# Animal Caretakers

US SOC code 39-2021. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/39-2021

Also called: Animal care worker, Kennel attendant, Kennel technician, Pet groomer, Dog groomer.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **266,910** US animal caretakers, with median pay of **$35,360** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **277,300**, in May 2024, close to the May 2025 count. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/history-of-animal-shelters) of **12,000** from 1900, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for animal caretakers: Kennel management software, 2010 to 2022.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 12.1% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=39-2021&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **18.2%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Animal Caretakers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1869
- Latest US employment: 266,910 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $35,360 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [12]
- Outlook: +12.1% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [35]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 65220)
  - Employment, 2020: 25,095. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [6]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 65220 Pet groomers and animal care workers, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$28,200. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [17]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 65220 Pet groomers and animal care workers, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.
- **United Kingdom** (UK SOC 6129)
  - Employment, 2025: 25,000. Source: ONS ASHE 2025 [9]. ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Table 14): employee jobs in SOC 6129 Animal care services occupations n.e.c., United Kingdom, 2025 (ASHE "number of jobs", thousands x1000; excludes self-employment). Open Government Licence v3.0.
  - Median pay, 2025: £23,345. Source: ONS ASHE 2025 [20]. ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Table 14.7a): median gross annual pay for all employee jobs in SOC 6129 Animal care services occupations n.e.c., United Kingdom, 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0.
- **Australia** (ANZSCO 3611)
  - Employment, 2025: 28,500. Source: ABS Labour Force Survey [10]. ABS Labour Force Survey (Detailed), table EQ08: employed persons in ANZSCO 3611 Animal Attendants and Trainers, national (summed across sex and state/territory), annual average of 4 quarterly estimates.
  - Median pay, 2025: A$66,352. Source: ABS Employee Earnings May 2025 [21]. Annualised (x52) from A$1,276 median weekly earnings. ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025: median pay for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, before tax. Surfaced via the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile.

### All 25 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1900 | 12,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Dogster [1] |
| 1990 | 118,000 (estimate) | $12,500 (estimate) | Est., APPA (employment) [2]; Est., BLS Career Outlook 2015 (pay) [11] |
| 2003 | 85,440 | $17,190 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [3] |
| 2004 | 81,110 | $17,460 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [3] |
| 2005 | 100,550 | $17,720 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [3] |
| 2006 | 108,130 | $18,140 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [3] |
| 2007 | 118,760 | $18,890 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [3] |
| 2008 | 126,740 | $19,360 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [3] |
| 2009 | 132,860 | $19,550 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [3] |
| 2010 | 135,070 | $19,550 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [3] |
| 2011 | 144,240 | $19,510 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [3] |
| 2012 | 150,140 | $19,690 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [3] |
| 2013 | 154,350 | $19,910 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [3] |
| 2014 | 161,820 | $20,340 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [3] |
| 2015 | 174,060 | $21,010 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [3] |
| 2016 | 187,360 | $21,990 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [3] |
| 2017 | 190,520 | $22,950 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [3] |
| 2018 | 199,850 | $23,760 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [3] |
| 2019 | 212,450 | $24,780 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 193,660 | $26,080 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 225,680 | $28,600 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 256,670 | $29,530 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 268,830 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS May 2023 (employment) [3]; BLS OEWS May 2023 (pay) [13] |
| 2024 | 277,300 | $33,470 | BLS OEWS May 2024 (employment) [3]; BLS OEWS May 2024 (pay) [14] |
| 2025 | 266,910 | $35,360 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (107)

