The purpose of this qualification is to provide individuals with the skills, knowledge and attributes to maintain and manage a positive welfare state for animals.

This qualification is designed for people who intend to work in a role managing the day-to-day care, welfare and/or training of animals in settings such as breeding facilities, quarantine facilities, rehabilitation facilities, animal rescue centres, pet grooming facilities, boarding facilities, commercial pet shops, public aquariums, and zoos.

Graduates will have the technical knowledge and skills to manage the day-to-day animal care and husbandry operations in an animal facility, under broad supervision, or guidance.

This qualification is stranded to recognise the specialist skills required for managing care and husbandry within the contexts of companion animal; fish, amphibian and reptile; canine behaviour and training; pet grooming; and zookeeping facilities; and to promote a positive welfare state for animals.

Graduates of this qualification will be able to:

- Implement regulatory and compliance requirements for animal care and welfare.
- Apply knowledge of anatomy and physiology to relevant aspects of animal management.
- Manage interpersonal relationships and ethical behaviour in the provision of animal care.

Graduates of the Canine Behaviour and Training strand will also be able to:
- Apply knowledge of canine health, welfare, husbandry, wellness, and housing design to manage their care in a training environment, and transport.
- Apply knowledge of canine development, learning theory, animal communication, behaviour, and basic principles of behavioural modification, to handle and train dogs.
- Apply knowledge of interpersonal communication skills and canine learning theory, behaviour, and behavioural modification to provide instruction to clients on dog handling and training.
- Manage variations to normal and abnormal, canine health and behaviour in a training environment.

Graduates of the Companion Animals strand will also be able to:
- Apply knowledge of health, welfare, husbandry, wellness, and housing design to manage the optimal care, and transport of companion animals.
- Manage variations to normal and abnormal companion animal health and behaviour.

Graduates of the Fish, Amphibians and Reptiles strand will also be able to:
- Apply knowledge of fish, reptiles and amphibian health, welfare, husbandry, and housing design to manage their optimal care and transport.
- Manage variations to normal and abnormal health and behaviour in fish, reptiles, and amphibians.

Graduates of the Pet Grooming strand will also be able to:
- Maintain animal, human, and environmental safety in a pet grooming environment.
- Maintain an optimal welfare state of pets in a pet grooming environment.
- Manage variations to normal and abnormal health and behaviour of pets in a pet grooming environment.
- Apply knowledge of pet breed and individual characteristics, coat and body type, handling techniques, and the use and maintenance of grooming equipment to groom pets.

Graduates of the Zookeeping strand will also be able to:
- Apply global zoo industry frameworks and concepts of conservation and objectives to all aspects of zookeeping.
- Maintain animal, human, and environmental safety in a zookeeping environment or facility.
- Maintain an optimal welfare state for animals in a zookeeping environment or facility.
- Manage variations to normal and abnormal animal health and behaviour in a zookeeping environment or facility.

This qualification may build on the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (Level 2) [Ref: 0973] with Vocational Pathways Primary Industry endorsement; or the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Level 3) with strands in Companion Animals, Equine, and Rural Animals [Ref: 2487].

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