Nurture your passion for animals with the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Companion Animals). Become a valued member of your local animal shelter or clinic, learn how to care for your own pet or pathway into a higher animal care qualification.
One year full-time
Up to four years part-time
Intakes are 17 weeks long
2024 Intake 1: 29 January to 24 May - Applications Close 15 January
2024 Intake 2: 18 March to 12 July - Applications Close 11 March
2024 Intake 3: 10 June to 4 October - Applications Close 27 May
2024 Intake 4: 29 July to 22 November - Applications Close 15 July
Fees Free
First year of tertiary study
Tuition Fee: $0 Check eligibility
SIT Zero Fees Scheme
(e.g. $700 for 100 credit course)
International Fees
$14583
Unsure which one is for me? Check Fees Eligibility Check my options
This qualification is to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge to care for animals within welfare standards and practices.
This qualification is for people who intend to work in a role assisting with the care of animals in a non-production context in settings such as rural blocks, animal rescue centres, boarding facilities, and animal recreation businesses.
Graduates will have the skills, knowledge, and attributes to assist with the care of animals under limited supervision.
This qualification is stranded to recognise the specialist skills required for assisting with care and husbandry within the contexts of companion animals, equine.
All courses below are compulsory for the Companion Animal Strand:
ANML3101
Introduction to Professional Skills when working with companion animals
Credits: 15
1. Identify the impact of legislation and Codes of Welfare on companion animal facilities.
2. Describe the interpersonal skills and professional competencies required in a companion animal facility.
ANML3102
Introduction to behaviour, handling and transportation for companion animals
1. Identify a range of companion animal breeds, and methods for identifying individual animals in an animal care context.
2. Describe safe handling, restraint, basic training, and transportation techniques for a range of companion animals in an animal care context.
ANML3103
Introduction to form, function and preventative health for companion animals
1. Identify anatomical structures and their basic functions in companion animals.
2. Describe preventative health and hygiene measures to maintain the health and wellbeing of companion animals in an animal care context.
ANML3104
Introduction to Husbandry for companion animals
1. Describe a holistic approach to companion animal husbandry which supports optimal health and welfare in an animal care context.
2. Explain basic reproduction, parturition and care of neonates in companion animals in an animal care context.
3. Explain how to apply basic first aid to companion animals in a range of emergency situations in a companion animal context.
ANML3105
Companion Animals Practicum
Credits: 10
1. Demonstrate professional and ethical behaviour in a team environment in companion animal facilities.
2. Provide day-to-day feeding, husbandry, handling and routine health procedures to maintain the welfare of animals in a companion animal facility.
3. Apply health and safety, legal, and welfare practices to working in companion animal facilities.
This qualification must include at least 40 hours of Practicum in a workplace environment that provides opportunity for candidates to practice and apply the skills and knowledge inherent in the qualification outcomes.
Transition Plan
Transitions to follow this table, however, the Programme Operations Manager has the discretion to approve variations to these based on the intention that ākonga should be not disadvantaged by these transition arrangements.
ACS102 - Ethical and legal behaviour in relation to Animals (7 credits)
With any 3 papers below:
ACS106 - Dog identification, Health, and Housing (10 credits)
ACS109 - Rodent identification health and housing (10 credits)
ACS108 - Poultry identification health and housing (10 credits)
ACS111 - Cat identification health and housing (10 credits)
ACS100 - Zoonoses and their control (8 credits)
ACS101 - Animal anatomy and Physiology (10 credits)
ACS103 - Normal and abnormal animal behaviours (5 credits)
ACS104 - Basic animal health procedures and first aid (5 credits)
(Need to complete all papers)
Graduates will be able to work as assistants involved with the day-to-day care, and welfare of animals at pet stores, animal rescue centres, pet grooming, animal day care, kennels and catteries, animal breeders, animal training, pet boarding facilities, horse recreation, animal laboratories, and rural blocks.