### Employment series

1. [Dogster -- "The History of Animal Shelters and Dog Adoption in the United States" (early shelter workforce context)](https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/history-of-animal-shelters), Dogster / Vet Reviewed
2. [APPA -- National Pet Owners Survey history: tracking pet ownership since 1988](https://americanpetproducts.org/research-insights), American Pet Products Association
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
4. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
5. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada
7. ONS: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14.7a (Annual pay - Gross), 4-digit SOC 6139, United Kingdom. Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0., Office for National Statistics. Editions: [2006](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2006consistentw_007methodology/2006-table-14.zip), [2010](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2010revised/2010-revised-table-14.zip), [2011](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2011revisedbasedonsoc2010/2011-revised-table-14.zip), [2015](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2015/table142015revised.zip), [2020](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2020revised/table142020revised.zip)
8. [ONS: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14.7a (Annual pay - Gross), 4-digit SOC 6129, United Kingdom, 2022. Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2022revised/ashetable142022revised.zip), Office for National Statistics
9. [ONS: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14.7a (Annual pay - Gross), 4-digit SOC 6129, United Kingdom, 2025. Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2025provisional/ashetable142025provisional.zip), Office for National Statistics
10. [ABS: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, table EQ08 (Employed persons by Occupation unit group, ANZSCO 2013), latest release](https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia-detailed/latest-release), Australian Bureau of Statistics

### Wage series

11. [BLS Career Outlook 2015 -- "Working with Animals": historical wage context for animal care occupations](https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/working-with-animals.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
12. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
13. [BLS OEWS May 2023 -- 39-2021 Animal Caretakers (employment and wage data)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes392021.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
14. [BLS OOH -- Animal Care and Service Workers (median annual wage $33,470 in May 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/animal-care-and-service-workers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
15. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
16. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
17. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada
18. ONS: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14.7a (Annual pay - Gross), 4-digit SOC 6139, United Kingdom. Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0., Office for National Statistics. Editions: [2006](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2006consistentw_007methodology/2006-table-14.zip), [2010](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2010revised/2010-revised-table-14.zip), [2011](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2011revisedbasedonsoc2010/2011-revised-table-14.zip), [2015](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2015/table142015revised.zip), [2020](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2020revised/table142020revised.zip)
19. [ONS: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14.7a (Annual pay - Gross), 4-digit SOC 6129, United Kingdom, 2022. Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2022revised/ashetable142022revised.zip), Office for National Statistics
20. [ONS: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14.7a (Annual pay - Gross), 4-digit SOC 6129, United Kingdom, 2025. Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.](https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14/2025provisional/ashetable142025provisional.zip), Office for National Statistics
21. [Jobs and Skills Australia: Animal Attendants and Trainers (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025)](https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-and-industry-profiles/occupations/3611-animal-attendants-and-trainers), Jobs and Skills Australia / Australian Bureau of Statistics

### Tool eras

22. [American Humane Society -- History of the humane movement in the United States](https://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/history/), American Humane
23. [Dogster -- The History of Animal Shelters and Dog Adoption in the United States](https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/history-of-animal-shelters), Dogster / Vet Reviewed
24. [Association of Zoos and Aquariums -- About AZA: history and founding (American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 1924)](https://www.aza.org/about-us), Association of Zoos and Aquariums
25. [Wikipedia -- Association of Zoos and Aquariums (history section)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Zoos_and_Aquariums), Wikipedia
26. [American Association of Zoo Keepers -- About AAZK: founded 1967, San Diego, promoting zoo keeping professionalism](https://aazk.org/about-us/), American Association of Zoo Keepers
27. [AZA -- About AZA Accreditation: first institution accredited 1974, accreditation mandatory for membership 1985](https://www.aza.org/what-is-accreditation), Association of Zoos and Aquariums
28. [APPA -- Pet Industry Market Size, Trends and Statistics: tracking industry since National Pet Owners Survey launch (1988)](https://americanpetproducts.org/industry-trends-and-stats), American Pet Products Association
29. [BLS -- "Employment and wages in pet-related industries" (The Economics Daily, 2015)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2015/employment-and-wages-in-pet-related-industries.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
30. [Gingr -- About (kennel management platform, launched 2012)](https://www.gingrapp.com), Gingr
31. [BLS -- "A 'tail' of productivity in pet care services: new technology enables rapid growth" (Beyond the Numbers, 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-13/a-tail-of-productivity-in-pet-care-services-new-technology-enables-rapid-growth.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
32. [PetPace -- PetPace launches world's first AI Smart Collar with 24/7 telehealth (V3.0, September 2025)](https://petpace.com/petpace-launches-worlds-first-ai-smart-collar-that-includes-24-7-global-telehealth-and-telemedicine-revolutionizing-real-time-health-monitoring-for-dogs-and-cats/), PetPace
33. [PMC -- Artificial Intelligence Potential in Zoo Animal Welfare (systematic review, 2025)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12513135/), PubMed Central / MDPI
34. [PETSAppeal -- AI Pet Boarding Software: automated kennel assignment, medication reminders, 24/7 parent portal](https://pets-appeal.com/ai-pet-boarding-software), PETSAppeal

