NZQF NQ Ref
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0241
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National Certificate in Animal Care
Level
2
Credits
65
This qualification has been reviewed. The last date to meet the requirements is 31
December 2018.
Transition Arrangements
This qualification has been reviewed and has not been replaced.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the qualification is 31 December 2016.
The last date to meet the requirements of the qualification is 31 December 2018 at which
point the qualification will be designated discontinued. From that date no results can be
reported against the qualification
For detailed information see Review Summaries on the NZQA website.
This qualification contains standards that replace earlier standards. For the purposes of
this qualification people who have gained credit for the expiring standards are exempt from
the requirement to gain credit for the replacement standards.
Credit for
Exempt from
59
11831
503
12349
545
12355
5150
21382, 21383
5193
21380
7399
21381
16649
19894
NZQF National Qualification Registration Information
Process
Registration
Revision
Review
Revision
Review
Version
1
2
3
4
5
Date
December 1996
December 1998
October 1999
October 2003
December 2005
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
MoE Code 8105
Last Date for Assessment
December 2006
December 2006
December 2006
December 2009
December 2018
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQF NQ Ref
Process
Revision
Revision
Review
Version
0241
Version
6
7
8
Date
April 2006
June 2007
January 2015
8
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Last Date for Assessment
December 2018
December 2018
December 2018
Standard Setting Body
Primary Industry Training Organisation
PO Box 10383
The Terrace
Wellington 6143
Telephone
Facsimile
Email
Website
04 801 9616
04 801 9626
standards@primaryito.ac.nz
www.primaryito.ac.nz
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
MoE Code 8105
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQF NQ Ref
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National Certificate in Animal Care
Level
2
Credits
65
Purpose
This qualification recognises the core knowledge and skills required by people working in
various sectors of the animal care and handling industry. Sectors might include veterinary
practices, animal laboratories, pet shops, kennels and catteries, animal welfare agencies
such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), zoological and
wildlife parks, and search and rescue services. Holders of the qualification are able to:
 demonstrate knowledge of animal anatomy and physiology, behaviour, and husbandry
 recognise signs of health, ill-health, and problem behaviour in specific animal groups
 handle, transport, and provide emergency first aid to companion animals
 demonstrate and apply knowledge of safe working practices and animal facility
environment hygiene
 demonstrate knowledge of standards for ethical behaviour in relation to animals
 demonstrate a range of other knowledge and skills related to a specific animal care
and/or handling role.
The flexible structure of the qualification allows a high degree of portability between
sectors of the animal care and handling industry. People with a special area of interest
such as boarding kennels or pet shops can select elective standards that are relevant to
their sector.
The rules in Elective A are set with the intention that candidates will choose ‘monitoring
health and providing husbandry’ standards for both cats and dogs and for at least one
other group of animals; or choose one of cats or dogs, and at least two other groups of
animals. To allow this to occur, standards 5148 and 7337 have been included in Set A as
well as Set B of Elective A.
This qualification may lead to other animal care and handling qualifications, including the
National Certificate in Veterinary Nursing [Ref: 0221], which is at Level 5. All the
standards listed in the National Certificate in Animal Care [Ref: 0241] are also listed in the
National Certificate in Veterinary Nursing.
This qualification may also lead on to the proposed National Certificate in Animal Care
(Rural Animal Technician) with strands in Production Animals, and Equine.
Credit Range
Level 1 credits
Level 2 credits
Level 3 credits
Level 4 credits
Compulsory
13
14
-
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
MoE Code 8105
Elective A
12-20
0-8
0-8
Elective B
0-5
0-5
0-6
0-5
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQF NQ Ref
Version
0241
Level 5 or above credits
Minimum totals
Compulsory
13
40
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8
Elective A
0-8
20
Elective B
0-5
5
Requirements for Award of Qualification
This qualification will be awarded to people who have met the requirements of the
compulsory and elective sections.
Compulsory
All the standards listed are required
Elective A
A minimum of 20 credits is required as specified in Sets A, B, and Balance
Elective B
A minimum of 5 credits is required from the listed standards and/or domains
Award of NQF Qualifications
Credit gained for a standard may be used only once to meet the requirements of this qualification.
Unit standards and achievement standards that are equivalent in outcome are mutually exclusive for the
purpose of award. The table of mutually exclusive standards is provided in section 7 of the New Zealand
Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Rules and Procedures publications available at
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/acrp/index.html.
Reviewed standards that continue to recognise the same overall outcome are registered as new versions
and retain their identification number (ID). Any version of a standard with the same Id may be used to meet
qualification requirements that list the ID and/or that specify the past or current classification of the standard.
