# Animal courses



## x.Laura.x (May 26, 2009)

Hiya!

I was just wondering if anyone on this forum has done any animal courses? Like animal care/management at college? As im hopefully going to study animal management in September :mrgreen: and was just wondering what people's experience was with doing a course with animals and what sort off stuff you learnt and what sort of jobs you ended up doing? My dads a vet and my mum used to be a veterinary nurse but im not good on the bloody side of things!! Im hopefully going to work with Canine partners which is a charity that trains dogs to help the lives of disabled people. A lot of people have been against me wanting to work with animals as aparently there's no job or money in it but i've just followed my heart and gone the animal route! So hopefully i've made the right choice!! Thanks.


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

Well I am hoping to go to Bishop Burton next year to study (hons) applied animal behaviour and training or to Myerscough the year after to do hons animal behaviour and welfare  BB will let me go next year on one A2 and 4 AS's (woulda had all A2's but lets just leave it as me experiancing a LOT of bullying in my subjects which made me drop all but one and take up two new ones) but Myerscough requires that I have all A2's. I'll probs go to Bishop Burton though


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## NaomiR (Feb 9, 2009)

unfortunately there IS no money to be made (following your heart) and working with animals especially if you're looking at veterinary nursing or something where even head nurses only get around £17,000 p/annum which is the most you could ever hope to earn

BUT ultimately you have to do what makes you happy so I would say good luck, do an AM course and try to get a job either at a local vets or a local Pets At Home (where there are loads of in house animal courses) part time while you're studying, it will also help if you find a nice rich young man to marry :lol:


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

There's a good amount of money in being a vet, but I believe it's hard to get into the courses and you'd probably have to do chemistry and biology A levels and get As.


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## x.Laura.x (May 26, 2009)

well im not really sure what job i want to go into yet, im extremely interested in the behaviour side but i don't think im clever enough to be a vet!!


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

How about dog trainer?


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

I know the feeling, I wanted to be a vet and although I got 7 B's at GCSE and an A the rest being C's, you need all A's at GCSE especially in biology and maths etc I cant do it as Im dyscalcouliac and got an E originally, aiming for a C in my resit. But there are a lot of animal courses with low grade requirements. The one I am on only requires 140 UCAS points with 80 being at A2 level- which equates to a C at A2 and D's and C's for AS


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## dingbat (Jun 9, 2009)

I work in animal care at Otley college in Suffolk and taught for 10 years, although I dont teach now. 
From that aspect I can honestly tell you that the courses at any college are well structured but change according to the expertise of each lecturer, so it all depends on which college you want to go to. Do you want to travel from home each day? Live on site, which is more of a challege educationally, or if you are wanting to work as well then there are some very good, and extremely well supervised courses that you can do along side work. 
If dogs are your passion you want to either look at National Certificate in Animal Care or go on line and look at the Animal Care Colleges courses http://www.animalcarecollege.co.uk/. These are postal courses of which I have done three, since I did them the have drastically increased thier range.
Generally colleges will guide you to a course depending on your grades, if you would like more advice on this please post or pm and I will try to help further.
Hope this helps


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## julieszoo (May 27, 2009)

I think the only people who make any money in animal care are vets, and since there are so few courses to study to become a vet the competition is very fierce, you need to be expecting top, top grades AND have gained experience working with animals to stand any hope of being offered a place. Good luck with your course and your carer Laura


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## Velvet_Meece (Apr 20, 2009)

I dropped out of school 3 years early and went to college a year earlier than i should have, i did a certificate in animal care, but got no qualification for it because of my age...but i enjoyed doing it and thats all that mattered to me at the time, i also went in in the holidays and worked on the unit voluntarily which i loved every minute of, i also did summer courses at the same college, summer school and a veterinary course.

This college i oculdn't go on to further courses because i didn't have my GCSE's, my tutor at that college then left to work at another college, she called me one day to tell me that the college she was working at now didn't require GCSE's to do courses and that if i wanted to go i was garanteed a place! 

