- Career Name - Animal Import/Export Consultant
- Category - Business / Farming / Marine Conservation / Wildlife Conservation / Zoos, Aquariums, Theme Parks and Museums
- Skills Required - Life skills 45% - Career skills 55%
- Basic Subjects - Biology, Business Studies, Information Technology
- Required Education - College Diploma
- Species Worked With - Cats, Dogs, Critters, Farm Animals, Wildlife
- Short Courses - 340 with various Rewards = Points + Badges
Adverts:
Do you want to work as an animal import/export consultant?
- Read about the most important info you need to decide on following this career.
- Follow the 7 points below and search for a tertiary institution near you for future studies. If you already are graduated, you may also search through our list of Jobs in the main menu.
- If you want to PLAN the way you need to prepare, then join our community where you will learn everything, while chatting with other potential consultants from around the world. Prepare to be amazed!
CAREER MENTOR
UPDATED: 2 September 2020
1. What is an animal import/export consultant?
Animal import-export consultants help their clients to transport animals over long distances, using their knowledge of the customs implications in the different countries.
They are also the experts to inform their clients of tariffs, insurance, shipment, quotas and business tax compliance.
The consultants normally work with large amounts of animals, such as cattle, sheep or game that needs to be moved from the sellers to the buyers. But they may also work within the exotic trade industry, where they can help breeders move their animals to customers in other countries.
They therefore help with the movement of animals for business purposes. People that transport animals (mostly pets) over long distances to help owners relocate them, are called:
- Animal Transport Consultants
2. What do they do?
Categories:
Business / Farming / Marine Conservation / Wildlife Conservation / Zoos, Aquariums, Theme Parks and Museums
Focus:
They have to focus on the facilitation of live cargo (animals) by ship or airplane, from one country to another.
Daily Tasks:
- meet with clients to discuss work
- contact seller or exporter to arrange for paperwork of the animals
- communicate with the right government agencies to ensure the legal entry of the animals
- ensure quarantine of animals, if required by law
- work out the best cost and quickest and safest route
- brief clients on progress
- handle daily admin of the business
Where they work:
Environment –
Import-export consultants mainly work indoors, where they use electronic (phone and computer) to arrange all the necessary documents.
Places of Employment –
They are employed by zoos, aquariums, and government at airports and harbours. Most of them do start their own businesses and most of their clients will be private citizens that need to arrange the movement of their pets when they immigrate. Clients might also be individuals, hobbyists or businesses importing animals to add to their stock (such as horses, cattle, wildlife).
Average Salary:
The average yearly salary of an animal import-export consultant, working for a company, is around US$45,000. Those that start their own businesses will earn more (or less), depending on the amount of work done.
Promotion:
Advancement in the field typically depends on work experience. Promotion to senior levels are available, and the levels of each promotion might differ from organization to organization, but generally are the following:
Intern / Trainer > Junior Consultant > Senior Consultant > Supervisor
Difficulties:
Consultants need to stay constantly updated of new developments to do their work. You may also be required to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Consultancy can be highly stressful with short deadlines and the lives of animals at stake.
Future Growth and Possibilities:
The prospects of future growth in this industry is good.
3. Which Skills are required?
The skills required for a career as an animal import/export consultant can be divided into two very important groups. The first is the group containing life skills, which are the core skills that are necessary or desirable for full participation in everyday life. The second group is career skills, or the specific skills required to allow a person to enter and operate effectively within a specific career. Some or maybe even all of the life skills can assist in strengthening the career skills, and they might even be the same for specific careers.
Life Skills:
- Self-awareness
- Empathy
- Critical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Problem Solving
- Effective communication
- Interpersonal relationship
Career Skills:
- Excellent knowledge of import and export
- Excellent knowledge of animal anatomy and behaviour
- Basic customer service skills
- Good health and physical fitness
- Good computer literacy
4. Which Subjects must I have at School?
Biology will not be prescribed as a necessary subject for further studies, but will be extremely important in understanding animals and how they behave during transport.
