Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Management (Level 4) with strands in
Canine Behaviour and Training, Captive Wild Animals, and Companion
Animals
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
4
Credits
120
NZSCED
061103
Health>Veterinary Studies>Veterinary Assisting
Qualification developer
Primary ITO
Next review
December 2018
Approval date
December 2014
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide individuals with the
skills, knowledge and attributes to ensure a positive welfare state
for animals and carry out specific duties to manage the day to
day operations within the contexts of canine behaviour and
training, zoo/wildlife keeping and companion animal facilities.
This qualification is targeted at individuals who are, or are
intending to work in role managing the day-to-day care, welfare
and/or training of animals in a care or training facility. This
qualification is stranded to recognise the specialist skills and
knowledge required to manage the day-to-day care, welfare
and/or training in different sectors.
Candidates are likely to have some previous experience in an
animal care role.
The industry will benefit from being able to identify appropriately
skilled graduates in an animal care and training field.
Graduates will be capable of working under broad guidance.
Graduate profile
Graduates of the qualification will be able to:
-
implement a health and safety plan in an animal care or
training facility and ensure compliance with regulatory
procedures.
Outcome Statement
Graduates with the Canine Behaviour and Training strand
will also be able to:
Qualification Reference 2489
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
-
manage day to day canine health and husbandry in a
training environment
-
apply knowledge of canine behaviour and development to
handle and train dogs to perform tasks.
Graduates with the Captive Wild Animals strand will also be
able to:
-
apply industry frameworks and objectives to all aspects of
zoo keeping
-
maintain safety in the captive wild animal environment
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and/or facility
-
maintain a positive welfare state for animals in a zoo
environment.
Graduates with the Companion Animals strand will also be
able to:
-
take responsibility for the day-to-day animal health and
husbandry in an animal care facility.
Education pathway
This qualification may build on the National Certificate in
Educational Achievement (Level 2) [Ref: 0973] or it may build on
the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Level 3) [Ref: 2487].
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification are likely to be in a role as
managers of the day-to-day care, welfare and/or training of
animals. This may be in roles such as: self-employed dog
trainer, zookeeper, zoo educator, animal shelter worker,
owner/manager of kennels/cattery, or animal laboratory
technician, depending on the strand completed.
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by the Primary ITO as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation
arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5 of
the Industry Training Act and Apprenticeships Act 1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by an education
organisation which has, under section 249 of the Education Act
1989, had a programme approved by the New Zealand
Qualifications Authority (NZQA) or which has been accredited,
under section 250, to provide an approved programme.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification will
display the NZQF logo and may also include the name and/or
logo of the awarding education organisation.
Evidence requirements for
assuring consistency
All TEOs either arranging training or delivering programmes that
lead to the award of the qualification are required to participate in
a consistency process scheduled by NZQA.
New requirements for assuring consistency of graduate
outcomes are being developed. Please refer to the Guidelines for
approval of New Zealand qualifications for listing on the New
Zealand Qualifications Framework available at
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/consistencyofgraduate-outcomes/
The purpose of the managing consistency event is to:

review evidence associated with achievement of
qualification outcomes at the level of the qualification.

identify issues or opportunities associated with outcome
achievement.
The review process may include:

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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
comparison of similar evidence across education
organisations
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
consultation with graduates and employers (including visits)