Meant catching a train there and back everyday, but i thought about it and accepted.

I did a diploma there, was the best place ever! I was even offered a job as Animal care technician assistant there and took it for a year until i had to study again. i started an award there and did one year of it until i moved house which meant i could no longer attend due to distance 

I really miss it and its the only place i'd consider now as other colleges just dont' compare and are too stuck up for my liking!

Although having the qualification from there, sadly due to the recession i have not been able to find a job since...i want something with animals as its all i know and all i have ever known, the jobs i was offered are just too far from me and i don't drive... also because i have no grades from school many places wont' even give me a look in...even though in my opinion, experience is far more important than being able to multiply or know your gold from your silvers :|

I ran a pet boarding business for 4 years at home, until again the move meant i couldn't carry it on...

Sadly i can hardly afford to live these days, almost out of money and threatened to sell up all the animals and much more 

Try not to think about it, but its not something you can ignor, so hard when you've studied your main interest all your live to the extent that its all you know, and because you don't have a piece of paper stating your able and smart enough, no one even considers you :|


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## Mark (Oct 3, 2008)

Ive done a First Diploma in Animal Care and just finished the National Diploma in Animal Management.

Both good courses but i still dont know where to go now :S


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## dingbat (Jun 9, 2009)

Alright for those of you considering upping your animal care qualifications.
It is true that without a little creativity there is little money to be made from animals, but as most of you have found out - alot of happiness.
Courses at colleges run like this:
Access to animal care - a very basic course and mainly aimed at those with extreme learning difficulties
Foundation in animal care - the next step up from Access and as a result more comprehensive, often comes with additional qualifications, I don't think either of these require formal qualification.
National Certificate in Animal Care - A generally practical qualification that at can go in several different direction e.g. Kennel and Cattery, Wildlife, Large animals and so on so check the options carefully as this will change from college to college. Also comes with additional qualification like Key skills and Livestock. 
Requires GCSE grade D or equivalent in Maths, Science and English
First Diploma in Animal Care - Mostly theoretical at the same level as the National Certificate but more restricted in that you do not have the options available. Requires GCSE grade D or equivalent in Maths, Science and English
National Diploma in Animal Management - A two year course you need to have at least GCSE or equivelent at C in Maths, Science and English. Some colleges will take you on with less than this depending on group size and the amount of help they can offer. Generally those that are the most on the ball from First Diploma and National Certificate will progress onto this course.
Advance National Certificate in Animal Care - A one year course but very intense and you generally progress onto the Foundation Degree where it is offered. Qualifications required are the same as the National Diploma.
Foundation Degree - a pre degree programme and normally leads to doing a full degree at any univerity of your choice that will offer you a place.
I cannot tell you about degree as I have not done one. I did National Diploma Followed by Higher National Diplom in Animal Management While doing teaching qualifications and walked straight into my first teaching job from college.


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## dingbat (Jun 9, 2009)

Without being heavy and talking course. Doing the animal care courses was the best time even being a mature student at 23. I leart loads even though I have worked with animals all my life. I even learnt about animals I had not had contact with (Wild Species). however, I did find science was essential although there is not such an emphasis on maths - thank goodness as I was rubbish with maths. An example of subject studied : Animal Managment, Kennel and Cattery, Grooming, Behavour, Ecology, Genetics (basic but good), Animal health, Animal Nursing and Large animal practical, Small animal practicals, Dog training and so on. I would say go for it! :mrgreen:


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## Velvet_Meece (Apr 20, 2009)

yeah you do another subject alongside the course, for example on my diploma we also did maths and IT on the side, when doing the Award we had to do English alongside...

Of course i did misserably at those because i was there to learn about animals :lol: was above average in all my animal based work according to the tutors, i had set places on National diploma or Higher National diploma courses, i just couldn't stay to do them


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