ACMBEH402 Develop, implement and monitor enrichment strategies for animals

Release: 1

ACMBEH402 Develop, implement and monitor enrichment strategies for animals

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