Rspca Animal Care Centre Perth
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Study your qualification at the RSPCA in Malaga WA
Our 6 month, nationally recognised ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies course is based entirely at the RSPCA shelter facility in Malaga, WA. This unique opportunity means your essential practical training, as well as your on-site tutorials, will take place at the RSPCA and you will not be required to find a work placement. Our fully qualified AVT trainers will supervise your practical training and deliver the classroom-based course material supplemented by online learning from home.
Course snapshot
- Duration: 6 months
- Next Course: January - July 2022
- Practical Training: 1 day per week at the RSPCA WA
- Prerequisite: none required
- Best suited to: Students who have some experience in the animal care industry and want to increase their knowledge and skills working with animals including those who wish to continue their study pathway on to Veterinary Nursing.
Course outline
Blended learning including 1 day practical training and classroom activities at the RSPCA plus home-based online eLearning.
Your RSPCA course structure will be as follows:-
Weeks 1-2
- Pre-course online theory and orientation/induction days – Your initial weeks of study will commence with full day orientation and induction days followed by theory based learning in the comfort of your home (approx 10-20 hours each week).
Weeks 3-22
- Weekly training – Attendance one day per week for twenty weeks at the RSPCA's facility in Malaga to receive intensive practical training by qualified AVT trainers. Training will be held from 7.30am-4.00pm on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday.
- You will also be required to undertake home-based online eLearning to complete and submit assessments.
We will endeavour to meet your preference for your on-site training days but this can not be guaranteed and students are expected to participate in ALL practical training days.
To commence the RSPCA-based Course, students must:
- be at least 18 years of age, due to RSPCA policies and guidelines
- be available to participate in ALL practical training days at the RSPCA (one day per week – fixed day to be determined by AVT prior to course commencement)
- be physically capable of restraining animals, handling animal feed e.g. large bags of food of up to 10 kg and standing for extended periods of time
- have a reliable internet connection and access to a desktop computer or laptop. You will be required to write, submit and in some cases upload assessments and various types of multi-media files online in your own time, therefore we strongly recommend using a desktop or laptop computer for your studies
- be proficient in speaking and writing in English
- due to the required workload and level of study, have a minimum level of schooling up to and including year 10, with a good understanding of science and maths.
This course is highly competitive and has limited places. Therefore, successful students are selected based on prior work experience, education, individual attitude and aptitude. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by an AVT team member.
Credit transfers
Students with eligible credit transfers may apply however, due to the course delivery format, 100% attendance is required for orientation/induction and practical placement days and therefore full course fees will apply.
For our RSPCA based course you will be required to wear:
- an AVT shirt and name badge (supplied by AVT)
- steel-capped shoes (supplied by student),
- neatly presented, long comfortable work pants suitable for bending and manual work (supplied by student).
What will you learn?
During our RSPCA Animal Care course, you will become familiar with the fundamental principles of working in the animal care industry. In addition to the topics covered in the Certificate III in Animal Studies course, you will be introduced to:-
- Behaviour and enrichment for different animal species
- Detailed nutrition plans, including their use in the recovery of strays and mistreated animals
- Caring for animals, including rehabilitation and care of rescued animals
- Foster care and its role in the animal welfare system
- The RSPCA inspectorate and their role in managing animal care cases in the community
All of the skills and knowledge you will learn in this animal studies course can be applied in an animal adoption, shelter or rescue based organisation or across a broad range of animal care facilities in commercial organisations. For more information on careers working with animals read our article Top 6 Animal Care Careers.
Course outcomes
Our graduates go on to a wide range of roles across the animal care industry.
Job Outcomes
The Certificate III in Animal Studies will prepare you for a career in the following roles:
- Animal Welfare Carers
- Veterinary Assistants
- Council Rangers and Park Rangers
- Wildlife and Animal Rehabilitation Carers
- Conservation Workers and Sanctuary Managers
- Pet Service related Business Owners
- Home-based Pet Service Assistants
- Pet Groomers
- Animal Trainers
- Cattery Attendants and Boarding Kennel Hands
- Animal Carers in Pet/Doggy Day Care centres
- Stable Hands in Agistment Facilities
Skills Outcomes
Some of the skills you will be able to apply once qualified include:
- Assessing the nutritional requirements of animals and design suitable feeding plans
- Implementing a range of animal care hygiene routines
- Assessing and monitoring animal health and identify health problems in a chosen species
- Identifying and interpreting species-specific normal and abnormal behaviours and their possible causes
- Designing and implementing enrichment programs in line with species-specific behavioural needs
- Safely and correctly handling and restraining animals
- Administering animal care treatments
RSPCA based Animal Studies Course Content
ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies (RSPCA) students must complete the following core and compulsory elective units:
- ACMWHS301 Contribute to workplace health and safety processes
- ACMGAS203 Complete animal care hygiene routines
- ACMGAS202 Participate in workplace communications
- ACMGEN203 Feed and Water animals
- ACMGEN204 Assist in health care of animals
- ACMINF301 Comply with infection control policies and procedures in animal work
- ACMGAS301 Maintain and monitor animal health and wellbeing
- ACMGAS303 Plan for and provide nutritional requirements for animals
- ACMGAS302 Provide enrichment for animals
- ACMSUS201 Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices
- ACMGEN201 Work in the animal care industry
ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies (RSPCA) students will also be required to choose a species based elective from either:
- ACMSPE304 Provide basic care of domesticdogs OR
- ACMSPE305 Provide basic care of domesticcats.
