Animal Care Infection Prevention & Control

Name: Animal Care Infection Prevention &amp; Control
SKU: AIPC-SC
Availability: InStock

Short Course

This course is ideal for anyone working closely with animals or caring for them day to day. Whether you’re a pet owner, breeder, groomer, boarding or kennel staff member, pet store worker, animal attendant, or someone with hands-on experience in animal care, this course provides practical knowledge you can apply immediately. It’s also valuable for those with existing experience who want to improve hygiene and infection control practices in their workplace or home environment.

Infection control is a critical part of responsible animal care. It plays a key role not only in keeping animals healthy, but also in protecting people who work with, live with, or handle animals. Understanding how diseases spread, between animals, from animals to humans, and through shared environments is essential for reducing health risks and maintaining safe spaces for everyone involved.

This short course is designed to build a clear understanding of standard and transmission-based infection control practices that apply across a wide range of animal care settings. You’ll begin by learning about common types of microbes, how infections are transmitted, and how they enter the body. From there, you’ll explore how effective infection control practices can break the chain of infection in everyday situations.

Alongside core topics such as waste management, personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning, disinfection, and hand hygiene, the course also examines current evidence-based recommendations for infection control across different environments, tools, and equipment used in animal care. This knowledge will help you confidently review, improve, and implement safer infection control practices—whether at work, in a shared animal facility, or at home with your own pets.

What topics are covered in this course?

Basic Microbiology & Disease Transmission – Gain an understanding of how infection control protects animals, staff and the public from disease by removing pathogens and preventing cross-contamination.
Standard Precautions – Explore the everyday routines that prevent the spread of disease between animals and people.
Hang Hygiene – Learn proper hand washing techniques to reduce pathogens and prevent spreading infections in the veterinary clinic.
Waste Disposal – Identify how to safely dispose of biological and infectious waste that poses health risks.
Cleaning Chemicals – Understand the correct two-step process for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces to effectively eliminate pathogens.
Workplace and Equipment – Discover how to establish effective cleaning routines to prevent cross-infection in changing animal populations.
Food Safety – Explore how to inspect food for freshness and contamination to ensure safety for both animals and people.
Transmission Based Precautions – Learn when and how to apply transmission-based precautions, including isolation and extra PPE, for high-risk situations.
Infectious Diseases – Gain an understanding of the significance of zoonotic diseases and essential prevention measures for high-risk infections.
Biosecurity & Infection Control Plans – Discover how to consistently apply standard and additional precautions to protect everyone during all patient care.
Specific Infection Control Recommendations – Learn essential biosecurity strategies, from quarantine to hygiene, to prevent disease spread among animals and people.

Inclusions

Included in the course fees:

12 weeks of online access to complete your course.
- Extensions are available for when life gets busy.
Access to Educators via phone, zoom & email. We’re here to help you!
Printed Learner’s Guide and reading materials included
Access to our Online Learning Centre for additional resources including videos, documents, interactive e-learning presentations and more
Range of self-test activities to check your learning and receive feedback
Certificate of Achievement upon passing

Important Notes:

This short course is a non-accredited professional development course.
Assessment of knowledge is conducted throughout your course.
Learning materials are provided in English only.

FAQ

What is the format of the Short Course?
The course blends self-paced reading and recorded lectures with online MCQ-style assessments and short written tasks that help develop practical documents for clinical use.

What materials and resources are included in the course?
Participants receive a printed learner’s guide containing readings, notes, and instructions, along with online access to additional readings, useful resources, recorded lectures, and videos.

Is there a certificate awarded upon completion of the course?
Yes, all participants who complete the course and its activities receive a Certificate of Achievement and earn 5 CPD points.

How much time should participants expect to dedicate to this course weekly?
Participants should allocate approximately 5 hours per week to easily complete the course in the 3 month timeframe.

Are there any prerequisites required to enrol in this course?
No specific prerequisites are required, but the course assumes a knowledge level equivalent to that of someone who has been working with animals for at least 12 months.

What support is available to participants during the course?
Support is available via phone, email, and Zoom appointments with our Educators.

How are assessments conducted throughout the course?
Assessments include MCQ or drag-and-drop tasks that are auto-marked, with unlimited attempts allowed.

What are the technical requirements to participate in the online components of the course?
Participants need reliable internet access (such as NBN) and a computer. While mobile devices are supported, using a computer is recommended for easier access to reading and viewing online resources.