Detailed Qualification Requirements
Compulsory
The following standards are required
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries > Animal Care and Handling > Animal Care
Id
Title
Level
5180
5189
5222
19894
21380
21381
Credit
Demonstrate knowledge of the anatomy and physiology
of animals
Follow safe working practices and standards in the
animal facility
Recognise and interpret problems of behaviour in
companion animals
Demonstrate knowledge of zoonoses and their control
2
10
3
4
5
5
3
3
Demonstrate and apply knowledge relating to animal
facility environmental hygiene
Demonstrate knowledge of ethical behaviour in relation
to animals
3
5
2
3
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
MoE Code 8105
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQF NQ Ref
0241
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Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries > Animal Care and Handling > Animal Handling
Id
Title
Level
Credit
5183
Handle and transport injured companion animals
3
2
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries > Animal Care and Handling > Veterinary Nursing
Id
Title
Level
Credit
5181
Provide emergency first aid care to companion animals
5
8
Elective A
A minimum of 20 credits from the following sets
 Set A
 Set B
 Balance
Set A
A minimum of 1 standard
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries > Animal Care and Handling > Animal Care
Id
Title
Level
Credit
5148
Monitor health and provide husbandry for cats
2
5
7337
Monitor health and provide husbandry for dogs
2
5
Set B
A minimum of 7 credits
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries > Animal Care and Handling > Animal Care
Id
Title
Level
Credit
5148
Monitor health and provide husbandry for cats
2
5
5149
2
4
5151
Monitor health and provide husbandry for rodents and
rabbits
Monitor health and provide husbandry for caged birds
2
3
5152
Monitor health and provide husbandry for horses
2
5
5153
Monitor health and provide husbandry for ruminants
2
5
5154
Monitor health and provide husbandry for pigs
2
4
7337
Monitor health and provide husbandry for dogs
2
5
21360
Monitor health and provide husbandry for poultry
2
4
21382
Monitor health and provide husbandry for ornamental
fish
2
2
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
MoE Code 8105
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQF NQ Ref
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0241
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Id
Title
Level
Credit
21383
Monitor health and provide husbandry for reptiles and
amphibians
2
2
Balance
The balance of credits to achieve a minimum of 20 credits may come from the following
Field
Subfield
Domain
Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries
Animal Care and Handling
Any
Elective B
A minimum of 5 credits
Core Generic > Core Generic > Self-Management
Id
Title
Level
Credit
12349
Demonstrate time management
2
3
12355
Demonstrate knowledge of stress and ways of dealing
with it
2
2
Service Sector > Retail, Distribution, and Sales > Sales Transactions
Id
Title
Level
11831
Apply skills and qualities of a salesperson in a retail or
distribution environment
3
Credit
6
Field
Subfield
Domain
Business
Business Administration
Computing and Information
Technology
Humanities
Computing
Business Administration
Services
Business Information
Processing
Generic Computing
Service Sector
Service Sector Skills
Communication Skills
Interpersonal
Communications
Service Sector - Core Skills
Transition Arrangements
Version 7
This qualification was issued following a change of standard setting responsibility from
NZQA National Qualifications Services to the Agriculture Industry Training Organisation.
The opportunity was taken to transfer to the latest qualification template and update titles
of standards.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
MoE Code 8105
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQF NQ Ref
0241
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For detailed information see Review Summaries on the NZQA website.
Previous versions of the qualification
Version 6 of this qualification was issued following a revision to change the structure of
Elective A to increase flexibility.
Version 5 was issued following review, and to reflect the outcomes of a review of the
Animal Care and Handling standards. Changes to structure and content included
restructuring the elective sections to make them less prescriptive.
Version 4 was issued following revision in order to reflect the replacement of reviewed
standard 16649 by 19894.
Version 3 was issued following review. Standard 5174 was removed and standard 16649
was added to the qualification.
Version 2 was issued following revision as version 1 included standards that had been
replaced.
Other standard setting bodies whose standards are included in the
qualification
NZQA
Retail ITO
Certification
The certificate will display the logos of NZQA and the Agriculture Industry Training
Organisation.
Classification
This qualification is classified according to the NQF classification system and the
New Zealand Standard Classification of Education (NZSCED) system as specified below.
DAS Classification
Code
Description
1264
Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries > Animal Care and
Handling > Animal Care
NZSCED
Code
Description
061103 Health > Veterinary Studies >
Veterinary Assisting
Quality Management Systems
Providers and Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by a recognised Quality Assurance Body
before they can register credits from assessment against standards. Accredited providers and Industry
Training Organisations assessing against standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to
those standards. Accreditation requirements and the moderation system are outlined in the associated
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) for each standard.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
MoE Code 8105
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQF NQ Ref
Version
0241
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Prerequisite Diagram
5183
Level 3
5181
Level 5
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
MoE Code 8105
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016