Animal Care NCFE Level 2

Do you want to be a responsible pet owner? Working in the pet care industry? Are you interested in teaching your children how they should look after their pets? Then this course is for you. It covers all the key aspects of ownership from choosing a pet, preparing the house, training, grooming and health for dogs, cats, birds, fish and reptiles.

This specially commissioned course is designed to provide you with all the basic skills and knowledge to enable you to successfully understand the care which a wide range of animals need. From horses to hamsters, from parrots to pole cats, we cover all the key issues that you, as an animal enthusiast, are likely to need to know to ensure that the animal thrives in a happy, hygienic and suitable environment. We also tell you how to protect yourself from what could be dangerous circumstances so that neither the animal nor you are hurt.

Just have a look at the detailed module listing below to see how comprehensive this course is. We are confident that whatever your specific interest you will find the course as a whole stimulating and informative.

Level 2 Award in Animal Care UK Open Learning Diploma.At the end of this course successful learners will receive a Level 2 NCFE Award certificate of achievement. That means that it is independently accredited at a level of learning equivalent to level 2 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The NCFE certificate will list the following units that you will have achieved:

■Understand the importance of making a good choice of animal as a pet
■Recognise the key issues relating to safety, welfare, health and hygiene
■Recognise the relevant aspects of anatomy and physiology
■Understand the importance of the correct animal first aid procedures
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after dogs
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after cats
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after horses and ponies
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after birds
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after fish
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after snakes and lizards
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after tortoises, turtles and terrapins
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after insects and amphibians
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after hamsters, gerbils, rats and mice
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after ferrets and pole cats
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after rabbits and Guinea pigs
■Recognise the principal aspects of looking after Chinchillas

You don't need any previous experience to take this course but clearly a love of, and keen interest in, animals is essential.

Distance Learning
The course is designed for study by distance learning at work or at home.  Students will receive a course manual, assignments and study guide plus tutor support.

Awarding Body Information
NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

Further information
Assessment details
Assessment takes the form of a series of tutor marked assignments and there is no final exam. There is no word count for these assignments; however, you do have to prove to your tutor that you have fully understood the questions asked.

You can use your credits to demonstrate your achievements and prove that you have knowledge and skills in a wide range of subjects. Depending on which level of course you take, you can use the credits to progress onto other courses.

You will receive full tutor support for a year from the date you receive the course.  You can contact your tutor by e-mail or post. To complete this course will take in the region of 90 study hours which can be spread over a 12 month period to suit the student.

The modules are:

1. Welcome

■Introduction
■Course structure
■Benefits of this course
■Getting the most out of this course

2. History and pet ownership

■Domestication
■Animals in the media
■Classification of animals
■Types of common pets
■Choosing the right pet
■Therapeutic value

3. Safety, welfare, health and hygiene

■Safety and zoonosis
■Correct handling methods
■Typical restraints
■Vehicle safety
■Micro-chips and other ID methods
■Pet proofing
■Animal rescue and welfare organisations
■How to clean an pet’s bed/living areas
■Dealing with pests and parasites
■Preventative health

4. Anatomy and physiology

■Cells and tissues 
■Locomotion
■Digestive system
■Urinary system
■Circulatory and respiratory systems
■Reproductive system
■Endocrine system
■Nervous system

5. Animal first aid

■Aims
■Handling and transport
■Examination and history taking
■ABC
■Shock
■Wounds and burns
■Fractures
■Poisoning and fitting
■Diarrhoea and vomiting
■Administering medication
■First-aid kit

6. Dogs

■Characteristics
■Groups and breeds
■Nutrition and exercise
■Behaviour and training
■Grooming  and care
■Breeding
■Common diseases

7. Cats

■Characteristics
■Groups and breeds
■Nutrition and exercise
■Behaviour and training
■Grooming  and care
■Breeding
■Common diseases

8. Horses and ponies

■History and anatomy
■Groups and breeds
■Nutrition, housing and exercise
■Behaviour and training
■Grooming  and care
■Breeding
■Common diseases

9. Birds

■Anatomy and characteristics
■Cage or aviary
■Seed eaters
■Poultry
■Birds of prey
■Common diseases

10. Fish

■General care
■Cold water fish
■Tropical fish
■Marine fish
■Breeding
■Common diseases

11. Snakes and Lizards

■Housing and general care
■Bearded Dragons
■Geckos
■Blue Tongued Skinks
■Green Anoles
■Corn Snakes
■King and Milk Snakes
■Ball Pythons
■More difficult to keep reptiles
■Common diseases

12. Tortoises, turtles and terrapins

■Anatomy and characteristics
■Housing and general care
■Nutrition
■Hibernation
■Breeding
■Common diseases

13. Insects and amphibians

■Why have a creepy crawly as a pet?
■Spiders and Scorpions
■Stick and leaf insects
■Praying mantis
■Beatles, centipedes and millipedes
■Snails, slugs and worms
■Frogs and toads
■Common problems

14. Hamsters, gerbils, rats and mice

■Characteristics
■Housing and general care
■Nutrition, and exercise
■Breeding
■Common diseases

15. Ferrets and pole cats

■History and Characteristics
■Groups and breeds
■Nutrition, housing and exercise
■Behaviour and training
■Grooming  and care
■Breeding
■Common diseases

16. Rabbits and Guinea pigs

■Ownership and Characteristics
■Groups and breeds
■Anatomy
■Nutrition, housing and exercise
■Behaviour and training
■Grooming  and care
■Breeding
■Common diseases

17. Chinchillas

■What makes them different?
■Nutrition, housing and exercise
■Grooming  and care
■Breeding
■Common diseases

18. Wildlife

■Safety
■Types
■What to do with injured wildlife
■Orphans
■Should we keep wildlife as pets?

Your Questions Answered

Is there a word count for my assignments?
No, there is no specific word count but you have to prove to the tutor that you have fully understood the questions.

Is there a final exam at the end of the course?
No, your qualification is awarded on successful completion of your assignments.

Do I get any help with the course?
You will have full tutor support for 12 months from the date you received your course. You can e-mail or post any queries you have to your tutor.

Is there any further reading I have to do?
Everything you need to complete the course is included. However, any further reading you may do will be beneficial.