If you are the one friends call when their dog is off its food, this was made for turning that into work. You learn safe handling, feeding, first aid and common illnesses, then take it to a kennel or clinic.
You do not need to have worked with animals before. The course opens at the start and builds to handling, first aid and disease. Kennels, shelters and pet stores are where most people get their first job. This covers what those days ask of you.
If you already feed, clean and settle animals, the gap is usually the health side. Anatomy, common diseases and vet care are all here. You can spot a problem early and say something useful about it.
It is online, at your own pace, with no exams and no set class times. You get 6 months of access, so you can do a topic on a quiet evening and pick it up again on the weekend.
Animal care sits behind almost every place animals are kept: kennels, shelters, clinics, farms and pet shops. The day is easy to picture. Feeding rounds in the morning, pens cleaned and checked, a nervous dog settled, then a hand on the front desk.
The broad one. Feeding, cleaning, handling and watching for changes across whatever comes through the door.
Dog husbandry, handling and safety are the whole day here, and they are three of the ten topics.
Shelters take in animals that arrive unwell or unsettled, so first aid and behaviour both earn their keep.
Front desk work goes better when you understand what the clinic is treating and can talk to worried owners.
Husbandry of other species covers the animals that are not dogs, which is most of a collection.
Stock health, safe handling and spotting illness early are daily jobs on a farm.
Customers ask care questions all day. Knowing the answers is what keeps them coming back to you.
Roles where these skills are useful, not promised outcomes. Every role is different, and some need more study or experience. Veterinary nursing needs accredited study, and animal welfare officer roles are usually statutory appointments.
Ten topics, studied online at your own pace.
Here is what stands out in this course.
Anatomy and physiology, dog and other species husbandry, common diseases, first aid, handling and safety, vet health care, and training and behaviour.
Rachel H has over 20 years in the animal industry. She has owned a grooming and training business and worked in vet clinics. She also fosters and trains for rescue charities. Tutor support is unlimited during business hours.
Enrolment opens the Career Centre: job listings, CV templates, a personalised CV review, interview preparation and a LinkedIn profile review.
Certificate of Achievement · The Career Academy
Finish the course and the college awards you its Certificate of Achievement in animal care.
You earn Continuing Professional Development credits when you finish, so the study counts on your record.
Completion comes with a SEEK Pass link from the learning platform. Add it to your SEEK profile so employers can see the certificate.
Send an enquiry and a course advisor gets back to you with the course guide and straight answers on whether it fits.
Start anytime. Pay upfront in one payment, or spread it out on a flexible weekly plan.
Work through the ten topics online, with a tutor on the phone or email during business hours.
Complete the course, receive your Certificate of Achievement, and take it to the kennels, clinics and shelters near you.
None needed. The course opens with an introduction to animal care before it goes near anatomy or disease. It suits people already working with animals and people who have only ever kept pets at home.
From $29 a week on a flexible payment plan. You can also pay upfront in one payment. Enquire for the current options.
Around 140 hours at your own pace, with 6 months of course access. There are no set class times, so it fits around work and family.
There are none, ever. You work through the topics online. Your tutor is there during business hours when you get stuck.
Yes. Enrolment opens the Career Centre: job listings, CV templates, a personalised CV review, interview preparation and a LinkedIn profile review.
It is accredited by ICOES and the CPD Standards Office. That is accreditation for professional development, and the college is registered with IARC. It is not NZQA accredited, so it is not a national qualification. Those are two different things. For kennel, shelter and pet store work it is no barrier. Employers want someone who can handle an animal safely and turn up.
Yes. There is a 10-day money back guarantee. If it is not right, you get your money back.
This course is delivered by The Career Academy, an online course provider in New Zealand.
The college has been running for over 15 years and works with more than 25,000 students a year. Its base is in Christchurch. Your tutor for this course is Rachel H, who has over 20 years in the animal industry. She has owned a grooming and training business and worked in vet clinics.
Picture the morning you unlock the kennels and every dog in the row already knows your voice. It starts with knowing what they need.