Open Entry if the delegated authority at the campus/site is satisfied that the applicant has the capability to complete the requirements of the programme. International applicants are required to have an IELTS score of 5 (general or academic) with no individual band lower than 5 from one test taken in the preceding two years, or an equivalent described in NZQA Rules.
Additional requirements
All application needs to meet or submit the following:
*Convictions of any offence may not necessarily exclude applicants from enrolment. Any decision is made on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the delegated authority.
Selection processes may apply where the number of applications exceed the number of available places.
English Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA),or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL);or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand,,Australia,Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of a Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment
IELTS test - General or Academic score of 5 with no band score lower than 5TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 500 (with an essay score of 4 TWE)TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 35 (with a writing score of 14)Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools with a score of 154. No less than 154 in each skill.OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-testsNZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 3 (General) or (Workplace) b) Level 3 (General)Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 36 with no band score lower than 36Language Cert - B1 Achiever International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASSTrinity ISE - ISE I with no less than distinction in any band
* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current
Full time study
According to Study Link, full time study is completing 50 credits in one 17-week intake.
Full time acceptance in to the programme is at the Programme Manager’s discretion and is not guaranteed.
A suggested full-time example study plan is:
OR
Part time study
The number of papers you select to study per intake should depend on work, family, and other commitments. You may enrol in the papers in any order that you wish to study them.
All work for a paper must be completed during the intake in which you are enrolled in it. If you do not complete the paper within the intake, you must re-enrol in the paper in a later intake.
Use the ‘Study Load Calculator’ table on the following page to calculate approximately how many hours per week you will require for your chosen study plan.
Aditional Information
Students who have previously completed any NZQA unit standards/or previous version relating to the above papers can apply to have the unit(s) /papers recognised on their record of learning at SIT2LRN. This is done by filling in a ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ (RPL) application form and attaching proof of achievement. The RPL application form is available here: http://www.sit.ac.nz/Students/Academic-Support.
Please use the following checklist to ensure that all relevant information and documentation has been included. Remember, your application will be assessed based on the information that you provide us with. Processing of your application will be delayed if we need to come back to you for missing information.
What is the Zero Fees Scheme?
The Zero Fees Scheme means we do not charge tuition fees, however there is a Student Direct Material Cost that you need to pay. The administration fee is for processing your application and the Student Direct Material Cost gives you secure access to Blackboard® our online learning environment and to student support services throughout your study with us.
Who qualifies for the Zero Fees Scheme?
Instructions to help you with your application:
If you are a new student …
Attach supporting documents as required and outlined on the previous page.
What happens next?
To be awarded the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Level 3) (Companion Animals Strand), ākonga must achieve a minimum of 70 credits. This may vary depending on the transition plans of returning students.
This qualification may build on the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (Level 1) [Ref: 0928] or the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (Level 2) [Ref: 0973], both with Vocational Pathways Primary Industry endorsement, or the New Zealand Certificate in Primary Industry Skills with optional strand in Self-Management and Employability Skills [Ref: 2218].This qualification may lead to the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Management (Level 4) with strands in Canine Behaviour and Training; Companion Animals; Fish, Amphibians and Reptiles; and Zookeeping [Ref: 2489]; or the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Healthcare Assisting (Level 4) with strands in Companion Animal Healthcare, Equine Healthcare.
This qualification may complement these qualifications: This qualification may lead to the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Management (Level 4) with strands in Canine Behaviour and Training; Companion Animals; Fish, Amphibians and Reptiles; and Zookeeping [Ref: 2489]; or the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Healthcare Assisting (Level 4) with strands in Companion Animal Healthcare, Equine Healthcare,
Assessment Portfolio including: Assignments; Case-studies; Examinations; Group/Collaborative assessments; Practical demonstrations; Presentations; Projects; Tests/Quizzes; Written reports; summaries; contextual documents; Work-integrated assessment.
For more information on required and recommended textbooks for this course please refer to the textbook list here.
Please note that textbooks need to be ordered at least 3-4 weeks prior to the commencement of your study