### Forecasts and exposure studies

35. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 39-2021 Animal caretakers (2025: 365.3 thousand; 2035: 409.4 thousand; +12.1%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=39-2021&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
36. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 39-2021.00, human-rated β 0.182)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

37. [HISTORY -- "ASPCA is Founded" (April 10, 1866)](https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-10/aspca-is-founded), HISTORY / A&E Networks
38. [Dogster -- The History of Animal Shelters and Dog Adoption in the United States (America's first shelter, 1869)](https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/history-of-animal-shelters), Dogster / Vet Reviewed
39. [Philadelphia Zoo -- 150th Anniversary Timeline](https://www.philadelphiazoo.org/150anniversary/), Philadelphia Zoological Society
40. [Association of Zoos and Aquariums -- About AZA (founding history, 1924)](https://www.aza.org/about-us), Association of Zoos and Aquariums
41. [American Association of Zoo Keepers -- About AAZK: founded 1967 in San Diego](https://aazk.org/about-us/), American Association of Zoo Keepers
42. [AZA -- About AZA Accreditation: mandatory accreditation for membership established 1985](https://www.aza.org/what-is-accreditation), Association of Zoos and Aquariums
43. [APPA -- Research and Insights: National Pet Owners Survey launched 1988, premier resource for pet industry data](https://americanpetproducts.org/research-insights), American Pet Products Association
44. [BLS -- "A 'tail' of productivity in pet care services: new technology enables rapid growth" (Beyond the Numbers, 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-13/a-tail-of-productivity-in-pet-care-services-new-technology-enables-rapid-growth.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
45. [BLS OOH -- Animal Care and Service Workers: pandemic pet adoption context and sustained demand growth](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/animal-care-and-service-workers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Predecessors & successors

46. [American Humane Society -- History: early humane movement drew from farm and stable workers entering urban animal care](https://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/history/), American Humane
47. [PMC -- "Coming to Terms with the Legacies of the Pound Model in Animal Sheltering in the United States"](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11083447/), PubMed Central

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Animal Caretakers (39-2021.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/39-2021.00), accessed 2026-06-03
- [BLS OOH — Animal Care and Service Workers (2024-2034 projection: 11% growth)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/animal-care-and-service-workers.htm), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-03
- [PRNewswire (2025) — Global Pet Care Market to Double, Surpassing USD 483 Billion by 2035 as "Pet Humanization" Reshapes Global Economy](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-pet-care-market-to-double-surpassing-usd-483-billion-by-2035-as-pet-humanization-reshapes-global-economy-302674254.html), accessed 2026-06-03
- [PETSAppeal — AI Pet Boarding Software features (kennel assignment, medication reminders, parent portal)](https://pets-appeal.com/ai-pet-boarding-software), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Kennel Connection — How AI is Transforming the Pet Care Industry](https://kennelconnection.com/blog/how-ai-is-transforming-pet-care/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [PetPace — V3.0 AI Smart Collar with 24/7 Telehealth launch (Sept 2025)](https://petpace.com/petpace-launches-worlds-first-ai-smart-collar-that-includes-24-7-global-telehealth-and-telemedicine-revolutionizing-real-time-health-monitoring-for-dogs-and-cats/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [PMC — Artificial Intelligence Potential in Zoo Animal Welfare (2025)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12513135/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Digitail — Tails AI veterinary assistant (SOAP notes, intake, discharge)](https://digitail.com/tails-ai/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [PMC — Technology as environmental enrichment in zoos: scoping review (2025)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12645506/), accessed 2026-06-03

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.