Why choose the RSPCA based course for Animal Studies?
- Professionally managed and delivered course - with on-site supervision, complete with tutorials and lectures to help you understand and apply theory with ease.
- Qualified lecturers delivering supervised practical training and assessment with a structured study time table to ensure you stay on track and are learning from the best.
- This intensive pathway will allow you to meet the prerequisite for Veterinary Nursing – you can gain your qualification in 14 weeks and can then apply for ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing to become a qualified veterinary nurse*.
- No stress! - This unique format course also means you do not have to worry about finding your own work placement normally required for this national qualification. Your essential practical training and classroom training will take place in a small group setting with other like-minded students.
- This certificate increases your opportunities for employment in the animal care industry and gives recognition towards entry into further studies.
*Please note: Completion of this qualification meets the prerequisite for ACM40418 Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing. However, it does not guarantee you a place on one of our own courses. Due to high demand, our AVT selection criteria also apply. Please read full details on our Veterinary Nursing Course Entry page.
What students are saying about this course
Having had no animal learning before, I find this course brilliant with clear concise notes, knowledgeable lecturers and RSPCA staff, and especially having the day at the RSPCA is extremely beneficial. Hands on learning and getting interaction with animals is a great help in learning handling behaviours.
Alison M Certificate III in Animal Studies Graduate
This course has taught me the basic care of animals and about animal health in general. This course allows people to get hands on experience and lecturers to provide practical care to animals. Thus; others with an interest in animals will gain and have a positive outcome to the course, alike to me.
Abby G Certificate III in Animal Studies Graduate
Everyone is super helpful if you need anything explained. Skye conducts classes in a relaxed and friendly environment so I feel comfortable joining in, and she is always willing to explain anything until everything is clarified.
Megan B Certificate III in Animal Studies Graduate
Fees & inclusions
Total course fees: $5,495*
Payable via our monthly payment plan. Initial payment of $1,495 plus 5 x $800 monthly payments and includes:-
- Learning guides (Downloadable)
- Textbooks (Downloadable)
- Dedicated student support
- One-on-one mentoring by AVT lecturers
- Assessments and Certification
- Practical training insurance
- Work Placement Kit: uniform, name badge and workbook
*Fees, inclusions and payment plan amounts are subject to change. If you decide to withdraw from study for any reason, refunds are not issued. Please see our policies page for full details.
Apply now
Course Dates | Application Status |
---|---|
January 2022 Intake | Apply Now |
July 2022 Intake | Register Your Interest |
This course has limited places with high demand. We reserve the right to close course intakes before the advertised close date. We recommend submitting your application below, as early as possible. For full details of the application process please visit this link.
FAQs
General Information FAQ – RSPCA
The Animal Services team at RSPCA WA has 5 main departments: Shelter, Veterinary, Foster & Volunteer, Behaviour and Adoptions and has 3 key objectives. Their aim is to:
- Provide shelter and enrichment to lost, abandoned, surrendered or seized animals
- Rehabilitate animals that require medical or behavioural treatment prior to being suitable for rehoming
- Find suitable, permanent homes for all rehabilitatable animals
More than 70% of animals end up at the RSPCA in WA as a result of an intervention from the RSPCA inspectorate (inspector services), with a majority of them having some form of welfare concern. The remaining animals are surrendered by either their owners, council pounds or are found as strays.

The RSPCA faces a unique challenge not experienced by other animal shelters. They have the added responsibility of seizing animals and prosecuting owners who do not provide the appropriate care and living conditions for their animals. This also means the RSPCA are unable to rehome any such seized animals whilst legal proceedings are occurring against accused owners. As a result, the RSPCA often have considerably fewer animals available for adoption at any one time in comparison with other shelters but on the other hand, have many long term animals in their care. Unfortunately, many of these animals have significant medical and behavioural concerns.
