Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Assessment of situations may include:
circumstances, such as aggressive/large/injured animal
consideration of the safety of members of the public, self, team members and animals
crowded place
environmental issues concerning residential properties, public facilities, open spaces and roads
road safety
time of day
the health and wellbeing of animals to be seized
type, size and number of animals to be seized.
Development of seizure plan may include:
consideration of risk issues involved
making the area safe (e.g. roadway where traffic needs to be stopped)
urgency (e.g. how quickly resolution is required)
whether the situation can be quarantined
if better arrangements can be made for a later time
appropriate capture strategy and methods for the circumstances
number of personnel available to assist and their relevant skills
involvement of other emergency services personnel (e.g. police, paramedics and fire and rescue)
availability of equipment and qualified equipment operator
number, type, size, weight and height of animals
animals' behaviour, such as fear, panic or aggression
injuries animals might have sustained
legislative requirements
immediate area (e.g. paddock or main road)
role of participants in the seizure
restraint procedures
transport requirements
where animal will be taken or disposed of in the event of its death
relevant documentation to be completed.
Relevant personnel may include:
animal control officers
emergency services, such as:
fire and ambulance
relevant state/territory department officers
other council staff
police
veterinarians
wildlife officers.
Animals may include:
large animals:
livestock (e.g. cattle, horses and sheep)
kangaroos
camels and emus
may also include escaped circus animals
aggressive animals in most cases would refer to dogs but may include:
livestock or escaped circus animals
dangerous animals:
snakes
aggressive animals or escaped circus animals
animals not normally dealt with should also be treated as dangerous animals on approach by an officer to ensure the safety to the officer and bystanders
injured animals:
all of the above as well as wildlife and/or native animals.
OHS risks when capturing and seizing animals may include:
animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches and crush injuries
biological hazardous waste and sharps disposal
handling of chemicals, medicines and firearms
inhalation of aerosol particles
intraocular contamination
manual handling, including carrying, lifting and shifting
needle pricks and cuts from other sharps
release of infective agents (animal and human)
slippery or uneven work surfaces
zoonoses.
Emergency procedures may include:
potential escape of an animal or injury to an animal, other animals, staff and potentially the public.
Equipment may include:
equipment used in securing or restraining livestock and/or large animals:
bells and horns
bribes (e.g. food)
cages
catch poles
demountable yards
halters and head stalls
hessian bags/woolpacks
leads
nets
protective clothing
stock transporter vehicles
temporary fencing
trail bikes
traps
winch loaders
equipment used in routine dog capture techniques to restrain dogs that are not manageable:
trapping devices
in some situations, and when permitted by legislation, restraining drugs (e.g. tranquillisers or anaesthetics) may need to be remotely administered to livestock or unmanageable dogs via projectile firing devices (e.g. firearm or capture gun) and using a limited number of the most appropriate drugs
on occasions where no other reasonable option exists, animals that cannot be effectively restrained may need to be shot dead where they are.

Appropriate licences and permits must be held by the user and relevant records must be kept in accordance with legislation and standard operating procedures.
Transporting animals may include:
loading animals into vehicles
applying appropriate restraints
in some cases an officer may have to feed, water and/or provide temporary housing for the animal (this will depend on the opening hours of the end destination that may include a veterinary clinic or pound).
Further action requirements may include:
discussion with owners in respect to their responsibilities and the animal's future, retrieval process of an animal and legal proceedings.

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
plan and coordinate the seizure of animals including requesting backup/assistance as required and minimising risk to self, assistants, the public and target animal
capture a range of dangerous, aggressive, large or injured animals
use capture/seizure, restraint, sedation and transportation equipment/devices in a safe and humane manner
communicate effectively with bystanders and the personnel involved in the seizure
administer drugs remotely to seize animals as required and permitted by legislation
prepare brief for supervisor after the event as required by organisational policies and procedures
access and use management systems to keep and maintain accurate records of seizure.

The skills and knowledge required to coordinate seizure of animals must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in an animal control and regulation workplace or a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.

There must be access to a range of dangerous, aggressive, large and/or injured animals as well as the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities and over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:
written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
third-party evidence
workplace documentation
portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).