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Animal Trade Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Work-Trade Animal Care Intern

Laupahoehoe, HI · On-site

$14.25 - $19.50/hr

Company Description We are a farmed animal sanctuary located on a 13 acre property on the beautiful Hamakua coast in Laupahoehoe, Big Island Hawaii. Our purpose is to prevent cruelty to animals by ...

Vivarium Technician

Exton, PA · On-site

$15.25 - $20.50/hr

Perform daily animal husbandry tasks including feeding, watering, cage changing, and health ... Frontage is publicly traded and an award winning CRO with over 20 locations across North America ...

Represent ADM Animal Nutrition professionally during customer visits, trade shows, industry meetings, and other business events as needed. * Other duties and projects as assigned. Qualifications

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Animal Trade information

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How much do animal trade jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average hourly pay for animal trade in the United States is $24.24, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.42 and $28.85 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What jobs pay 4000 a week without a degree?

In the animal trade industry, high-paying roles such as specialized animal trainers, exotic animal handlers, or sales managers can sometimes reach $4,000 weekly without requiring a formal degree, especially with experience and certifications. These jobs often involve working in zoos, wildlife parks, or private collections, and may require skills in animal care, safety protocols, and industry knowledge.

What professions make 500,000 a year?

In the animal trade industry, high-earning professions such as specialized wildlife traders, large-scale exotic animal breeders, and certain conservation executives can reach or exceed $500,000 annually. These roles often require extensive experience, industry connections, and sometimes advanced degrees or certifications. Most high-income positions in this field are found in management, consulting, or ownership of large operations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in animal trade, and why are they important?

To thrive in animal trade, you need a solid understanding of animal husbandry, supply chain management, and relevant regulations, often supported by experience or education in agriculture, biology, or business. Familiarity with inventory management software, transport logistics systems, and compliance documentation is typically required. Strong negotiation, ethical decision-making, and communication skills help build trust and manage relationships with suppliers and clients. These skills and qualities are essential to ensure animal welfare, legal compliance, and sustainable business operations in a complex global market.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in animal trade, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in the animal trade industry often encounter challenges such as navigating complex legal regulations, ensuring animal welfare during transport, and maintaining ethical sourcing standards. Staying informed about international and local laws, such as CITES guidelines, is crucial to avoid legal pitfalls. Additionally, working closely with veterinarians and logistics experts helps ensure animals are transported safely and humanely. Building strong relationships with certified suppliers and regularly attending industry workshops can further support ethical and compliant practices.

What is animal trade?

Animal trade involves the buying, selling, and transporting of animals, either domesticated or wild, for various purposes such as pets, livestock, research, entertainment, or conservation. This trade can be local, regional, or international and is regulated by laws to ensure animal welfare, prevent the spread of disease, and protect endangered species. Both legal and illegal animal trade exist, with the latter often contributing to conservation and ethical concerns. Participants in animal trade must comply with regulations such as CITES and national wildlife laws.

Are there any trades that work with animals?

Animal trade jobs include roles such as wildlife traders, pet shop owners, and import/export specialists who handle the buying and selling of animals. These positions often require knowledge of animal care, legal regulations, and sometimes certifications in handling or transportation. Ethical considerations and compliance with laws are important in this industry.

What is the highest paying job working with animals?

The highest paying jobs working with animals include veterinary surgeons, especially specialized surgeons or those working in research or academia, with salaries often exceeding $150,000 annually. Other high-paying roles include zoological directors and animal pharmacologists, who require advanced degrees and specialized skills in animal health and behavior.

What is the difference between Animal Trade vs Animal Care Worker?

AspectAnimal TradeAnimal Care Worker
Required CredentialsNone or basic certifications in animal handlingBasic animal handling and safety certifications
Work EnvironmentMarkets, import/export facilities, pet storesAnimal shelters, veterinary clinics, pet care facilities
Employer & Industry UsagePet trade, import/export companies, pet storesAnimal shelters, veterinary clinics, pet grooming
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding animal trading careersCareers in animal care and handling

Animal Trade involves buying, selling, and importing animals, often in commercial settings like pet stores or import/export facilities. Animal Care Worker focuses on caring for animals in shelters, clinics, or grooming centers. While both roles involve working with animals, Animal Trade emphasizes sales and trade activities, whereas Animal Care Worker centers on animal welfare and daily care.

More about Animal Trade jobs
Infographic showing various Animal Trade job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 75% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $50,422 per year, or $24.2 per hour.

