Animal Care Course

caring with animals
reptile care

QEL808

Animal Care Studies Diploma Level 2

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Animal Care Course

Course Fees:  £699

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Continued Professional Development

This course counts for 130 hours CPD (including practical placement)

Animal Care Studies Diploma Level 2

The Animal Care course explores the care and husbandry of a variety of companion animals. It has been carefully designed for anyone working, or wanting to work in a variety of animal care roles in the animal charity sector as well as boarding, pet sitting and the veterinary sector. 

This course is also for those wanting to gain more knowledge about the care and welfare of animals kept as companion animals.

Learn about a variety of companion animals including Dogs, Cats, Small Animals, Birds, Rabbits, Reptiles and Invertebrate. 

Learn about their care, welfare, nutrition and how to ensure their proper expression of behaviour through environmental enrichment.

The course concentrates on animal well-being according to a better understanding and applied interpretation of their biology.

This is a 6 module course that includes a 1 or 2 week optional practical at an animal welfare charity in Gloucestershire

animal body development

Module 1

The Animal Body

Module 1 of the Animal Care Course covers an introduction to the physiology of the companion animal through the study of body systems as well as the causes of disease that affect companion animals.

Module 2

Canine Care

This module explores the basic needs & care of dogs including their nutritional needs. Canine care involves being able to provide enrichment and exercise activities that are appropriate to various breeds and that meet their emotional needs too. Learn about the daily health check & how to recognise general signs of health & ill-health in the dog.

Module 3

Feline Care 

Feline care involves having an understanding of the daily health check & common health problems in cats. Learn about the basic principles of first aid and gain an understanding of how to manage the first aid treatments of a range of common feline injuries.  The nutritional needs of the cat are also explored in this module. 

Module 4

Rabbit Care

The rabbit is one the most vulnerable animals kept as a pet as their needs are often poorly understood. This module of the animal care course, provides an understanding of exercise & enrichment for rabbits, their specific nutritional requirements and rabbit health & disease.

Module 5

Care of the Reptile & Invertebrate

This module is unusual in that it investigates how to care for a range of invertebrates (animal without a backbone) that are kept as ‘pets’. Caring for the the African Giant Land Snail is an example but more common, native species are also considered. Learn about the ecology of these animals as well as that of reptiles so that you can care for them properly. Accommodation for both the invertebrates and reptiles is included in this module.

Module 6

Small Animal Care 

Small animals include the guinea pig, rodents, degu and birds. Learn how to provide adequate exercise & environmental enrichment for small animals, as well as how to recognise, prevent and respond to common health disorders. This module includes information about nutrition and appropriate foods for a range of small animals.

1 or 2 Week Practical Placement (Optional) at the Cheltenham Animal Shelter in Gloucestershire

practical placement in Cheltenham Animal Shelter
Feline care
Cheltenham Animal Shelter logo

Cheltenham Animal Shelter is a long-established Charity which endeavours to rescue & re-home unwanted and abandoned domestic animals. Helping animals since the 1920’s, CAS helps to deal with the ongoing issue of abandoned animals, taking in stray dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs as well as rodents and providing them with all necessary care until a forever loving home can be found for them.

Students who attend a much sought-after placement at CAS as a part of this course, have a fantastic hands-on opportunity supporting the Animal Care team whose rewarding job is to take care of these animals. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain highly sought after hands-on experience.

This placement includes gaining skills and knowledge in:

-Kennel cleaning

-Cattery cleaning

-Cleaning small animal enclosures

-Socialising and exercising the animals

-Providing enrichment activities for the animals

-Home visit assessments

-Shadowing the on-site Canine Behaviourist

- Assist with the on-site Veterinary practice

-Assisting in the Grooming parlour

-Opportunities to be involved in fundraising/education activities which may be happening on site

Please note that students can enrol on this course without the Practical Placement. Students must be at least 16 years old to take part in either placement. Students must be willing to work outdoors whatever the weather and be able to provide suitable clothing for the placement (comfortable clothing, outdoor and wet-weather resistant jackets when necessary, sturdy rubber soled footwear and wellington boots for cleaning activities).

Placement days run from 8.30am-4pm.

Cattery cleaning
canine grooming

£699

Please contact us if you would like to enrol WITHOUT the practical placement

(Course cost is all inclusive of tutoring fees, assessments, materials and course registration)

Click here   if you would like more information about us and how to enrol and study

Contact us  to discuss this Animal Care Course 

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