Top 18 Animal Care Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

Updated on: October 21, 2021

Animal care assistants are interviewed quite thoroughly before they are hired, as not everyone can be hired as one.

Animal Care Assistant Interviewers determine if the individual has an inherent love for animals, and can look after their physical and emotional needs.

Therefore, you will need to make sure that you prepare well for the interview process, well in advance.

In the animal care assistant interview, you will be judged on your knowledge of looking after animals by performing a wide array of work processes.

Specifically, an interviewer will judge your ability to clean and groom animals and your knowledge of preparing food and feeding them.

Since you will be responsible for the wellness of another living being, it is imperative that you show your gentle side to an interviewer.

By going through the following set of interview questions and answers for an animal care assistant position, you can prepare for the process flawlessly:

18 Common Interview Questions and Answers for Animal Care Assistant

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I possess an inherent love for animals of all kinds, which is why I chose to work in animal care 3 years ago. I have volunteered my services in kennels and catteries, which is how I know most of the work that needs to be done to ensure their wellbeing and health.

2. Tell me something about the work duties that you have performed in an animal care assistant position.

As an animal care assistant, I have been busy performing many tasks, including cleaning and bathing animals, and performing grooming work. I have also been busy preparing food for assigned animals, and ensuring that they eat in a timely manner. In addition, my work involves checking them for signs of illnesses or discomforts and taking necessary actions to ensure their comfort.

3. What are some of the skills that you possess which make you an excellent person to work at this position?

My main skill is my love for animals. I call it a skill because there is no way that you can work in animal care unless you love animals inherently. Apart from this, I possess excellent knowledge of providing well-placed care for each animal, according to its specific needs. I am also well-versed in treating animals for mild illnesses and can handle wound care effectively. The ability to exercise animals according to their particular breed is also a great skill.

4. Have you ever been bitten by an animal? How did you react?

I have been bitten by animals many times. If there is one thing that I know about animals is that they never bite unless they are scared or threatened. I do not hold it against them. My method when something like this happens is to calm them down so that their aggression is subdued.

5. What is your greatest strength?

My greatest strength is my ability to handle more than one animal at a time, without feeling any kind of pressure.

6. What is your greatest weakness?

I get emotionally attached to all the animals assigned to me. It makes it difficult when they are adopted, or when they pass on.

7. How do you intend on handling this weakness?

Since I do not react openly when an animal is taken away from me, I believe that I already handle it pretty well.

8. Do you feel that being attached to animals is natural?

Being attached to animals is not natural for everyone. It is only natural for people who have an inherent love for all living beings.

9. How do you handle aggressive animals when they are shifted to your kennel or cattery?

I am trained in handling aggressive animals by performing some techniques that I am trained in. By giving them enough time and love, they always lose their aggression.

10. How do you feel about working in a physically exhausting environment?

I do not mind working in a physically exhausting environment, as I am both agile and dexterous. And since this is all part and parcel of the work, I do not think much about exhaustion.

11. Do you have any experience in assisting vets with vaccines?

Yes. Working with vets to ensure that all animals get their shots on time is something that I am quite proficient in.

12. What is your take on cleanliness and sanitization of the facility?

I feel that cleaning all spaces within a facility is of great importance. This is why I spend a great deal of my time cleaning out kennels, cages, and other animal living quarters.

13. Do you have any experience in handling animal adoption procedures?

I have solid experience in handling animal adoption procedures, as far as interviewing adopters, and handling paperwork are concerned.

14. How do you feel about exposure to unpleasant odors and noises?

Since I have been working in animal care for such a long time, I am immune to unpleasant odors and noises. They do not bother me one bit.

15. What is your experience in providing medical care to animals?

I can effectively administer oral medication to animals assigned to me. And I can perform wound care with excellence as well.

16. Tell me of a time when you found something unusual in your present place of work.

I was once doing a night shift when I noticed that one of the animals assigned to another animal care assistant was behaving oddly. She was going around in circles and looked like she was in pain. I investigated the matter, and in the course of the next 2 days, I realized that she had a brain infection that her caretaker had failed to notice. It was first for me too.

17. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

I hope to be running my own kennel or cattery within the next 5 years.

18. Do you have any questions for me?

I am interested in knowing more about the type of animals that your facility hosts.

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