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Unit of competency details

ACMBEH402 - Develop, implement and monitor enrichment strategies for animals (Release 1)

Summary

Usage recommendation:
Current
Mapping:
MappingNotesDate
Supersedes and is equivalent to ACMCAS404 - Development enrichment strategies for companion animalsTitle and code updated. Changes to performance criteria for clarity. Assessment requirements updated 12/Apr/2021

Release Status:
Current
Releases:
ReleaseRelease date
1 1 (this release) 13/Apr/2021

Companion volumes:
Unit of competency Assessment requirements

Delivery:
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Classifications

SchemeCodeClassification value
ASCED Module/Unit of Competency Field of Education Identifier 050105 Animal Husbandry  

Classification history

SchemeCodeClassification valueStart dateEnd date
ASCED Module/Unit of Competency Field of Education Identifier 050105 Animal Husbandry  13/Apr/2021 
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Unit of competency

Modification History

Release

Comments

Release 1

This version released with ACM Animal Care and Management Training Package Version 4.0.

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to develop, implement, monitor and review enrichment strategies for animals, and to communicate the strategies to carers (team members/owners).

This unit applies to individuals with responsibility for developing and providing enrichment activities for animals in various facilities, including animal training, pet shops, boarding, day care or breeding facilities, veterinary clinics, stables and wildlife/exhibited animal establishments. They work autonomously and apply specialist knowledge and skills to provide solutions for predictable and unpredictable problems.

All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures according to Commonwealth and state/territory health and safety and animal welfare regulations, legislation and standards that apply to the workplace.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Unit Sector

Behaviour and Training (BEH)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Elements

Performance Criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Develop enrichment strategies

1.1 Conduct research and consultation to profile the animal in care and determine appropriate environmental and behavioural enrichment strategies for species or breed, age and individual needs

1.2 Develop enrichment strategies with reference to known species-specific behaviour, environments and needs

1.3 Incorporate animal welfare and health and safety requirements into strategies as appropriate

1.4 Develop organisational procedures for enrichment according to the profile of animals

1.5 Align enrichment strategy budget allocation to short-term and longer-term strategies

2. Implement enrichment programs

2.1 Communicate enrichment strategies and procedures to carers, and provide required training

2.2 Adjust animal husbandry regimes to incorporate enrichment strategies

2.3 Provide assistance to carers in implementing physical, social and food-related enrichment programs appropriate to the species

2.4 Supervise carers providing enrichment to animals according to workplace policies and procedures

2.5 Assess behaviours requiring attention and propose strategies in relation to possible causes of the behaviour and welfare of the animal

2.6 Assess short-term and longer-term management of animals and implement appropriate environmental and behavioural enrichment programs

3. Monitor and review enrichment strategies

3.1 Monitor and document animal behaviour, signs of stress and responses to implementation of enrichment strategy to determine their effects on animals

3.2 Investigate and evaluate any adverse consequences to an enrichment strategy

3.3 Collate enrichment program modification suggestions in consultation with carers, and implement where appropriate

3.4 Update and document short-term and longer-term enrichment strategies in line with review findings

3.5 Align organisation budget allocation to reviewed and updated enrichment strategies

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Skill

Description

Reading
  • Interpret industry and scientific terminology in animal behaviour and training documents

Writing
  • Use industry and scientific terminology when completing records

Oral communication
  • Use open-ended questions, active listening and paraphrasing to gather information
  • Provide accurate advice using language appropriate to the audience

Numeracy
  • Calculate time and costs relevant to enrichment activities
  • Interpret numerical information provided with animal enrichment products and equipment

Unit Mapping Information

Code and title current version

Code and title previous version

Comments

Equivalence status

ACMBEH402 Develop, implement and monitor enrichment strategies for animals

ACMCAS404 Development enrichment strategies for companion animals

Title and code updated

Changes to performance criteria for clarity

Assessment requirements updated

Equivalent

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103

 

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Release

Comments

Release 1

This version released with ACM Animal Care and Management Training Package Version 4.0.

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has:

  • developed and documented a short-term (daily or weekly) and a longer-term (monthly, seasonally or yearly) behavioural and environmental enrichment program, for two of the following categories:
  • two different species or breed groups
  • two individual animals with behaviour requiring attention
  • two individual animals with special requirements relating to life cycle stage
  • prepared a costing for each of the enrichment programs above
  • implemented, monitored, reviewed and documented one short-term and one longer-term enrichment program
  • communicated enrichment strategies and provided training and supervision for at least two carers.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

  • natural animal behaviour relating to the characteristics of the species and/or breed group, age, health status and social needs
  • normal and atypical behaviour patterns and traits of commonly held animals, including behavioural signs and development measures in young animals
  • types and purpose of behavioural and environmental enrichment strategies, including:
  • infrastructure and manipulative enrichment – positive interactions with the environment
  • olfactory (smell) enrichment
  • gustatory (taste) enrichment
  • exploratory enrichment – changes within the environment
  • species-specific behaviours requiring attention, including:
  • exaggerated forms of a normal behaviour
  • repetitive actions or stereotypies
  • indicators of wellbeing and stress in animals
  • indicators of avoidance, displacement, aggression
  • species compatibility
  • common indicators of compromised health, disease, injury or distress
  • housing, exercise, social and activity needs of animals
  • animal husbandry regimes and relationship to enrichment programs
  • features of low stress environments relevant to species
  • animal safety issues relating to objects and/or structures used for enrichment purposes
  • costs of items and infrastructure used in enrichment program
  • organisational procedures and systems relevant to own work responsibilities, including workplace health and safety practices
  • principles of animal welfare and ethics, and relevant animal welfare legislative requirements, including safe, low stress and humane animal handling techniques.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of the skills in this unit of competency must take place under the following conditions:

  • physical conditions:
  • an animal care facility or an environment that accurately represents workplace conditions
  • resources, equipment and materials:
  • live animals as specified in the performance evidence
  • housing for animals
  • resources to implement enrichment strategies
  • relationships:
  • carers (team members or animal owners).

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103

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