Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.

The occupation "Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers" has a moderate automation risk of 30.0%, closely aligning with its base risk estimate of 30.4%. This suggests that while some aspects of the role are susceptible to automation, many critical functions still require human intervention. The moderate risk is largely due to the hands-on, nuanced, and empathetic care that animals require—qualities that are challenging for machines to replicate entirely. Automation in veterinary support settings can streamline certain routine tasks but is limited by the unpredictability and sensitivity associated with animal care. As such, while technological advancements may gradually change the landscape, complete automation of this occupation remains unlikely in the near future. The three tasks within this occupation that are most automatable are: holding or restraining animals during veterinary procedures, monitoring animals recovering from surgery and notifying veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms, and filling medication prescriptions. These tasks tend to be more structured and follow specific protocols, making them suitable for mechanization, robotics, or digital monitoring systems. For instance, automated restraint devices and monitoring systems already exist in some advanced veterinary facilities and pharmacies increasingly use automated systems to fill prescriptions. However, even these tasks often benefit from human oversight to ensure both animal safety and emotional comfort. On the other hand, the tasks most resistant to automation highlight the ongoing necessity of human involvement. Grooming, trimming, or clipping animals’ coats, administering anesthetics and monitoring their effects during surgery, and dusting, spraying, or bathing animals to control pests demand a high degree of manual dexterity, observational skill, and adaptability to animal behavior. The main bottleneck skills in the occupation are originality, with reported levels of 2.3% and 2.0%, reflecting the need for creative problem-solving in unexpected situations. Animals’ physical reactions and needs can vary widely, requiring assistants to adapt procedures and show empathy—abilities still difficult for automated systems to replicate. Thus, cultivating skills like originality and hands-on care will remain vital for professionals in this field.