An animal keeper, also known as an animal caretaker, animal attendant or animal-care technician, keeps animals safe, well-fed and housed in clean and appropriate environments. His job may require knowledge of the proper care of many types of animals, or he may be responsible for only one species of animal. Common settings for this job include animal shelters, clinics and kennels. More exotic workplaces may include wild animal menageries or exhibits, circuses and zoos.

In a kennel, the animal keeper is solely in charge of dogs. He is generally expected to feed each dog per standard guidelines regarding content, vitamins, supplements and whether the food is to be served dry or wet. If the animal requires medication, the keeper is normally relied upon to carefully monitor the amount and frequency of the dosage. Keeping the kennel and dogs clean and free of common parasites, such as ticks and fleas, is typically the animal keeper’s job. He also commonly plays with the animals and notes any unusual behavior or physical changes in the dogs’ gaits or appearance.

Animal shelters and clinics customarily house a wide range of animals. These regularly include common house pets, such as dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs and birds. The same guidelines used in kennel care normally apply to an animal keeper employed in these environments as well.