Business Studies (or an economic subject) will be required by some of the tertiary institutions to study towards courses related to import and export.
IT will not be required as a major subject for college admission, but it has a lot of the information that you will use in developing import and export documents.
The subjects you choose at school are important as they lay the foundation for further studies at college or university. While still at school, it’s also important to learn more about the animals you will work with, as well as gain some experience.
OZT has a list of various tertiary institutions where you can study further, after school. Each of these institutions also have their own Group page on OZT where you will find the exact subjects they require of you to have passed in school. Keep these requirements in mind, and discuss it with your school, guidance counselor and parents to ensure that you are prepared!
5. What will I need to Study?
Minimum Requirements:
The minimum educational requirements for consultancy careers working on international import-export, is a College Diploma, although it is possible to get into intern positions after successfully completing Short Courses.
Focus:
Focus on a diploma in marketing, finance, international business, international trade or a similar field. Short Courses in import and export is also important.
Duration:
The duration of most diplomas are between 2 and 3 years full time. The duration of short courses differ, but can range from a few days to a few months.
Possible Career Preparation Paths:
If this is your dream career that you want to pursue, then it’s important to plan the way forward.
Why is planning important?
To ensure that you understand the requirements for your career, and that you are always prepared for the next step on the road towards your dream. A Preparation Path is like your road map to where you want to be.
Possible Path(s):
Possible Combined Career Paths:
It is possible to sometimes combine two or more related careers. This normally happens when you study and practice a specific main career, but the knowledge and experience gained also help you to have a paying hobby or secondary income career.
Possible Alternative Path(s):
Stepping Stone Career:
Being an animal import/export consultant can also be used as a stepping stone career. A stepping stone career is one which is used to help you get to another career, normally because the other career is too difficult to reach (sometimes due to things like high fees etc).
You can begin as an intern consultant after basic short courses and expert guidance (maybe working under a mentor). The money made can then be used to pay for studies towards a promotion or another career, and the experience helps in gaining knowledge. One paying to help get to the other.
Some of the possible paths:
Training and apprenticeship:
Even though it is important to study to get into some of the animal careers, most of the skills you will need as a consultant will be acquired through on-the-job training. This means that you will learn how to perform some of the daily tasks by actually doing it a few times and learning the steps.
In some cases entry level positions (or junior positions) require training sessions even before you are allowed to actually perform your job duties. These sessions are offered by the place of employment, after you have successfully applied.
Apprenticeship is also the norm in consultancy. This is where you need to learn skills from a more senior person or expert.
Join the Animal Import/Export Consultants Group in STEP 8 to learn more and even interact with the educational institutions that will help you secure your dream career!
Average level of education of those that entered the career:
6. Licenses, Certificate, Registration and Professional Associations
Certain animal careers require some form of legal certification to prove that you can indeed do the work, and work with the necessary equipment.
Although not required by law, certifications may help workers establish their credentials and enhance their skills.
Learn more about requirements by joining OZT in STEP 8.
Professional Associations:
7. Where can I study further?
All of the above information will help you understand more about the Career, including the fact that there are different paths to take to reach it. But if you are almost done with High School (Grades 11 or 12), you also need to start thinking about further studies, and WHERE you will study.
See the List of Universities, Colleges and Online Training Academies who offer courses towards animal care and training.
8. Join the OZT community
Join us as a special member and learn more about becoming an animal import/export consultant. Membership is FREE
Members of the Platform have special access to:
- Info on the best places where you can study (colleges, universities and online)
- Expertly designed advice to prepare you for the career, and links to places where you can gain valuable experience. For some career experience is necessary, otherwise you wont get the job!
- Top notch info on each of the different species you will work with
- Make friends around the world and share knowledge
- Compete and win points, badges, games, prizes and certificates. Be the best of the best, while you learn and prepare!
If you have decided on being an Animal Import/Export Consultant, please click on the JOIN OZT button. Members will be directed to the Group, while non-members will be assisted to register first.
If this career is NOT the career for you, then you may return to the MAIN CAREER menu.
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