What Does an Animal Care Supervisor Do?
Whether a facility houses mice for medical research or dogs and horses at a veterinary school, many institutions rely on an animal care supervisor to make sure every animal is fed, housed and handled properly. The supervisor schedules the caretaking team, checks animal health and records, and keeps the facility ready for federal inspections and accreditation visits.
Also known as: Lab Animal Care Supervisor, Lab Animal Facilities Supervisor, Animal Facilities Supervisor, Veterinary Care Supervisor
Animal Care Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an animal care supervisor include:
- Schedule caretakers for daily feeding, cage changes and weekend and holiday coverage.
- Inspect animal rooms each day for health problems, water and food supply, and cleanliness.
- Report sick or injured animals to the attending veterinarian and follow up on treatment.
- Make sure husbandry follows approved IACUC protocols and the facility's standard operating procedures.
- Prepare for USDA inspections and AAALAC accreditation site visits, and fix any findings.
- Train new staff in handling, restraint, biosecurity and personal protective equipment.
- Order feed, bedding and supplies, and track stock against the facility budget.
- Monitor room temperature, humidity and light cycles, and respond to alarms after hours.
- Oversee cage-wash operations and check that sanitation equipment reaches required temperatures.
- Keep census, health and husbandry records ready for researchers and auditors.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an animal care supervisor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- AALAS certification at the LAT or LATG level
- Animal Welfare Act and IACUC procedures
- Species knowledge, from rodents to larger animals
- Biosecurity and PPE practice
- Scheduling and leading a caretaking team
- Accurate record keeping
- Calm, humane handling
- Physical stamina and comfort with cleaning work
Education and Training
With experience, caretakers can progress from animal technician to lead technician and then supervisor. In addition to hands-on experience, most research employers look for AALAS certification, often at the technician or technologist level. BLS counts this job among first-line supervisors of personal service workers, a broad group where a high school diploma and less than five years of related work are typical.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: varies widely for this role, and BLS does not publish pay for it separately. In the wider BLS group it belongs to (First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers), the middle half of earners made $39,050 to $61,100 a year, and the median was $48,590.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers.
According to BLS, employment of first-line supervisors of personal service workers is projected to grow about 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. That group also covers supervisors in many other service trades, so it is only a rough guide here. BLS expects roughly 12,000 openings a year. Research institutions and veterinary schools tend to fill supervisor posts from their own certified technicians.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, First-line supervisors of personal service workers.