ABC Level 3 Certificate in Practical Small Animal Care Skills (Animal Training)

About the course

This is course provides a practical progression route for those who have successfully completed a level 2 animal care qualification. This is a practically based course and provides learners with essential industry knowledge to support progression into employment. Time is spent both in the classroom and working with the College’s animal collection.

Year 1

Year 1

Handle animals to enable them to work effectively

Promote and maintain the health and well-being of animals

Select animals for training

Recognise and interpret the behaviour of animals

Prepare interpretative entertainment and educational activities

Design individual training programmes for animals

Implement individual training programmes for animals

Entry requirements & additional information

Entry requirements

A level 2 animal care qualification or 4 GCSEs grade 9 – 4 or A*-C, including English language and Maths or Science.

Learning and assessment

Practical assessment and portfolio building.

Progression

Apprenticeships, employment.

Careers

Employment in kennels, catteries, pet shops, grooming parlours, welfare societies, animal training, animal welfare officer, wildlife assistant, zoo.

Special requirements

Costs that are mandatory for the course:

Outdoor clothing and sturdy work boots or wellingtons.

Work experience

Students must attend a relevant placement in the animal industry, for example a boarding kennel, canine grooming parlour or pet retail organisation.

Animal Studies

Britain is well regarded as a nation of animal lovers, from companion pets to large animal collections. This has resulted in a multi-million pound industry, ranging from well known national pet feed companies to pet stores, catteries and kennels and numerous other businesses providing for the needs of animals.

If you care about animals and have a deep interest in their health and wellbeing, Myerscough provides an excellent opportunity for you to further your studies. You'll develop a range of skills and have the opportunity to care for a range of animals including dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets, farm animals, reptiles and amphibians and a range of invertebrates.

Our Brand New Animal Studies Centre

Myerscough College’s Animal Studies Centre has tripled in size after the completion of a £3 million extension and major refurbishment. The new Animal Studies Centre features specialist classrooms, dedicated indoor and outdoor areas for different animal groups, as well as spacious private rooms, reception and study areas, all fully equipped with the latest I.T technology.

The new Animal Studies Centre also offers a range of services to the public, from grooming and healthcare through to behaviour classes and hydrotherapy for injury recovery.

Our Animals

As part of your course at Myerscough College, you'll get to work with a wide range of animals, from dogs and cats through to chameleons, iguanas and snakes, fish and invertebrates. You'll also get to help look after the College Alpacas, Bailey and Icicle - two of the department's biggest characters.

A choice of learning locations

As well as our £3m Animal Studies Centre at our Preston Campus, we also offer Animal Studies courses at our learning centres, including our new Animal Studies Centre at Croxteth Park in Liverpool, Walton Hall in Warrington and Witton Park in Blackburn.

Scottish Wildcats

Myerscough College plays a key role in the conservation of Britain's most iconic native predator, the Scottish Wildcat as part of Scottish Wildcat Action's conservation and breeding programme. There could be as few as 100 of these timid and elusive cats left in the wild and this work goes a long way to ensuring their survival.

Blue Cross Rehoming Centre

The Animal Studies Centre is now officially working in partnership with Blue Cross and now has a rehoming centre on the Myerscough Campus. This gives a fabulous experience for students who get the opportunity to work in a real life rehoming environment, gaining a valuable insight into the workings of a cattery and developing skills for employment within the animal sector.