Becoming a conservation detection dog handler is an appealing lifestyle for many, but the financial compensation is a significant hurdle that few are prepared for. This demanding career, which involves long hours, strenuous fieldwork, and the often-difficult task of grant writing, unfortunately does not translate into a high income. The reality for many in this field is a struggle to make ends meet, often requiring multiple jobs or significant cost-cutting measures.
Understanding Handler Compensation
The truth about the pay for conservation detection dog handlers is stark: it’s generally quite low. Many handlers live frugally, like residing in a van to minimize expenses and subsisting on basic meals, to cope with the financial limitations. While personal happiness is attainable, the economic aspect of this profession is not suited for everyone. Interviews with handlers reveal that multiple income streams are common, and substantial financial growth is not typical in this career path.
Full-Time Employment Salary
During a period of full-time employment with Working Dogs for Conservation in Missoula, Montana, in 2019-2020, the annual salary was approximately $34,000. This was before taxes. Rent for a studio apartment, including utilities and pet fees, amounted to nearly $1,000 per month, leaving little room for savings. To supplement this income, a personal dog behavior business, Journey Dog Training, was maintained. Even with this additional work, saving money was a challenge. The necessity of this supplementary income became even more apparent when unemployment, which took nearly five months to materialize, followed a period of being terminated from a position.
Seasonal Employment and Hourly Rates
Working as a summer employee for WEST, Inc., a role that involved searching for bird and bat carcasses on wind farms, offered a significantly better hourly wage. For the 2021/2022 seasons, the rate was $25 per hour. This resulted in an income of about $10,000 for a three-month contract. Importantly, housing, gas, and a rental vehicle were provided, allowing for considerable savings during the contract period. However, these savings were crucial for covering expenses during the off-season months when work would typically end in October. While WEST, Inc. did offer six-month contracts, scheduling conflicts prevented participation.
Navigating Off-Season Gaps
The periods between seasonal contracts often required seeking diverse employment opportunities to bridge income gaps. This included positions such as cleaning kennels at a humane society for $12 per hour, teaching cross-country ski lessons in Breckenridge for $15 per hour plus tips, and writing freelance blog posts at a rate of $0.09 per word. The personal dog training business continued to provide a monthly income ranging from $500 to $1,000.
The K9 Conservationists Initiative
As of July 2023, the co-founders of K9 Conservationists were not drawing regular salaries. Income was derived intermittently from their online conservation dog handler course and fieldwork. However, the majority of their time was dedicated to unpaid work. The organization aims to change this situation, but after two years, all founders still require external employment. A significant conservation project in Kenya, in collaboration with Action for Cheetahs, was undertaken on an unpaid basis. While flights, housing, and food were covered during the fieldwork, no personal income was generated.
Funding was secured for a wild cat survey in Guatemala, totaling approximately $7,500 minus expenses. This payment, received in April 2023, marked the first conservation-dog-related paycheck in six months. Another project in California was expected to yield around $2,000, with payment potentially delayed for another five months. These experiences were often accompanied by numerous rejections for paid projects and grants, highlighting the constant struggle to secure a living wage. The K9 Conservationists course and Patreon membership were established partly to mitigate the substantial pay gaps between fieldwork opportunities. However, after covering business expenses like insurance and basic needs, funds for salaries quickly diminish.
Future Outlook and Financial Goals
Financial statements from some nonprofit conservation dog organizations indicate that their founders earn around $60,000 annually. This is a respectable income, depending on the cost of living in a particular area, but these individuals typically have decades of experience and are in their fifties. The author is set to begin a PhD program with a mid-$30,000s salary and fully funded education through the NSF-GRF program. The aspiration is for K9 Conservationists to be able to offer a salary closer to $50,000+ per year by the time of graduation, likely in 2028. Similar to many in the millennial and older Gen Z demographics, there is a degree of economic pessimism regarding the ability to afford a house or achieve true financial comfort. The hope is that K9 Conservationists can establish sustainable funding models to provide a living wage for its team in the future.
