Your Animal Control Officers and Humane Officers now have the opportunity to complete a training academy on their own time, at their own pace, without travel.

This is a web-based, on-demand course consisting of more than 60 hours of training in California state laws and animal care, specifically to meet the requirements outlined in Health and Safety Code Sec 26222 and California Corporations Code Section 14502. This academy is a collection of video trainings conducted by a variety of exceptional experts in our field, along with quizzes to help ensure that content is understood. 

This training program was designed to ensure all animal officers throughout the state of California have access to quality training and industry best practices, and support each officer’s eligibility to become certified.

The CalAnimals Certified Animal Control Officer program is our state’s only certification program for ACOs and a means of recognizing the training and professionalism of our officers and the important work they do in serving their communities.

$450 Members (staff of CalAnimals member organizations), sign-in to receive member pricing

$500 Non-members

Register anytime - take up to 4 months from enrollment to complete the curriculum.

**New 2023 date! Enroll today! 

January 9th-20th, 2023

$450. Please call for more INFORMATION (858) 925-7096

The Humane Law Enforcement Academy is intended to provide the 20 hours of training in animal care and 40 hours of training in California humane laws under California Corporations Code section 14502.

George Olivo, FBI Special Agent (Retired) is presenting his outstanding Interview and Interrogation course for our Animal Control Officers and Humane Officers. This 8-hour course held over a period of two days will cover a variety of topics to help you get the truth during your investigations. 

Topics include building instant rapport, compliance, detecting deception, how to structure your interrogation, and more!

$75 - Open to staff of agencies that are current members of CalAnimals. 

8 hours of CE for Humane Officers, CACOs, and CAWAs

Recording will be available for 60 days.

*This workshop is limited to members. Please sign-in to register or email Kathy@CalAnimals.org for help.

The photographic compilation of the animal cruelty case should provide a permanent record of the scene and tell the story so professionally that it “sells” the case to your prosecutor. Your photography will compliment your full investigative package but only if completed systematically and handled properly to maintain admissibility. This session will cover equipment, the basic rules of animal cruelty crime scene photography and videography, and appropriate handling of images to maintain chain of custody. We will discuss image capture from the scene in the field through transport, exams, and housing of animals in your shelter. The objective is a case your prosecutor will be proud to carry for you.

$35 NonMembers

$25 Staff of CalAnimals' Member Agencies

2 hours of CE for Humane Officers, CACOs, and CAWAs

Recording will be available for 60 days.

Don't miss this important session with veterinary forensics expert Dr. Jennifer Woolf. In these lectures we will perform a “postmortem” on cases: a look back to see what went right and what we can learn for the future. Although the lectures will be aimed at animal control officers, all members of the veterinary forensics team (veterinarians, shelter directors, prosecutors, law enforcement) are invited.

$35 NonMembers

$25 Staff of CalAnimals' Member Agencies

3 hours of CE for Humane Officers, CACOs, and CAWAs

Recording will be available for 60 days.

Hurry - only a few slots remain! 

This training class is developed specifically for animal control officers and humane officers in the state of California pursuant to CCR 2039.5. The instructors are veterinarians and biologists who specialize in remotely-delivered anesthetic agents. This program, which has historically been considered by many to be the standard in chemical  immobilization training, is now part of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Academy. 

Early Registration Fee: $475  General Registration Fee: $495

8 CEs

Join an upcoming in-person event:

Thursday, March 2, 8:00am-5:00pm - Hosted at Irvine Police Department

     Early Registration ends: 2/15/23 General Registration ends: 2/23/22

Flyer available, click button above. Questions? Email Beth: bingram@sdzwa.org

The San Diego Humane Academy  will be hosted virtually via Zoom. All 80 hours of  instruction must be completed in order to receive a completion  certificate.

Virtual by Zoom

Check  their website for Spring 2023 dates.

Tuition is $400.
A $75 fee will be applied to any cancellations.

Please note that the final decision as to whether a course satisfies the training requirements for humane officer appointment rests with the superior court charged with confirming the appointment.