This qualification is intended for people who are aware of the importance of animals in society, and who intend to practise as part of the multidisciplinary animal healthcare team within a diverse range of clinical environments.

Graduates will have technical knowledge and skills to work as an animal healthcare technician in a clinical veterinary setting. They will have a high level of responsibility and discretion within their scope of practice, in a wide range of dynamic and often unpredictable situations.

The qualification is stranded to recognise the specialist skills required for providing canine and equine rehabilitation or equine dental technician services.

Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration on the New Zealand Register of Animal Rehabilitation Technicians or Equine Dental Technicians (strand dependent).

Graduates of this qualification will be able to:

- Apply principles of clinical governance to lead and support the safe, effective, and sustainable care of animal patients in an animal healthcare setting.
- Apply knowledge of professionalism, professional development, and future-focused animal healthcare industries to lead and support the safe and effective care of animal patients in an animal healthcare setting.
- Apply knowledge of animal functional anatomy and physiology to the management of animal patients in an animal healthcare setting.
- Apply knowledge of veterinary microbiology and infection control to provide effective sterilisation, sanitisation, disinfection, hygiene, and isolation procedures.
- Apply knowledge of animal learning and communication, and factors that influence behaviour and welfare to manage the safe and effective care of animal patients.
- Apply knowledge of pharmacology to provide and support clinical pharmacological interventions to animal patients, and manage clinic pharmacy processes.

Graduates of the Canine and Equine Rehabilitation Technology strand will also be able to:
- Apply knowledge of canine and equine species to manage animal husbandry when supporting the provision of rehabilitation therapies.
- Apply knowledge of canine and equine behaviour to manage effective handling techniques that minimise stress to the animal patient.
- Apply first aid, and emergency processes for canine and equine patients in emergency or simulated emergency situations.
- Apply knowledge of equine and canine diseases, parasitology, and immunology and healthcare needs to support the provision of rehabilitation therapies.
- Apply knowledge of canine and equine nutrition to support the provision of rehabilitation therapies.
- Apply knowledge of routine veterinary treatments, protocols, and processes to support the provision of rehabilitation therapies.
- Apply knowledge of canine and equine anatomy and biomechanics to support implementation, and evaluation of the individualised rehabilitation plan.
- Apply clinical reasoning to implement the rehabilitation plan safely and effectively.
- Apply knowledge of common canine and equine orthopaedic, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor conditions to support the implementation of a rehabilitation plan.
- Apply knowledge of common rehabilitation techniques to provide rehabilitation therapies.

Graduates of the Equine Dental Technology strand will also be able to:
- Apply knowledge of equine species to manage animal husbandry when supporting equine oral health.
- Apply knowledge of equine behaviour to manage effective handling techniques that minimise stress to the animal patient.
- Apply first aid, and emergency processes for equine patients in emergency or simulated emergency situations.
- Apply knowledge of equine diseases, parasitology, and immunology and healthcare needs to support equine oral health.
- Apply knowledge of equine nutrition to support equine oral health.
- Apply knowledge of routine veterinary treatments, protocols, and processes to support the provision of equine dental care.
- Apply knowledge of equine skull, oral, and dental anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology to support implementation, and evaluation of the individualised oral health plan.
- Apply clinical reasoning to implement the equine oral health plan safely and effectively.
- Apply knowledge of common equine dental pathologies and veterinary diagnostics to support the provision of equine dental care.
- Apply knowledge of equine dental techniques and instrumentation to provide equine dental technician services.

This qualification may build on the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Healthcare Assisting (Level 4) with strands in Companion Animal Healthcare, Equine Healthcare, and Rural Animal Healthcare [Ref: 4388]; or the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Management (Level 4) with strands in Canine Behaviour and Training; Companion Animals; Fish, Amphibians and Reptiles; and Zookeeping [Ref: 2489].

This qualification may lead to the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) with strands in Companion Animal Veterinary Nursing, and Equine Veterinary Nursing [Ref: 4389] or the New Zealand Diploma in Rural Animal Veterinary Technology (Level 6) [Ref: 4391], or to higher level study in animal healthcare, veterinary nursing, or veterinary technology.

TEOs offering programmes leading to this qualification must:

Ensure currency with amendments to, and replacements of, relevant legislation, regulations, and codes of practice which may include some or all of the following: Veterinarian's Act 2005; Animal Welfare Act 1999; Health and Safety at Work Act 2015; Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996; Privacy Act 2020, Resource Management Act 1991; Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997; and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.

Abide by Animal Welfare Act 1999 Part 6 legislating ethics surrounding use of animals in learning and teaching, including seeking Animal Ethics Committee Approval where applicable.

Providers must ensure learners complete Health declarations and declarations of any criminal convictions to ensure fitness to practice.

A Programme Guidance document is available on request from Muka Tangata Workforce Development Council - qualifications@mukatangata.nz.

The Graduate Outcomes of this qualification align with the Allied Veterinary Professional Regulatory Council (AVPRC) Graduate Competencies available from: https://www.avprc.org.nz/.