Once animals can be offered for adoption, they are all provided with a veterinary health check, behavioural assessment as well as being microchipped, desexed and vaccinated. Many animals also require behaviour modification plans and some may even require surgical or medical procedures to correct long term problems.
The RSPCA shelter is run entirely by donations, with only a small amount of government funding which covers a portion of the services provided by the inspectorate division. The team at the RSPCA are 100% dedicated to placing as many animals as possible into new homes and trying to improve the lives of every animal that comes into their care.
The RSPCA facilities are based at 108 Malaga Drive, Malaga. To learn more about the RSPCA please visit RSPCA WA
The application process for our Animal Studies Intensive courses are as follows:-
- Step 1 – Apply using ouronline form found on the course page. If an application period is not open you can register your details and we will contact you when applications are open.
- Step 2 – Yourapplication will be reviewed by one of our AVT Student Liaison Officers. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.
- Step 3 – Successful applicants will beemailed an offer including payment plan details.
- Step 4 – Applicants are required to activate their payment plan prior to course commencement
For an overview of all important dates and deadlines including details of the next intake for all AVT courses, visit our Timetables and key dates page.
To successfully complete our Certificate II in Animal Studies (Animal Care) Intensive courses and the Certificate III in Animal Studies RSPCA based courses, attendance is compulsory on your scheduled on-site/practical training days.
If you are unwell, you will be asked to contact your trainer in advance to arrange a time to catch up. Due to the intensive nature of the course, if you are absent for more than 2 practical training days, it is unlikely you will be able to successfully complete this qualification.
This is an intensive course and a majority of the days spent at the RSPCA will be hands-on working alongside fellow students, our qualified teaching team and RSPCA representatives. For this reason it's important we keep the class size small. There will be no more than 12 students in your class.
AVT offers high quality study material written, reviewed and delivered by Veterinarians, Animal Scientists and Veterinary Nurses with formal training qualifications. Our in-house training team have spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours creating course resources for our units of competency across all courses.
The difference between registered training providers course content across all RTOs including TAFE is often the units contained in the course and the quality of the material. There are many units that can be included in a course and training providers nominate a selection of units they will offer to students.
Our courses are broad-based and give an excellent introduction to working with animals across all species. They provide a fantastic opportunity to learn about many different animals and most importantly allow you to apply what you learn from our online course material or in the classroom to the workplace.
To find out more about the units offered within each course visit the Course Content section on our qualifications pages below.
- Certificate II in Animal Care
- Certificate III in Animal Studies
- Certificate II in Horse Care
- Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
We are only offering this course in Perth, Western Australia.
We do not hold a formal Open Day, however we often attend careers expos and events organised by schools. Throughout the year we conduct information sessions which are offered by invitation. If you are interested in attending one of these sessions please contact us
Entry FAQs – Cert III in Animal Studies Online and RSPCA
No, you do not need to complete a previous qualification for entry into ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies.
For more detailed information about entry requirements for ACM30117 Certificate III in Animal Studies visit these links:-
- Online eLearning based course
- RSPCA WA based Course
The minimum age requirements for Certificate II in Animal Care are based on academic school year. For the Certificate II in Animal Care, this is Year 10 High School or equivalent. Some exceptions may be possible. Please note the minimum age for our Intensive Courses is 18 years of age due to the policies of our work placement facilities.
The minimum age requirements for Certificate III in Animal Studies are based on academic school year. For the Certificate III in Animal Studies, this is Year 11 High School or equivalent. Some exceptions may be possible. Please note the minimum age for the RSPCA based course is 18 years of age due to RSPCA policy.
Fees FAQs – Animal Studies Intensives
None of the courses currently offered by Applied Vocational Training are eligible for Government HECS-HELP or VET Student Loans (formerly VET FEE-HELP).
HECS-HELP is a scheme that assists eligible Commonwealth supported students to pay their student contribution amount with either a loan or a discount for certain up-front payments. HECS‑HELP loans are available at all public universities and at a handful of private higher education providers.
VET Student Loansis an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students studying diploma level and above qualifications to pay their tuition fees. VET Student Loans replaces VET FEE-HELP from 1 January 2017. There are no Government loans available for Certificate IV and lower levels of study including those offered at AVT.
To find out if you may be eligible for alternative support such as Youth Allowance, we recommend contacting Centrelink .
We offer flexible monthly payment plans with instalments for all students. We do not require upfront full payment for any of our courses. Total course fees and payment plan structure vary with each course and individual circumstances. Visit the relevant qualifications page for more information or contact us for further details.
Qualification FAQs – Cert III in Animal Studies Online and RSPCA
The code for Certificate III in Animal Studies changed to ACM30117 in November 2017. The content and requirements for this particular certificate have not changed however and the newer certificate is deemed equivalent to ACM30110.
