Work Injuries Among Dog Walkers, Pet Sitters, and Groomers

Animal care work can be extremely difficult, and it can result in many kinds of work-related injuries on the job. In some cases, animal care injuries can be serious or even fatal, depending upon the circumstances. While many of us do not often think about the serious risks that come with jobs like dog walking, pet sitting, and animal grooming, these jobs require nearly constant interaction with animals, and sometimes animals can bite or become vicious in other ways. When a dog bites an animal care worker, the injuries can be debilitating. In addition, these types of jobs also come with other injury hazards due to slips, trips, and falls, as well as due to repetitive motions.

If you were injured while performing animal care work, it is important to get in touch with a West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorney who can assess your case and help you to determine your eligibility for compensation. Many animal care workers are eligible for benefits, and our firm is here to help you.

Animal Care Injuries in South Florida 

How do animal care injuries happen in South Florida? Dog walkers, pet groomers, and pet sitters take on many different work-related tasks, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), such as:

• Providing animals with food and water;
• Cleaning animal equipment and animal living spaces;
• Giving medicines to animals;
• Monitoring animals for injury or illness;
• Exercising animals, such as through dog walking;
• Bathing animals;
• Trimming animals’ nails;
• Attending to animals’ grooming needs; and
• Conducting animal behavioral training.

How do these common job-related tasks result in injuries? Consider the following common types of injuries impacting animal care workers:

• Severe cuts and lacerations due to animal bites and attacks;
• Infections caused by animal bites and attacks;
• Bone fractures due to slips and falls or trips and falls while providing animals with exercise;
• Sprains and strains caused by slips and falls or trips and falls; and
• Carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion injuries due to constant use of grooming or bathing tools on a regular basis.

Are You Eligible for Workers’ Compensation? Understanding Required Employer Coverage 

Many animal care workers are employed by businesses like pet stores and pet grooming shops, or by larger dog-walking or pet-sitting companies that have employees to perform various tasks for pet owners who need daily assistance with animal care or who have longer term jobs due to vacations and business trips away from their pets. In general, it is important to know that Florida law requires all employers (outside the construction industry) with four or more employees to have workers’ compensation coverage.

Since some animal care workers are gig workers, they may have questions about work injuries. There are options for self-employment coverage, but gig workers generally are not eligible for workers’ compensation. To determine your eligibility, you should get in touch with a workers’ compensation attorney in South Florida who can help you today.

Contact Our West Palm Beach Workers’ Compensation Lawyer 

Anyone who was injured while working with animals could be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits in South Florida, including medical coverage and wage-replacement benefits. An experienced West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorney at the Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A. can evaluate your circumstances and can provide you with more information about your eligibility for workers’ compensation coverage. Our firm is here to assist you.

Sources:

bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/animal-care-and-service-workers.htm

myfloridacfo.com/division/wc/employer/coverage-requirements#:~:text=Employers%20with%20one%20or%20more,must%20have%20workers’%20compensation%20coverage