Animal caretakers are also called animal attendants or animal keepers. Animal caretakers in veterinary hospitals are like primary care nurses in human hospitals. They spend more time with the patients than anyone else. It is the caretakers who keep a constant eye on the condition of the animals. Sometimes animal caretakers in veterinary hospitals have different titles and duties, veterinary technicians , veterinary assistants, and animal attendants.
Veterinary assistants feed, water, bathe, groom, and exercise animals.
They also watch as animals recover from surgery. They check whether dressings are still on correctly. Also, they watch the animals' overall attitude and tell a doctor if anything seems out of the ordinary. Kennel staff usually care for small companion animals like dogs and cats. They clean cages and dog runs.