Course codes change from time to time because the Government department that oversees the training packages, including the Animal Care Package (ACM10) regularly reviews courses and revises content guidelines in line with industry feedback. These guidelines are then provided to Registered Training Organisations such as ourselves so we can revise and update our course material. This results both in changes to the content within certain units and in some cases, units being replaced. Some qualifications may change significantly, some others may not.
When qualifications in the Animal Care Package are updated, training providers generally have up to 12 months to transition students to the new course code. This transition time can differ from time to time depending on extensions permitted by the government.
For more information visit our article on the Changes to National Qualifications
Yes, our qualifications in Vet Nursing, Horse Care and Animal Studies/Care are nationally recognised and accredited.
Our company, Applied Vocational Training (AVT), is fully registered by the Australian Government training registration authority ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority). Our Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Number is 5273. The qualifications we offer are nationally recognised Certificates.
We are also supported and endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association. Our registration authority can be viewed on the training.gov.au website, which is the Australian Government's website for details of registered courses and training providers – View our details here.
We strongly recommend you search the training.gov.au website for any training organisation you may be considering.
We follow the national training package for all qualifications. The latest version of the training package can be viewed here. training.gov.au is the Australian Government Website for registered training courses and providers.
International – FAQ
RPL – FAQ
Yes. If you have completed and passed the exact same unit as delivered by AVT, you will receive a credit transfer for the unit. You must be deemed competent and be awarded a PASS in the unit.
At the time of application, you will be required to provide us with a Statement of Attainment from a recognised and approved training provider. We will verify your previous studies with the training provider.
For information about fees and charges that apply to credit transfers, please see our student policy page.
Credit transfer fees do not apply for students who have completed a previous qualification with AVT.
To receive a credit for a unit of competency that you have previously been awarded, you must be able to supply a verifiable Testamur (certificate) or Statement of Attainment obtained from the issuing provider.
A Testamur or Statement of Attainment must either contain the wording 'The qualification is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework' or the AQF logo authorised by the AQF Council.
A Record of Results or Statement of Academic Record by itself is not sufficient when applying for a credit transfer of a nationally recognised unit of competency.
If you do not have a copy of your Testamur or Statement of Attainment you are responsible for requesting a copy from the issuing provider, we are unable to do this on your behalf.
For more information about RPL see our frequently asked questions here.
Students with eligible credit transfers may apply, however, due to the course delivery format, 100% attendance is required for induction and practical training/on-site days and therefore full course fees will apply.
Yes. You can use units of competency received from a prior qualification even if the unit is different from an elective unit required by AVT. You can claim a credit transfer (CT) for these units as long as:-
- the unit is current and relevant to work undertaken in the animal care and management industry and
- you hold a Statement of Attainment from the issuing provider.
If this is the case, then you may use previous units of study to fulfil the elective component of the qualification.
You will be required to provide us with a Statement of Attainment from a recognised and approved training provider at the time of application. We will verify your previous studies with the training provider.
For information about fees and charges that apply to credit transfers, please see our student policy page.
Please note, we are unable to offer RPL or Train and Assess any other elective unit of competency other than the ones provided in the courses offered on our website.
For a full list of our qualifications visit our Qualifications Overview page
In meeting the required rules of evidence and principals of assessment, AVT is unable to provide recognition of prior learning (RPL) to candidates who can not demonstrate recent and current skills and knowledge.
Applicants need to be able to demonstrate that they meet the competency requirements of the current training package including application of current industry techniques using the latest technology, equipment and supplies in accordance with the current standards and regulations.
If you wish to gain certification as a veterinary nurse or animal carer without having current experience, you will need to enrol in and complete the full course.
Read more about RPL here
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is available to enrolled students of AVT qualifications. The prior learning may be in the form of previous studies or completed qualifications (including superseded qualifications), on the job experience or volunteer work.
To find out more detailed information about RPL visit our RPL page.
Why choose AVT?

Dedicated Animal Care College
AVT has been training Animal Care and Vet Nursing students for over 20 years. It's safe to say there are no plumbing or hairdressing courses here!

Prerequisite for Vet Nursing
ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies is a prerequisite for ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. Completing our Animal Studies course is the best pathway to becoming a Qualified Vet Nurse.

Safe and Supported Learning
Our qualified teaching team have many years of experience as well as extensive backgrounds in the veterinary and animal care industry. They are approachable and dedicated to helping students succeed.
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Rspca Animal Care Centre Perth
Source: https://www.appvoc.com/qualifications-overview/animal-studies/cert-iii/animal-studies-rspca-wa/
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