Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency covers the process of managing compliance within the companion animal industry, including the provision of high-level advice to clients on companion animal management and housing needs, maintaining external relationships and keeping records.

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

Application of the unit 

This unit is applicable to those working in the companion animal industry sector. It may include pet and aquarium shops, boarding kennels and catteries, companion animal training, grooming and/or breeding establishments and mobile animal facilities.

In addition to legal and ethical responsibilities, all units of competency in the ACM10 Animal Care and Management Training Package have the requirement for animals to be handled gently and calmly. The individual is required to exhibit appropriate care for animals so that stress and discomfort is minimised.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Provide high-level advice on companion animals 

1.1. Client and/or animal needs are assessed.

1.2. Advice on behaviour management for different species and breeds is provided as required.

1.3. Advice on special dietary requirements , including food and water, is provided to client as required.

2. Manage animals in accordance with relevant codes of practice and legislative requirements 

2.1. Appropriate housing  and equipment are provided in accordance with the physical, behavioural and social requirements and applied to animals kept on the premises.

2.2. Policies and procedures for animal management, security  and environmentally sustainable work practices  are developed, documented and promoted.

2.3. Appropriate nutritional strategies are developed, as required, for the range of animals kept on the premises.

2.4. Monitoring and care of young, sick or injured animals is arranged as required.

2.5. Effective waste management strategies  are implemented in accordance with legislative requirements.

3. Provide advice on legislative requirements

3.1. Advice on local council and companion animal legislative requirements is provided as required.

3.2. Advice on relocation options and disposal of dead animals is provided to clients, as required, in accordance with legislative requirements.

3.3. Advice on companion animal agencies is provided as required.

3.4. Advice on transportation  and quarantine requirements is provided as required.

4. Manage external relationships

4.1. Consultation is conducted and relationships with veterinarians are maintained.

4.2. Relationships with suppliers, relevant industry associations and other stakeholders are maintained.

5. Maintain records

5.1. Records of medication and treatments  provided to animals are maintained.

5.2. Trading in animals that are subject to regulatory control  is managed.

5.3. Reporting of illness, disease or death in animals is carried out in accordance with legislative requirements and industry standards.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communicate effectively with clients and other relevant stakeholders
• develop, implement and monitor organisational policies and procedures, including safe operating systems
• employ safe and environmentally responsible organisational systems and procedures when working with and handling animals and initiating behavioural management strategies
• maintain the highest standards of hygiene and infection control at all times to reduce the risk of infection and cross-infection
• maintain records and write workplace documents
• literacy skills to read and follow organisation policies and procedures, including OHS, infection control and waste management; record accurately and legibly information collected; and select and apply procedures to a range of defined tasks
• oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning techniques, active listening and asking for clarification
• numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities
• problem-solving skills to use available resources and prioritise daily tasks.

Required knowledge 

• anatomical and physiological structures and functions related to the care and wellbeing of commonly held animals
• animal transportation methods
• behavioural management for different species and breeds
• companion animal diseases and treatment strategies
• communication procedures and systems
• general maintenance and cleaning of animal housing
• organisation policies, procedures and requirements, including OHS and emergency procedures
• physical, behavioural and social requirements of a range of species and breeds kept in captivity
• principles of animal ethics and welfare
• relevant codes of practice and regulatory controls, including Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council codes of practice, companion animal legislation, local council regulations, microchipping and National Parks and Wildlife Service legislation
• relevant OHS and animal welfare legislative requirements and codes of practice
• relevant recordkeeping systems
• safe animal handling and restraint techniques and procedures
• safe work practices
• species and breed nutritional requirements and feeding techniques of commonly held animals
• species compatibility
• standards, guidelines and approaches to environmental sustainability relevant to the animal care industry
• waste management strategies
• workplace hygiene standards and infection control protocols.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

• provide advice to customers and clients on a range of issues relating to companion animals
• establish organisation policies and procedures to ensure the organisation complies with relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice, including animal welfare and OHS
• manage relationships and communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders, including veterinarians, suppliers and relevant industry associations
• maintain records and workplace documentation.

The skills and knowledge required to manage compliance in the companion animal industrymust be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a companion animal workplace or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions. Workplaces may include pet and aquarium shops, boarding kennels and catteries, companion animal training, grooming and/or breeding establishments and mobile animal facilities.

There must be access to a range of companion animal breeds and species and the relevant information, materials and documentation.

Method of assessment 

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategies must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
• simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
• third-party evidence
• workplace documentation
• portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Companion animals  may include:

• aquaria, reptiles and amphibians
• birds
• dogs and cats
• invertebrates (e.g. stick insects, spiders and beetles)
• small animals (e.g. rabbits, rodents, ferrets and guinea pigs).

Dietary requirements  of companion animals may include:

• the type of food (e.g. packaged, seed mixes, fresh, raw, frozen or live)
• food requirements in accordance with the species, breed, age, sex and activity level of the animal
• appropriate quantities and temperature of food.

Codes of practice and legislative requirements  that may apply include:

• environmental sustainability practices
• Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council codes of practice
• relevant companion animal legislation
• local council regulations
• microchipping
• animal welfare legislation
• National Parks and Wildlife Service legislation.

Housing  may include:

• cages
• kennels
• enclosures
• compounds
• brooders
• aquaria
• aviaries and bird rooms.

Animal security  arrangements may include:

• safe access and egress
• prevention of escape by animals
• restriction of access to authorised personnel
• compatibility of species and breeds within housing.

Environmentally sustainable work practices  may include:

• environmentally friendly waste management
• processes relevant to the workplace that support environment and resource efficiencies.

Transportation  may include:

• airfreight boxes
• pet carriers
• plastic bags
• restraints
• transport fish boxes
• trolleys.

Waste management strategies  may include:

• disposal of:

• food waste
• animal waste
• used cleaning and disinfection products and containers

• local government requirements and environmental or other legislative requirements.

Treatments  may include:

• topical and systemic parasite controls
• dietary supplements
• washing and grooming products.

Regulatory controls  applicable when trading in animals may include:

• federal and state or territory legislation, regulations and codes of practice.

Unit sector 

Companion animal services

Competency field 

Co-requisite units