Image of career: ACRES Veterinary Keeper

ACRES Veterinary Keeper

Overview

Wildlife veterinary keepers rescue, rehabilitate, and nurse injured or illegally traded wild animals back to health.

Description

  • Rescue injured, displaced, or distressed wild animals from urban areas and safely transport them to the sanctuary.
  • Assist veterinary doctors during surgeries and medical treatments.
  • Prepare species-specific daily meals and administer prescribed medications.
  • Clean and maintain animal enclosures rigorously.
  • Observe animal behaviour closely, noting signs of stress, illness, or improvement for the veterinary team.

Entry requirements

  • You need a Diploma in Veterinary Technology, Animal Science, or Life Sciences.
  • A valid Class 3 driver's licence is highly advantageous for driving the 24/7 wildlife rescue van. Prior volunteer experience at animal shelters, ACRES, or wildlife reserves shows genuine commitment.

Salary

$2,000 – 3,200

/mo

Salary ranges are estimated based on public information found on Singaporean job portals, including MyCareersFuture, MySkillsFuture. Updated as of 2026.

Trivia

You might spend your morning rescuing a python from a drain, your afternoon nursing a pangolin injured in a traffic accident, and your evening caring for an illegally smuggled exotic star tortoise. It's messy, physically demanding, but rewarding work.

What to expect

You need real passion for all wildlife, those that are cute or scaly and misunderstood. Build up emotional resilience early, as not all rescued animals will survive injuries.

Soft
skills

Emotional Resilience

Able to stay strong, focused, and professional when dealing with severe animal abuse cases, traffic accidents, or terminal injuries.

Strong Teamwork Skills

Ability to communicate well during high-pressure, unpredictable animal rescues.

Quick Problem-Solving

Able to adapt when wild animals behave unpredictably, enclosures break, or rescue situations go wrong.

Animal Handling and Restraint

Trained in physical techniques and use special gear like snake hooks to safely hold terrified wild animals.

Veterinary Support Skills

Skilled in giving oral or topical medications, cleaning wounds, and preparing surgical equipment.

Enclosure Enrichment Design

Able to create climbing structures, foraging puzzles, or hiding spots to keep animals mentally stimulated and active.

Hard
skills

Xi Yun, Veterinary Keeper
"Every single animal has their own contribution to the ecosystem, and to wait till they are endangered before we save them, its a little late."

Xi Yun, Veterinary Keeper

Our Grandfather Story

Frequently asked questions

A regular vet clinic mostly sees domesticated pets like dogs and cats. At ACRES, you handle wild, completely untamed animals that are terrified of you. Your goal isn't to make them pets - it's to heal them while keeping them wild so they can eventually be released back into nature.

Not at all. A veterinary keeper acts more like a highly trained nurse and caretaker. The actual vets perform complex surgeries and diagnose illnesses, while you assist them, handle feeding, monitor recovery, and keep enclosures clean and safe.

It may be, which is why safety protocols are so strict. You receive training on how to read animal body language and use specialised protective equipment to ensure both you and the animal stay completely safe during rescues or treatments.

Because wildlife rescue can be heartbreaking. You'll see animals severely injured by vehicles, cruel traps, or illegal smuggling. You have to process those moments without breaking down so you can stay focused on giving animals the best possible care.

Absolutely. The hands-on experience opens doors to roles in national parks, global conservation NGOs, zoo management, or environmental education, where you visit schools to teach the public about wildlife protection and coexistence.