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Animal Care - Level 3
Start Date: 1st September 2025
Other start dates:
2nd September 2024
- Length 2 Years
- Study Full-Time
- Location Safari Academy
More about the course
This Animal Care - Level 3 course will provide you with a practical and theoretical understanding of animal management. In this course, you'll learn about delivering the highest standards of animal husbandry and handling, animal anatomy, behaviour and nutrition, as well as how to undertake health checks on an animal using your knowledge of animal health and disease, amongst various other topics and modules.
This course gives you experience with a wide range of animal groups at the amazing Safari Academy based at West Midlands Safari Park. By completing this course, you'll set yourself up for a strong start for your future career in the animal industry.
Entry requirements
- 5 GCSEs at grade 5/B and above including English and a science subject
- OR a Merit in Level 2 Technical Certificate in Animal Care
- A successful interview and reference.
Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Animal Management
- Merit or above from Level 3 Year 1
- Successful interview
- Merit in Biology - desirable.
What will I achieve?
Upon successful completion of this course, you'll receive a Level 3 Animal Management Technical Extended Diploma.
This combined two-year course is the equivalent of three A Levels.
What will I learn?
- Practical experience with small animals and running animal estates
- Animal biology
- Animal behaviour and communication
- Legislation on animal management
- Health and Safety
- Animal health, husbandry and nutrition.
How is the course taught?
- Practical sessions
- Theory classes
All practical and theory learning will take place at West Midlands Safari Park over three days per week. Mucking out the animals is still a thing, there's no escaping it!
A minimum of 18 hours will be spent each week studying for this course.
How am I assessed?
- Assessments, both written and practical
- Externally set exams
- Practical assessments.
Moderation will be externally assessed by City & Guilds.
Work experience opportunities
As part of this qualification, you'll be taking part in 150 days of work experience. This placement must have an animal focus, such as at a veterinary practice, with a dog groomer or in an animal collection.
English and maths
If you're aged 16-18 and haven't achieved a GCSE grade 4/C in English and maths, you'll need to take English and maths classes alongside your programme of study.
English will be included in written assessments and presentations.
Maths will be included in the weighing of food and calculating the nutritional requirements of various animals.
Where can I progress?
Upon successful completion of this course, you could progress onto our Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Animal Management at Kidderminster College.
Alternatively, you can apply for a university degree in Biology, Zoology or Animal Behaviour and Welfare at a variety of higher education institutions.
Get in Touch
Meet our tutors and students
Nicola Anslow
Education Manager - Safari AcademyMy background is in teaching, where I taught in schools for over 20 years before becoming Education Manager at West Midland Safari Park. Working in the animal care industry makes my job very varied and exciting. The best part is being amongst the stunning collection of animals we have close by. The industry is competitive, but if you have a passion for caring for animals, it's right for you.
Chloe Walton-Stenson
Course Lead - Safari AcademyTeaching at the Safari Academy is a unique and incredible setting for our learners. It means we can teach them to develop their skills to industry standards. We have a supportive campus where teaching staff get to know every learner on site. As part of a fast-moving industry, there’s always more we can learn about animals, so still being part of the zoo community and a lecturer means I can share best practices with our students. I am so proud of working in a zoo that is a BIAZA member, and I hope our students will be proud of this, too.
Adam Green
Course Lead - Safari AcademyWithin my role, I can shape our students into becoming future Animal Management practitioners by utilising a blend of theoretical classroom activities with tangible industry practical experiences. We work tirelessly to promote not only our animals' welfare needs but also our students' outcomes so we can be confident in maintaining the health and welfare of animals in all settings. Alongside animal management knowledge, we also help foster independence and personal and employment skills using our industry professionals. Students can take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it at our dedicated Academy enclosures contained within our Academy under the watchful eye of our Discovery keeper.
Animal Care
Gallery
What can I do with a qualification in Animal Care?
Daily tasks:
- Maintains records, raises and forwards reports and certificates in compliance with current legislation.
- Carries out expert witness work and undertakes teaching of veterinary students.
- Performs ante-mortem inspection of animals destined for the food chain, and animal post-mortem examinations.
- Performs tasks relating to food safety policy, regulation of veterinary drugs, quality control of veterinary products.
- Euthanases old, sick, terminally ill and unwanted animals.
- Investigates outbreaks of animal diseases and advises owners on feeding, breeding and general care.
