Sc in Forestry or a B.Sc in Wildlife Conservation. These courses will help to build a base of knowledge about forest life. During the master’s degree, the candidate can select his/her specialization from areas such as Commercial Forestry, Forest Management, Forest Economics, Veterinary Science, Wood Science & Technology etc.

Colleges/Institutes for Wildlife Conservation

Given below is the list of colleges  which provides career in Wildlife Conservation:

• Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai
• Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun
• University of Kota, Rajasthan
• Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Kerala
• Saurashtra University, Rajkot
• National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore
• Indian Institute of Forest Management, Madhya Pradesh

Professional Opportunities in Wildlife Conservation

Interested candidates can pursue any of the following professionals in the field of Wildlife conservation

• Wildlife Biologist
• Wildlife educator
• Government agencies
• Public Educator and outreach specialist
• Non-governmental organization
• GIS Specialists
• Communication and Public Relations Specialist
• Professionals have to analyse water, air, plant and soil samples; and assess how pollutants, invasive species, noise, etc. affect wildlife.

5. Animal Trainer

Animal Trainers are professionals whose responsibility is to train animals for various security agencies or events. Trainers learn to train animals such as horses for various competition or shows, marine animals for various entertainment shows, etc. One who is pursuing their career as animal trainers needs to be more patient, problem-solving ability, sensitive, and respect towards animals.

How to Become an Animal Trainer?

Interested candidate must have completed graduation in related subjects, such as Animal Science, Marine Science, Zoology, etc. There are also various institutes that provide specifically animal training programs.

Colleges/Institutes for Animal Training

Given below is the list of Institute through which a candidate can pursue a career in Animal Training 

• Animal Behavior Institute, Durham
•  Border Security Force Academy, Tekanpur; Dog Training Institute, New Delhi

Professional Opportunities in Animal Training

Given below is the list of career opportunities that a candidate can opt for according to their preferences:

•  Marine Mammal Trainer: They work with various aquatic species including whales, dolphins, sea lions, and seals. They provide training to such animals to perform behaviours on cue which can be used as a part of educational demonstrations and shows.
•  Movie Animal Trainer: Such trainers have to work with a wide variety of animal species for the purpose of the film-making industry. Apart from basic animal care duties, movie trainers bring animals to and from the set at prescribed times and train them to perform as required by the director for filming purposes.
•  Horse Trainer: Such trainers have to with racehorses or show and pleasure horses. These types of training involve careful management of the horses under a trainer’s supervision so that they can give the best performance in competition.

 6. Animal Scientist

Animal Scientists conduct research in various areas relating to animals, such as their nutrition, growth, genetics, breeding and reproduction. The research is aimed at generating better quality animal products like eggs, meat and milk. Candidates can work in a specialized subdivision, such as Animal Breeding,  Poultry Science, Dairy Science etc.

How to Become an Animal Scientist?

Interested candidates must have Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects in class 12th. Candidates must have completed graduation in Agricultural Science or they can take up certifications in Nutrition, Animal Breeding, Reproduction, and Muscle Biology along with graduation.

Colleges/Universities for Animal Scientist

Check the list for universities and colleges offering a career in Animal Scientists:

• Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jharkhand
• Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar
• Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh
• University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore

Professional opportunities in Animal Scientists

As an Animal Scientist, one can find employment in both the private and government sectors. Food production companies and processing plants employ them to improve the quality of food. The government also hires them to conduct research on animals, so that they can plan their projects efficiently and ensure it to maintain the quality and the number of animals, especially in farms. 

7. Aquarists

Aquarists are the trained professionals to take care of the animal life living in aquariums. They make sure that the fishes and other aquatic animals are fed on time and are getting everything required to maintain their life. They also make sure that the tank is clean. If a candidate is interested in working with water animals they can pursue their career in this field.

How to Become an Aquarists?

Interested candidates can pursue graduation in Veterinary Science, B.Sc in Biology, Zoology, Botany, or any other related field. As it is purely a skill-based job, it is good to have thorough multiple internships, knowledge, and qualified experience as it will increase the chances of getting a job easily.

Colleges/Universities for Aquarists

Given below is the list of the universities and colleges providing career in Aquarists:

• Delhi University
• Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Sciences University
• Punjab Agricultural University
• Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Bihar.

Professional Opportunities in Aquarists

All major aquarium companies hire aquarists to maintain/ensure the quality of their tanks. Candidates can also find employment at zoos, theme parks, animal research laboratories and can also work as an environmental advisor or consultant to help design laws and regulations to protect the environment.

8. Oceanographer

Oceanography is basically the study of the biological/physical properties of the ocean, motion and other properties of ocean waters and their impact on the climate and weather of coastal areas. Another interesting element about their job role is the studying of the relationship between freshwater, saltwater, polar ice caps, atmosphere. They usually use mathematical calculations and theories in their research to make recommendations to the government and various organizations working to save aquatic life.

How to become an Oceanographer?

Interested candidates can pursue graduation in the fields like Chemistry, Fishery Science, Earth Science, Zoology, Botany,  Microbiology along with post-graduation in Oceanography or Marine Biology as a specialization. 

Colleges/Universities for Oceanographer

Given below is the list of colleges offering a career as an Oceanographer:

• Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
• Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu
• Andhra University
•  Pondicherry University, Puducherry
•  National Institute of Oceanography, Andhra Pradesh
•  Goa University, Goa
•  Cochin University of Science and Technology,  Kerala

Professional Opportunities for Oceanographer

Given below is the list for the job opportunities as an Oceanographer:

• Marine Biology
• Marine Geology
• Marine Chemistry
• Biological Oceanography
• Atmospheric Science
• Climate Research

They are employed by the organizations such as the National Oceanography Centre, British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and various other environmental agencies.

There are many other options available that a candidate can try in the relevant field. Choose the course and convert love for animals into professions with their exciting careers.