Description
Prepare, portion, and deliver food and water to animals in kennels, shelters, zoos, and aquariums, following species-specific diets and schedules. Monitor appetite and basic health indicators, maintain accurate feeding records, and clean and sanitize feeding equipment and areas. Manage feed inventory and storage conditions and coordinate with caretakers and veterinarians on diet updates.
- • Feed and water animals according to schedules and diet plans.
- • Measure and portion feed per species and individual needs.
- • Mix liquid formulas, supplements, and prescribed medications into food.
- • Prepare specialized diets, including chopping, thawing, and weighing items.
- • Deliver meals to enclosures and confirm access for each animal.
- • Observe animals during feeding to detect illness, injury, or stress.
- • Record food intake, refusals, and appetite or behavior changes.
- • Report concerns to supervisors or veterinarians promptly.
- • Clean and sanitize bowls, bottles, feeding tools, and prep areas.
- • Maintain cleanliness of feeding stations and dispose of food waste properly.
- • Receive, unload, label, and store feed and supplies.
- • Rotate stock and monitor expiration dates to ensure freshness.
- • Monitor refrigerator, freezer, and dry-storage temperatures and logs.
- • Conduct inventory counts and request or place orders as needed.
- • Follow biosecurity, PPE, and cross-contamination prevention procedures.
- • Use carts, scales, and transport containers to stage and deliver feed safely.
- • Update diet sheets, labels, and feeding schedules as directed.
- • Assist with enrichment and training feeds per staff instructions.
- • Shift or separate animals safely to allow controlled feeding.
- • Communicate feeding notes during handoffs and team briefings.
- • Support public feeding demonstrations by answering basic questions and enforcing safety rules.
- • Adjust feeding routines during breeding, birthing, quarantine, or exhibit changes.
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Agriculture
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
