Boarding Kennel or Cattery Operator

A Boarding Kennel or Cattery Operator manages a commercial facility that provides temporary accommodation and care for domestic pets. The role involves overseeing daily animal husbandry, facility maintenance, staff coordination, and business operations to ensure animal welfare standards are met and clients' pets remain healthy and content during their stay.

Supervise daily feeding schedules and portion control for boarded animals, accommodating special dietary requirements and medical conditions. Monitor animal health and behaviour, identifying signs of illness or distress and liaising with veterinary professionals when required. Organise and oversee cleaning and sanitation of kennels, catteries, exercise areas, and shared facilities to maintain hygiene standards and prevent disease transmission. Schedule staff rosters and assign tasks such as animal care, facility cleaning, and exercise provision. Maintain records of each animal's arrival, departure, dietary needs, behavioural notes, and emergency contact information. Process client bookings, collect payment, and manage cancellation and refund policies. Source and manage inventory of pet food, bedding, cleaning supplies, and medical items within budget parameters. Conduct induction and training of staff on animal handling techniques, safety protocols, and facility procedures.

The standard entry pathway requires a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The pay is genuinely modest for a management role, and there's no clear ceiling. You're managing staff and running a business. You're also on call for emergencies (sick animals don't wait for business hours) and dealing with upset owners and stressed animals is emotionally draining day after day.

Practically speaking, you'll find them in outer metro areas and regional towns with decent populations, not remote areas. Most are small, owner-operated businesses, so remote work isn't relevant.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 1499, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Appointment Schedulingcore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Complaint Handlingcore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligencecore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Invoicing and Billing Administrationcore
• Multitaskingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Email Management
• Onboarding New Clients
• Policy and Procedure Adherence
• Problem Solving
• Rostering and Scheduling Support
• Workload Self-Management

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026