Occupation 6129 · Caring, leisure and other service occupations
Job holders in this unit group care for animals held in kennels, stables, zoos and similar establishments, provide specialised training, grooming, clipping and trimming services for animals, and searches for and captures stray or nuisance dogs in public areas and perform a variety of animal care tasks not elsewhere classified in minor group 612: Animal care and control services.
Entry is possible without formal academic qualifications, although some employers may ask for GCSEs/S grades. There is a variety of vocational qualifications available, including NVQs/SVQs in Animal Care at levels 1 and 2, in Dog Grooming at levels 2 and 3, and BTEC qualifications and apprenticeships relating to Horse Care.
Animal technician · Canine beautician · Dog walker · Groom · Kennel assistant · Stable hand · Veterinary nursing assistant
| Measure | Hours | Basis | Period | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | None | 2026-03 | 86,300.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | None | 2026-03 | 89,800.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | None | 2026-03 | 100,500.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | None | 2026-03 | 1,700.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | None | 2026-03 | 10,700.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | None | 2026-03 | 102,200.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | None | 2026-03 | 3,500.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.
| Region | Measure | Hours | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 15,800.00 | 2026-03 |
| East Midlands | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 7,400.00 | 2026-03 |
| London | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 7,500.00 | 2026-03 |
| North East | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 6,900.00 | 2026-03 |
| North West | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 9,200.00 | 2026-03 |
| Northern Ireland | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 1,700.00 | 2026-03 |
| Scotland | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 10,700.00 | 2026-03 |
| South East | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 13,800.00 | 2026-03 |
| South West | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 9,600.00 | 2026-03 |
| Wales | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 3,500.00 | 2026-03 |
| West Midlands | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 8,200.00 | 2026-03 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 6129 : Animal care services occupations n.e.c. | None | 7,800.00 | 2026-03 |
ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 12 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.