consideration of internal quality assurance processes and
external reviews.
Further information can be found on the NZQA website.
Credit transfer and recognition of
prior learning arrangements
Education organisations must have policies and procedures in
place for managing credit transfer, and assessing recognition of
prior learning and recognition of current competency. These
policies and procedures, and information about associated fees,
must be available to the candidate prior to enrolment.
To facilitate credit transfer education organisations must clearly
demonstrate the equivalency or comparability between each of
the outcomes in the graduate profile, and the assessment
components of their programmes.
Minimum standard of
achievement and standards for
grade endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for award of the
qualification will be the achievement of all graduate outcomes in
the graduate profile through successful completion of an NZQA
approved programme.
Entry requirements (including
prerequisites to meet regulatory
body or legislative requirements)
For those people entering this qualification direct from school the
following entry requirements apply:
-
have completed 36 NCEA credits at level 2
-
have a minimum of 12 NCEA credits in English at Level 2
and 12 credits of a relevant science at level 1
Or
-
The New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Level 3) [Ref:
2487]
Entry requirements for adult students:
-
evidence of ability to study at a tertiary level and
-
evidence of the equivalent NCEA credits as apply to school
leavers, listed above.
Qualification conditions
Overarching conditions relating to the qualification
Conditions for programme
structure
Nil
Conditions for programme
context
Programmes leading to the Companion Animal strand must
include 120 hours of work experience at a minimum of two (2)
companion animal care facilities. This strand must include
learning and assessment of general skills and knowledge relating
to the care and handling of all commonly kept domestic pets or
assistance animals including but not limited to; cats, dogs, caged
birds, rabbits, rodents, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
Programmes leading to the Canine Behaviour and Training
strand, of this qualification should include the opportunity for
candidates to practice and apply the skills and knowledge in an
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appropriate workplace or simulated workplace environment.
Programmes leading to the Captive Wild Animals strand of this
qualification must include a minimum of 280 hours work
experience in an approved zoo to provide assimilation of
theoretical knowledge and practical skills learnt in a ‘real world’
environment. The work experience must include a minimum of
time on the following range of animals groups: 80 hours land
mammals; 40 hours birds; 40 hours reptiles; 40 hours
amphibians/fish. At least 16 hours from the total 280 must be
allocated to working with any animal group that is considered
extremely dangerous to the extent that keepers only work in
protected contact.
Other conditions
Compliance with animal welfare standards, cultural awareness
and sensitivity, health and safety requirements and sustainable
practices applies across all outcomes
Specific conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
1
Programmes must include the following
topics:
Implement a health and
safety plan in an animal care
or training facility and ensure
compliance with regulatory
procedures
Credits 10

legislation

use of current computer software

ethics
Mandatory or
Optional
 communication
 health and safety
For the Canine Behaviour and Training Strand
2
Manage day to day canine
health and husbandry in a
training environment
Credits 35
Qualification Reference 2489
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Programmes must include the following
topics in relation to canines:

health and safety

hygiene

handling/restraint

preliminary exam

nutrition

preventative health

stress recognition

identification

housing

legislation

anatomy and physiology

transport
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3
Apply knowledge of canine
behaviour and development
to handle and train dogs to
perform tasks
Credits 75

knowledge of common diseases

disease transmission and control
including zoonotic and exotic diseases
and parasitic disease

administration of treatments.
Programmes must include the following
topics:

dog evolution, breeds and social system

dogs in society

canine behaviour and development

management of canine behaviour

assessment of temperament

human / animal rapport

dog/handler communication

learning theory and training methods

task specific training

development of a training plan.
For the Captive Wild Animals Strand
4
5
Apply industry frameworks
and objectives to all aspects
of zoo keeping
Programmes must include the following
topics:

zoo history
Credits 15

zoo philosophy

zoo animal welfare and ethics

conservation

education

research

entertainment

international and regional frameworks

zoo associations and partners.
Maintain safety in the captive
wild animal environment
and/or facility
Programmes must include the following for a
range of zoo animals:

containment systems
Credits 35

basic enclosure design

use of protective equipment

principles of safe movement within
enclosures

entry and exit procedures

movement of animals between
enclosures

pest identification and control
 emergencies.
6
Maintain a positive welfare
Qualification Reference 2489
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Programmes must include the following topics
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state for animals in a zoo
environment
for a range of zoo animals:

health and safety
Credits 60

hygiene

physical restraint

ethology and natural history

observing, measuring and analysing
behaviour

learning theory

behaviour modification systems

movement and transport

nutrition, food storage and feeding

breeding management and reproductive
biology

measuring animal welfare

assessment and mitigation of
environmental conditions

enrichment

preliminary examination

anatomy and physiology

knowledge of common diseases

disease transmission and control
including zoonotic and exotic diseases
and parasitic disease

isolation and quarantine

knowledge of euthanasia

identification

zoo specific records keeping systems.
Programmes may also include:

complementary and integrative animal
health.
For the Companion Animals Strand
7
Take responsibility for the
day-to-day animal health and
husbandry in an animal care
facility
Credits 110
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Range of animals may include:
-
Cats, dogs, caged birds, fish amphibians
and reptiles, equines, rabbits and
rodents.
Programmes may include the following for a
range of applicable animals:

health and safety

hygiene

isolation and quarantine techniques

handling and restraint

behaviour observation and measurement

behaviour modification

enrichment
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
clinical exam

first aid

nutrition and feeding regimes

preventative health

identification

breeding management and reproductive
biology

housing design

housing maintenance

assessing animal welfare

animal welfare legislation

anatomy and physiology

transport

knowledge of common diseases

disease transmission and control
including zoonotic and exotic diseases
and parasitic disease

administration of treatments

knowledge of euthanasia

animal records systems.
Programmes may also include:
-
complementary and integrative animal
health.
Transition information
Replacement information
Nil
Qualification Reference 2489
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
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