This unit of competency supports kennel hands and others in the greyhound racing industry who may be required to undertake a range of kennel duties related to the general care and maintenance of racing greyhounds.

This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Perform kennel duties and identify potential hazards.

1. Racing kennel operations related to the care and management of greyhounds are complied with.

2. Kennels are cleaned and maintained in accordance with kennel routine.

3. Kennel environment and yards are cleaned, swept or raked in accordance with kennel routine.

4. Hazards in the workplace are identified and reported to nominated kennel person.

Provide feed and water to greyhounds.

5. Common feedstuffs are identified.

6. Feed and water are prepared and provided in accordance with kennel routine and trainer's instructions.

7. Contaminated feed is identified, removed and reported.

8. Variations to individual eating and drinking patterns are observed and reported.

Groom and bathe greyhounds.

9. Types and functions of items of grooming and therapeutic equipment are identified and explained.

10. Greyhounds are groomed and prepared for race meetings according to instructions.

11. Greyhounds are checked for illness or injury during grooming and irregularities are reported.

Monitor basic health and welfare of greyhounds.

12. Characteristics of a healthy greyhound are identified.

13. Symptoms of common illnesses and injuries are identified and reported.

Required skills

applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with greyhounds

catching, leading, and controlling greyhounds

communicating with employer, supervisor, co-workers and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to performing kennel duties

completing duties in accordance with safe operating procedures and nominated time frame

evaluating risks associated with working around greyhounds

following directions

identifying and correctly using different items of grooming gear

identifying common greyhound illnesses or injuries

identifying greyhound behaviour, social traits and vices

identifying individual greyhounds

recording and reporting observations, information and messages

reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including relevant rules of racing

relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge

basic industry terminology related to greyhound illnesses or injuries, identification, feeding and grooming

kennel design and benefits or disadvantages of various bedding

characteristics of healthy greyhounds and sick, distressed or injured animals

communication procedures within kennel and wider racing industry

common greyhound behaviour, social traits and vices

common feedstuffs and methods of determining quality

effective working relationships, including teamwork

greyhound feeding and drinking patterns

grooming equipment and methods

purpose of using appropriate personal protective equipment

racing industry animal welfare requirements

racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures

racing kennel operations

relevant rules of racing

workplace hazards.

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.

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 and include evidence of the following:

knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that apply to kennel duties related to the care and maintenance of racing greyhounds

implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient performance of kennel and grooming duties

working with others to undertake and complete kennel procedures that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of greyhounds of different ages, sexes and temperaments, and at different stages of preparation in racing kennel and track environments.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to the required resources or simulated environment approved by the relevant State Principal Racing Authority. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

a variety of greyhounds

materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to perform kennel duties

safe handling areas, such as commercial kennels

work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of 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 conducted in a State Principal Racing Authority approved simulated environment.

Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons.

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

RGRCMN201A Follow OHS procedures and observe environmental work practices.

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).

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to perform kennel duties. Workplaces include greyhound kennels and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Racing kennel operations may include:

cleaning drains

cleaning waterers, dishes and bowls

cleaning grooming equipment

grooming and washing greyhounds

following instructions regarding the order of operations

hosing, sweeping and cleaning kennels, runs and environments

identifying and adapting to changes to routine when greyhounds are racing or trialling

moving greyhounds from kennels to runs

operating walking machines

preparing and providing feed and water

replacing bedding

removing faeces and soiled or wet bedding.

Kennel environment may include:

kennels

runs

walking, exercise and training areas

walking machines

yards.

Hazards in the workplace may include:

chemicals

disease transfer between greyhounds and people

heavy loads, for example bags of feed

greyhounds

machinery and equipment

other people

unsafe work practices.

Feed and water preparation will include:

applying rules of cleanliness and hygiene

feed additives, including:

appetite stimulants

bicarbonate of soda

Epsom salts

electrolytes

minerals

rehydration agents

vitamins

identifying feed ingredients and preparing feeds according to trainer instructions

providing correct mix and quantity of feed to individual greyhounds according to trainer instructions

identifying, removing and reporting contaminated feed

understanding consequences of incorrect use of additives, such as:

accidental introduction of banned substances through use of additives and combinations of additives

causing toxic reactions due to imbalance of insoluble vitamins, trace elements and other items

causing illness due to not feeding or administering medication according to greyhound specific metabolic features

some additives alkalising the blood level in greyhounds (total carbon dioxide [TCO2] level) and alkalising agents include:

bicarbonates

lactates and citrates

wasting money by overfeeding soluble vitamins or other feed items that cannot be absorbed or stored.

Feed may be contaminated due to:

mould or water damage

rodent, insect or other spoilage.

Greyhounds may be groomed:

depending upon individual kennel routine and climate, including:

brushing body

washing, including:

hosing

controlling greyhounds during bathing

preparing bath and testing water temperature

operating hydro bath equipment

towelling greyhound and keeping warm

checking legs for injury or swelling

removing mud or dirt

cleansing nostrils and eyes

specific grooming related to preparing greyhound for presentation at race meetings.

Illness or injury greyhounds may suffer include:

abrasions, cuts or wounds

colic

coughs or colds

heat in limbs

heat stress

lameness

tendon or ligament strains or sprains

viruses.

Unit Sector

Greyhound racing code

This unit contains employability skills.