- Administers local or general anaesthetics and performs surgery.
- Inoculates animals against communicable diseases.
- Examines animals, diagnoses condition and prescribes and administers appropriate drugs, dressings, etc., and arranges or undertakes any necessary x-ray or other tests.
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Daily tasks:
- Advises clients on preventative medicine to maintain appropriate animal health and welfare.
- Maintains the biosecurity of the veterinary premises.
- Cares for animals in hospital accommodation and keeps accurate records.
- Collects and analyses blood, urine and other samples.
- Handles animals during treatment.
- Dispenses and administers medication and applies dressings to animals under direction from the veterinarian.
- Prepares operating theatre, sterilises equipment and assists in theatre as required.
- Assists the veterinary surgeon during surgical and medical treatments of animals.
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Daily tasks:
- Patrols public areas to search for and capture stray or nuisance dogs, and transports captured animals to kennels.
- Meets prospective owners and advises on animal selection and animal care.
- Checks animals for illness, treats minor ailments or calls for vet if further treatment is required.
- Houses, feeds, exercises, trains, grooms horses, dogs and other animals in preparation for entry to shows, races and other events.
- Cleans animals.
- Feeds, washes, grooms, trims and exercises animals.
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Daily tasks:
- Carries out maintenance on farm buildings, hedges, ditches and erects and repairs fences.
- Moves and handles livestock and tends them during birth and rearing of young.
- Treats minor ailments and assists veterinary surgeon as required.
- Cleans barns, sheds, pens, yards, incubators and breeding units and sterilises milking and other equipment as necessary.
- Weighs and measures foodstuffs, feeds animals and checks them for any signs of disease.
- Cultivates growing crops by hoeing, spraying and thinning as necessary.
- Operates farm machinery to prepare soil, fertilise and treat crops.
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What can I do with a qualification in Animal Care?
Veterinarians
Daily tasks:
- Maintains records, raises and forwards reports and certificates in compliance with current legislation.
- Carries out expert witness work and undertakes teaching of veterinary students.
- Performs ante-mortem inspection of animals destined for the food chain, and animal post-mortem examinations.
- Performs tasks relating to food safety policy, regulation of veterinary drugs, quality control of veterinary products.
- Euthanases old, sick, terminally ill and unwanted animals.
- Investigates outbreaks of animal diseases and advises owners on feeding, breeding and general care.
- Administers local or general anaesthetics and performs surgery.
- Inoculates animals against communicable diseases.
- Examines animals, diagnoses condition and prescribes and administers appropriate drugs, dressings, etc., and arranges or undertakes any necessary x-ray or other tests.
Powered by EMSI
Veterinary Nurses
Daily tasks:
- Advises clients on preventative medicine to maintain appropriate animal health and welfare.
- Maintains the biosecurity of the veterinary premises.
- Cares for animals in hospital accommodation and keeps accurate records.
- Collects and analyses blood, urine and other samples.
- Handles animals during treatment.
- Dispenses and administers medication and applies dressings to animals under direction from the veterinarian.
- Prepares operating theatre, sterilises equipment and assists in theatre as required.
- Assists the veterinary surgeon during surgical and medical treatments of animals.
Powered by EMSI
Animal Care Services Occupations
Daily tasks:
- Patrols public areas to search for and capture stray or nuisance dogs, and transports captured animals to kennels.
- Meets prospective owners and advises on animal selection and animal care.
- Checks animals for illness, treats minor ailments or calls for vet if further treatment is required.
- Houses, feeds, exercises, trains, grooms horses, dogs and other animals in preparation for entry to shows, races and other events.
- Cleans animals.
- Feeds, washes, grooms, trims and exercises animals.
Powered by EMSI
Farm Workers
Daily tasks:
- Carries out maintenance on farm buildings, hedges, ditches and erects and repairs fences.
- Moves and handles livestock and tends them during birth and rearing of young.
- Treats minor ailments and assists veterinary surgeon as required.
- Cleans barns, sheds, pens, yards, incubators and breeding units and sterilises milking and other equipment as necessary.
- Weighs and measures foodstuffs, feeds animals and checks them for any signs of disease.
- Cultivates growing crops by hoeing, spraying and thinning as necessary.
- Operates farm machinery to prepare soil, fertilise and treat crops.
Powered by EMSI
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