Work-Trade Animal Care Intern

.org/advisors

Laupahoehoe, HI • On-site

$14.25 - $19.50/hr

Full-time, Internship

Posted 27 days ago


Job description

Company Description
We are a farmed animal sanctuary located on a 13 acre property on the beautiful Hamakua coast in Laupahoehoe, Big Island Hawaii. Our purpose is to prevent cruelty to animals by rescuing animals from situations that are abusive, endangering, or neglectful, and to provide sanctuary for rescued animals. Due to the 2018 volcanic eruptions, our little sanctuary grew fast overnight! It is now home to 75 animals and counting including goats, sheep, cows, chickens, pigs, four cats, and two dogs. We have a mix of feral and domestic animals, babies to great big (600 lbs!) pigs. Each and every one loves attention and will be super excited to welcome you to the sanctuary!
Job Description
We are looking for experienced live-in animal care interns to assist with the daily animal care (which includes lots of love and cuddling!). We are looking for interns with prior animal experience who are committed to the full time animal care position for at least three (3) months to ensure you have time to get oriented, get to know and connect with all the animals, and provide continuity on projects. Every one of our animals is a cherished part of our family, and we prepare healthy meals for them 2-3 times per day, clean and maintain their shelters daily, and are always working on projects to expand the sanctuary to best serve the animals here and in the broader community.
Animal care is centered around feeding, grooming, cleaning, and training from sun-up to sun-down (6:45/7:00am sharp to approximately 6:00pm). Alternating shifts include babysitting for our special needs animals and new babies who need around the clock care and supervision, and computer/photo/video work. You will also have the opportunity to support outreach programs such as sanctuary tours, manage our social media presence, and help on construction projects like building tiny homes for our animals, a special needs animal barn, fence maintenance, etc. We have special needs animals and sometimes new babies that require around the clock supervision, so we are rotating overnight shifts in the guest room off the main house (don't worry, our babies are good sleepers so it's usually just a matter of sleeping in the room with them to ensure they are safe). Expected hours per week is approximately 30 (excluding the overnight shift) with 2 full days off per week.
The help is physically challenging (lots of walking and moderately heavy lifting) but very accessible. You will need to be able to work independently, but we all work closely here as it is our home as well as the sanctuary, and we want to be with the animals all day every day too! There are also several lovely day-shift volunteers who will manage much of the feeding and cleaning chores on their given shift, and team up with you on special projects. Our animals thrive with love and affection so chores are balanced with plenty of time to be close with the animals.
Qualifications
Ability to Commute/Relocate:
  • Laupāhoehoe, HI 96764 (Required)

Experience:
  • Farm animal care: 1 year (Preferred)

Language:
  • English fluently (Required)

License/Certification:
  • Driver's License (Required)

Additional Information
Interns live in a shared yurt, usually four at a time. We are still working on building out the yurt amenities, but it is currently a fully enclosed living space and interns use the bathroom, kitchenette, and WiFi connection at the main house. We do not allow any smoking or excessive drinking, and no animal products onsite out of respect for our rescued dairy cows, pigs, chickens, goats, etc.
Food is not provided with this position, and will be one of your only expenses while staying with us. We do ask that all volunteers maintain a vegan diet while on the property, in respect of our rescued dairy calves, pigs, and other farm animals. You will have tons of resources and support in this here if needed! Intern candidates will ideally be vegans who can also explain why these types of animals need the sanctuary we are providing them, but we can also help you learn about the issues and support you on the food front if you are not 100% there yet. We have good vegan basics at the local country store, and a fantastic chain of natural foods grocery in the bigger towns where you can buy the best vegan foods. Please absolutely no smoking, drugs, or excessive drinking on the property.
Everyone lives and works together close to the main house (our home), and it is important that we find interns with similar lifestyles to ours to ensure a good fit. We are quiet and respectful, and we enjoy working together during the days and having peaceful time on our own in the evenings once the work day is finished. We love getting to know our interns and sharing this beautiful life together, but we are also looking for individuals who can be independent in their off-work hours. The property (and Big Island in general) is a peaceful place of stunning natural beauty, but very few social activities, so interns should be okay with a small network of people to connect with and of course quiet time with the animals.
We are in a rural area so interns should be excited for the experience to totally immerse with the animals on our beautiful property for the duration of their stay. We are very happy to help you plan time to explore the island and other islands after your volunteer stay. On days off you can explore the lava fields, white sand beaches, swim with turtles and manta rays, go on breathtaking hikes with hiking groups in the area or connect with our wonderful day volunteers to explore with. Hawaii is rich with stunning natural beauty and traditional Hawaiian cultural events like Hula dancing, ukulele and slack-key guitar concerts.
Interns must be appropriately licensed to drive a car in the U.S., as we make daily trips to the country store to pick up scraps for the pigs' dinners. We try to make the truck available for interns to grocery shop and explore the island one day per week (schedule permitting, as sometimes it needs to remain onsite for sanctuary chores and in case of emergency). Interns will be responsible for the fuel costs for personal use of the truck.
We are a completely volunteer run organization and there are no paid positions available. We sincerely appreciate the time our volunteers and interns generously donate to caring for the animals and supporting our cause, and hope that you feel well compensated by the love they will shower you with every day