Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to provide daily care of animals, including the cleaning of animal housing, and grooming or cleaning of animals under supervision.

This unit is applicable to new entrants to the animal care and management industry. Animal care may occur in a wide variety of workplaces, including retail pet stores, kennels and catteries, shelters, veterinary practices, zoos, animal research facilities and others.

This unit applies to individuals who work under general supervision and exercise limited autonomy. They undertake defined activities and work in a structured context.

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

NOTE: The terms 'occupational health and safety' (OHS) and 'work health and safety' (WHS) generally have the same meaning in the workplace. In jurisdictions where the national model WHS legislation has not been implemented, RTOs must contextualise the unit of competency by referring to current OHS legislative requirements.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Unit Sector

General Animal Studies (GAS)

Elements and Performance Criteria

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.

Unit Mapping Information

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

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 completed animal care hygiene routines for a minimum of three animals, including:

• confirmed the animal care routines required, cleaned and maintained animal housing and related facilities
• maintained animal comfort and health during cleaning and grooming of animals
• reported and documented animal care duties
• monitored animals and reported issues as required according to workplace protocols and procedures.

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:

• animal care and hygiene principles
• basic animal grooming techniques and equipment
• unusual behaviour for nominated animal:

• aggression or docility (depending on animal)
• disinterest in surroundings, other animals, people or usual stimuli
• excessive licking, scratching and rubbing
• lethargy
• nest building
• self-mutilation
• trembling
• vocalising

• observing and reporting indicators of illness or injury:

• bleeding
• changes in drinking or eating patterns
• lameness or reluctance to move and vocalising when attempting to move
• swelling
• unusual amounts, colour or texture of faeces

• typical tasks to maintain animal housing, including:

• adjusting animal housing features according to weather and climatic conditions
• collection and removal of faeces
• completing cleaning routines for sick or quarantined animals to avoid cross-contamination
• emptying and cleaning water and feeding receptacles using approved cleaning products and methods
• refilling water containers
• removing rubbish from housing and surrounding areas
• removing soiled bedding and disposing in approved area
• replacement of housing furniture items, such as vegetation and behaviour stimulation items, under direction of supervisor
• resetting of clean bedding materials
• washing down of toilet areas to remove urine and faeces using approved cleaning products and methods

• hygiene control practices, including:

• aseptic technique
• checking animal's skin, coat, shell, carapace or other external features
• completing infection control procedures as required
• grooming animals to remove shedding coat or skin, if required, or for general health and wellbeing
• isolating potentially contagious or ill animals under supervision
• personal hygiene practices, especially washing and drying hands (e.g. before and after animal contact)
• providing housing furnishings to assist animal to complete own shedding process
• use of personal protective equipment
• washing animal to remove dirt, foreign objects, parasites and other undesirable items

• exercise, social and activity needs of animals
• indicators of poor response to treatment or management of young, ill, injured or compromised animals
• safe animal handling techniques and procedures
• WHS, animal welfare and ethics legislation and codes of practice.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of skills must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• an environment that accurately reflects a real workplace setting

• resources, equipment and materials:

• a range of animals
• equipment and resources appropriate to work undertaken in an animal care environment

• specifications:

• access to workplace policies and procedures
• current WHS and animal welfare legislation and regulations

• relationships (internal and/or external):

• interactions with team members.

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