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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Follow animal health management practices
  2. Monitor and maintain the physical wellbeing of animals
  3. Identify and report signs of ill health or injury in animals
  4. Administer and record animal treatments
  5. Follow animal health management practices
  6. Monitor and maintain the physical wellbeing of animals
  7. Identify and report signs of ill health or injury in animals
  8. Administer and record animal treatments

Required Skills

Required skills

complete relevant workrelated documents

employ safe and environmentally responsible organisational systems and procedures when handling animals

maintain the highest standards of personal and workplace hygiene and infection control at all times to reduce the risk of infection and crossinfection

participate in arrangements for maintaining the health and safety of all people and animals in the workplace

take and record animals temperature pulse respiration and hydration indicators where appropriate

literacy skills to read and follow organisational policies and procedures including OHS and animal welfare follow sequenced written instructions and record information accurately and legibly

oral communication skillslanguage to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning active listening asking for clarification and seeking advice from supervisor

numeracy skills to estimate calculate and record routine workplace measures

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

problemsolving skills to assess appropriate practices and prioritise daily tasks

use personal protective clothing and equipment correctly

use safe manual handling techniques andor equipment

use safe waste handling and disposal procedures

Required knowledge

anatomical and physiological terminology and glossary of terms

anatomical and physiological structures and functions related to animal health and wellbeing

broad categories of parasitic infestations

common diseases ailments injuries and other impacts on animal health and wellbeing

housing exercise social and activity needs of animals

indicators of poor response to treatment or management of young ill injured or compromised animals

indicators of recovery from illness or injury

methods used to measure interpret and record animals weight and other objective measures of animal health

principles of animal welfare and ethics

relevant OHS and animal welfare legislative requirements and codes of practice

quarantine protocols

safe work practices

terminology used to describe and document health and behavioural signs and symptoms

workplace hygiene standards disinfectants cleaning agents cleaning techniques and cleaning equipment and materials

Evidence Required

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 competence 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

carry out routine consistent monitoring of animal health and physical wellbeing

maintain personal health and a hygienic work environment

follow quarantine protocols as required

identify good health illness injury and abnormal behaviour in animals and report to supervisor

administer authorised animal treatments and implement routine preventative health programs as directed

maintain accurate animal activity monitoring health treatment and quarantine records

The skills and knowledge required to maintain and monitor animal health and wellbeing must 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 an animal care industry sector workplace in which candidates are working or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions Workplaces can include pet shops breeding or boarding kennels and catteries aviaries companion animal training grooming establishments animal shelters zoos wildlife parks mobile animal facilities and animal technology facilities

There must be access in either situation to a range of animals as well as relevant information equipment andor resources to enable one to demonstrate competenceAssessment must be relevant to the industry sector in which candidates are working and must cover a minimum of one species from at least two of the six major animal groups OR at least three breeds from within one of the six major animal groups mammals fish birds amphibians reptiles invertebrates

Method of assessment

To ensure consistency in ones 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 over a number of assessment activities

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

written andor oral assessment of candidates required knowledge

observed documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidates application of practical tasks

simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions

thirdparty 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 eg literacy and numeracy demands and the needs of particular target groups eg 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.

Animals may include:

animals commonly encountered within the industry workplace and may cover both native and introduced species

animals from the six major animal groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates).

Personal health and hygiene standards may include:

appropriate handling reprocessing of reusable equipment

aseptic technique

cover cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressing and change as necessary

maintain personal immunisation/vaccination requirements for working with animals where required

personal hygiene practices especially washing and drying hands before and after animal contact and/or any activity likely to cause cross-contamination

safe handling and disposal of sharps and other clinical, related and general waste

use of personal protective clothing and equipment and change as appropriate for the intended use.

OHS risks when working with animals may include:

animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches and crush injuries

biological hazardous waste and sharps disposal

handling of chemicals and medicines

gas leakage

inhalation of aerosol particles

intraocular contamination

manual handling, including carrying, lifting and shifting

needle pricks and cuts from other sharps

release of infective agents (animal and human)

slippery or uneven work surfaces

zoonoses.

Animal diseases may include:

infectious diseases:

bacteria

fungi

internal and external parasites

virus

zoonoses

non-infectious diseases:

allergies

chemical toxicities

genetic

metabolic

neoplastic

nutritional

physical traumas.

Parasitic infestations may include:

external parasites:

fleas, mites, lice or ticks

flies and midges

classes of internal parasites:

cetoda

nemotoda

trematoda.

Quarantine requirements may include:

procedures and hygiene standards applied

reasons for quarantine

maintaining required records

quarantine periods for various species.

Indicators of animal health monitoring may include:

observing and reporting 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.

Physical environment of animals may include:

absence or presence of vermin and pests

ability to maintain appropriate hygiene standards to ensure animal health

ability to maintain enclosure security

access to sunlight,

air flow and draught

construction materials of enclosure, housing, bedding, feed and water containers, behaviour enrichment items and floor surface

location of enclosure and construction materials that may provide for or hinder positive behavioural stimulation

location of enclosure in regard to other animals, noise and other potentially threatening or challenging stimuli

protection from weather extremes (e.g. heat, cold, precipitation and wind)

temperature range in enclosure and in housing area

Signs of illness or injury may include:

chewing or licking own body excessively

defensive behaviours

drooling and regurgitating food

excessive drinking

excessive rolling

general changes in normal behaviour or routines

lameness

listlessness or disinterest in surroundings

presence of blood, swelling, excessive heat

reluctance or refusal to eat or drink

reluctance to move

sweating

yelping or other vocalising when touched or if animal attempts to move or perform particular tasks or grooming.

Abnormal animal behaviour and conditions may include:

aggression in non-aggressive species

cannibalism

reluctance to eat and drink, socialise or move in relation to the usual patterns for nominated species

repetitive movements or behaviours that prevent the animal from functioning normally or lead to injury.

Samples may include:

blood

faeces

hair

muscle

saliva

semen

skin

uterine secretions.

Authorised animal treatments may include:

treatments used in the routine preventative health care of animals that are available over the counter and have been approved by supervisor or are part of the approved animal care plan

treatments prescribed by a veterinarian.

Routine preventative health treatments may include:

control of parasites

grooming

immunisation/vaccinations as required

insect control

quarantine

routine health check-up

routine observation of waste elimination and faecal examination.