New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Rural Animal Strand) (Level 3)
Farming
A course by
SIT
Gain the skills and knowledge to care for rural animals with a focus on animal welfare standards and practices, preparing for work in shelters, clinics, and similar settings or further study in animal care.
Online study
Flexible online learning from anywhere
SIT2LRN Distance Learning, Online
It will take a total of 1 year
Core skills this course teaches
Apply animal welfare standards
Demonstrate an understanding of, and apply, relevant animal care and welfare legislation and codes within rural animal care environments.
Demonstrate professional skills in animal facilities
Exhibit personal attributes, professional skills, and procedures required to maintain a rural animal facility.
Handle, restrain, and transport rural animals
Identify rural animal breeds and demonstrate safe animal handling, restraint, and transportation techniques.
What You're Signing Up For
This 70-credit Level 3 qualification provides the foundational skills to assist with the daily care, welfare, and husbandry of rural animals. Graduates are prepared for roles such as animal carers or assistants in rural blocks, rescue centers, and animal care facilities, or to progress to higher qualifications. The programme includes professional skills, animal handling, preventative health, husbandry, and a practicum for workplace experience.
Course Content
- ANML3301 Introduction to Professional Skills when working with rural animals
- - Impact of legislation and Codes of Welfare relevant to rural animal facilities
- - Professional skills and procedures to maintain a rural animal facility
- ANML3302 Behaviour, handling and transportation for rural animals
- - Identification of breeds and methods in animal care
- - Handling, restraint, basic training, and transportation
- ANML3303 Introduction to form, function and preventative health for rural animals
- - Anatomy and function in rural animals
- - Preventative health and identification of infectious diseases
- ANML3304 Introduction to Husbandry for rural animals
- - Holistic husbandry supporting health and welfare
- - Basic reproduction, parturition, neonate care
- - Basic first aid in emergency scenarios
- ANML3305 Rural Animals Practicum
- - Professional and ethical behavior in rural animal facilities
- - Feeding, husbandry, handling, and routine health procedures
- - Health and safety, legal and welfare practices in workplace
What you need to know first
What sort of industry will this job lead to
Animal Care
Farming
Rural Animal Services
Future employment opportunities might be
Assistant roles in animal shelters or care centres
Animal carer in rural blocks
Animal rescue centre or boarding facility staff