Certificate II in Animal Care
Do you love animals? Transform your passion into a fulfilling career. Earn a nationally recognised ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care online with Swinburne Open Education.
Course code: ACM20121
Delivery mode: Online with work placement
Course duration: 12 months
Qualification: Certificate II
Eligibility: This course is not available to international students
Nationally recognised: Yes
Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment: Yes
Awarded by: Swinburne University of Technology
Assessments:
Online quizzes, including multiple choice and short answer questions
Portfolio of evidence, written reports & case studies
Video and audio role plays and demonstrations
Turn your passion for animals into a career in animal care.
Study online to gain a Certificate II in Animal Care (ACM20121) with Swinburne Open Education. This online animal care course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to provide care for pets and other animals. You will:
Understand key aspects of animal care, including proper feeding, hygiene practices, and emergency response.
Learn animal health care basics, treatment procedures, infection control, enrichment techniques, and first aid.
Learn administrative work in the animal care industry, such as record-keeping, reception duties, and effective communication.
Build practical skills and industry connections through Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment (SWLA).
This nationally recognised certificate will qualify you to provide care for animals in pet shops, animal shelters, kennels, catteries, sanctuaries or veterinary clinics. You can turn your passion for animals into a career working with animals as an animal attendant, carer, or customer service staff in the animal care environment.
Maintain work/ life balance with flexible online study, allowing you to continue in a current role.
This course is not available to International students.
Skills you'll learn
How to work with people and animals in the care industry
Animal industry related administration
Practical feeding and hygiene skills
Emergency response and first aid
Animal attendant
Animal carer
Animal bather/washer
Pet shop customer service staff
Pet care customer service staff
Start your animal care career
Source: Career outcome information from Your Career (Jan 2025).
Why study Certificate II in Animal Care online
This animal care course is nationally recognised
Turn your passion for animals into a career as an attendant, carer, or customer service staff
Gain skills in animal health, hygiene, and basic first aid
Flexible online study, allowing you to continue in your current role
Study online with Swinburne Open Ed
Designed and delivered online so you can learn anywhere, anytime
Study on any device - desktop, tablet or mobile
Learn through regular trainer-lead online sessions and native content
Engage with your learning community through online forums and messages
Download your free online course guide
Enter your details and the Swinburne Open team will send you a free course guide with the info to get started. An Enrolment Consultant will be in touch to discuss your options and answer any questions you may have.
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Meet Your Instructor
Victoria Murray
Victoria’s lifelong passion for animals began on a horse stud in Queensland, where she developed a deep love for animal care. With 18 years of experience in veterinary care, including 7 years in emergency and critical care at one of Australia’s top specialist hospitals, Victoria brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to her teaching.
Now an online educator, she combines her expertise with her ongoing work at two veterinary clinics in Sydney. Victoria is dedicated to helping you succeed and can’t wait to share her skills and experience with you.
Online course modules
Once you have enrolled in this course, you can access our online platform and start with the first module. You will need to complete a module and then the next module becomes available to you.
This online course contains 10 online modules, which have been designed to cover the following 12 units of competency, including 7 core units and 5 elective units. This animal care course contains an introductory module and 104 hours of Structured Work Learning and Assessment (SWLA).
Expand units below, to get an understanding of topics and objectives.
ACMGEN201 Work in the animal care industry
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to carry out animal care work, using ethical and humane practices and contributing to a productive work environment.
ACMGEN202 Complete animal care hygiene routines
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide daily care of animals, including the cleaning of animal housing, and grooming or cleaning of animals.
ACMGEN203 Feed and water animals
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare, present and distribute food and water for animals according to animal dietary requirements.
ACMGEN204 Assist in health care of animals
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide assistance to experienced staff in the handling and securing of animals for assessment and the preparation, application and documentation of health care treatments and first aid.
ACMSUS201 Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to measure current resource use effectively, and to carry out improvements, including those that will reduce the negative impacts of work practices on the environment.
ACMWHS201 Participate in workplace health and safety processes
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work safely and participate in work health and safety processes in an animal care environment.
BSBCMM211 Apply communication skills
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to apply basic communication skills in the workplace, including identifying, gathering and conveying information along with completing assigned written information.
ACMBEH302 Provide enrichment for animals
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide enrichment to stimulate, replenish and maintain appropriate behavioural patterns of all animals, including those housed short-term or long-term in an animal care facility.
ACMGEN205 Source and provide information for animal care needs
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to source, interpret and provide information on animal care products and services to complete workplace tasks and to provide information to others.
ACMGEN309 Provide basic animal first aid
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide essential first aid for animals. The first aider is not expected to deal with complex cases or incidents, but to provide an initial response where first aid is required.
ACMGEN310 Provide reception services for an animal care facility
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to undertake office reception and administration activities, including scheduling and basic financial tasks for an animal care facility.
ACMINF201 Handle companion animals safely and follow infection control guidelines
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to safely handle companion animals and maintain clean, hygienic conditions for effective infection control in a range of environments where companion animals are cared for on a temporary basis. The unit focuses on dogs and cats.
Course requirements
Online study FAQs
We understand you need to fit study around your busy life. Our online learning platform is designed with this in mind, so you can study on any device, anywhere, anytime. Here are answers to some animal care frequently asked questions.
Read more FAQs
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