Veterinary Safety & Health
Veterinary medicine and animal care workers provide medical, surgical, preventive health or animal care services for a variety of animal species in many different workplace settings. These workers are exposed to biological, chemical, physical, and psychological hazards depending on their workplace setting, species of animals worked with, and type of tasks performed.
In the United States there are more than 455,000 veterinary medicine and animal care workers, including 79,600 veterinarians, 102,000 veterinary technologists and technicians, 83,800 veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers, and 190,520 non-farm animal caretakers.
Veterinary medicine and animal care workers include:
- Veterinarians, veterinary technologists and technicians, veterinary assistants, and laboratory animal caretakers.
- Zoo and aquarium workers, including animal caretakers and grounds keepers.
- Animal shelter and animal control workers.
- Stable and kennel workers.
- Groomers.
- Animal trainers.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)