
Education & Training Resources
CalAnimals provides trainings throughout the year for California animal welfare professionals on a variety of topics. Our Animal Law Enforcement Training Academies, in partnership with Marin Humane, United States Service Command, and San Diego Humane Society, are the go-to training programs for animal control officers and humane officers throughout California. Additionally, we provide one-day trainings and webinars and our new on-demand CalAnimals Officer Academy.
**Please note: CalAnimals webinars and trainings are for informational purposes only. Please check with your own municipality, legal counsel, and/or veterinarian to determine which activities are appropriate for your agency.**
Upcoming Trainings
Shelter Behavior Training Series (2025)
View Live on ZOOM, and/or the recorded sessions!
5 LIVE Sessions - Wednesdays 9/10-10/8/2025
9:30-11:00am (PT)
(Recordings available until 12/31/25)
Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC
5-Part Seminar:
"What all animal welfare professionals should know about dog and cat behavior!"
Five Live Zoom 90-minute Sessions (Wednesdays 9/10-10/8)
(paid attendees will have access to all 5 recordings through 12/31/25)
Resolving Common Behavior Problems to Prevent Surrender 9/10
Intake and Adoptions – A Behavior Perspective 9/17
Reading Dog and Cat Body Language 9/24
Canine Behavior Assessments and Placement Decisions 10/1
Reducing Stress in the Shelter Environment 10/8
CE Certificates - Each session earns 1.5 hours of CEUs for Humane Officers, CACOs, and CAWAs, totaling 7.5 CEUs
$75 Members (staff of CalAnimals Member Organizations)
$100 Non-members (Learner Profile)
Sponsored by:
Urban Coyote Intervention:
From Assessment to Action
Thurs, October 9
9:30-11:00am PT
Live on Zoom, plus access to recording for 60 days
Rebecca Dmytryk, Humane Wildlife Control Inc.
This workshop provides animal control officers, first responders, and agency personnel with guidance for addressing coyote activity, beginning with an introduction to the California Valley Coyote and its unique traits, followed by real case scenarios to examine common conflicts, their root causes, and proven strategies to resolve them. The course will also present the essential components of an effective Coyote Response Plan, including terminology, elements of a strong reporting system, methods for evaluating coyote behavior and assessing threat levels, and a guide for responding to specific scenarios. The workshop will also address the humane and legal implications of trapping. Participants will receive templates for educational materials and an example of a comprehensive Coyote Response Plan.
$25 Members (Staff of CalAnimals Member Organizations)
$35 Non-Members (Learner Profile)
Sponsored by:
CalAnimals Officer Academy
Basic
Virtual - On Demand
60-80 hours
Self-paced, online instruction
Take up to 4 months to complete
Animal Welfare Professionals
Animal Control Officers and Humane Officers now have the opportunity to complete a basic 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.
$450 Members (staff of CalAnimals member organizations)
$500 Non-members (Learner Profile needed)
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.
*This academy is open to everyone. It is not a requirement nor promise of employment.
Learn more about the CalAnimals
Certified Animal Control Officer Program,
our state’s voluntary certification program for ACOs.
*To obtain certification:
1. You must be employed as an ACO
2. Taken PC 832 Arrest, Search and Seizure
3. Completed a qualifying animal law academy
Sponsored by:
CalAnimals Officer Academy
Advanced
Virtual - On Demand
40+ hours
Self-paced, online instruction
Take up to 4 months to complete
Animal Welfare Professionals
Animal Control Officers and Humane Officers now have the opportunity to complete an advanced training academy on their own time, at their own pace, without travel.
This is a web-based, on-demand course consisting of more than 40 hours of training to advance skills for investigations, work more effectively with the public, respond to disasters, implement effective programs for cats, safely interact with wildlife, and more! This course meets the requirements for 40 CEUs every 3 years outlined in Health and Safety Code Sec 26222 and California Corporations Code Section 14502 for Certified Animal Control Officers and State Humane Officers. This academy is a collection of video trainings conducted by a variety of exceptional experts in our field.
View Course Agenda
$400 Members (staff of CalAnimals member organizations)
$450 Non-members (Learner Profile needed)
Learn more about renewing your CACO status.
**Please note: CalAnimals webinars and trainings are for informational purposes only. Please check with your own municipality, legal counsel, and/or veterinarian to determine which activities are appropriate for your agency.
Sponsored by:
California Animal Law
Enforcement Academy (Basic)
Marin Humane
TBD - Winter 2026
8:30am-5:30pm
In-Person:
Novato, CA
Hosted by Marin Humane
Starting in 2025, San Diego Humane Society and Marin Humane have joined with California Animal Welfare Association (CalAnimals), to create the California Animal Law Enforcement Academy.
This 80-hour Academy will provide consistent training two times a year. The California Animal Law Enforcement Academy is intended to provide training in California animal laws and animal care.
This course can satisfy the requirements mandated by section 14502 of the California Corporations Code for appointment and reappointment as a Humane Officer or satisfaction of Health and Safety Code 26222 for requirements to become a Certified Animal Control Officer (CACO) which is a voluntary program.
Each day will run approximately from 8:30am-5:30pm.
$400 - Payment and registration is through Marin Humane.
Questions?: scaldwell@marinhumane.org, 415.506.6209
Sponsored by:
California Animal Law
Enforcement Academy (Basic)
San Diego Humane Society
TBD
8:30am-5:30pm
In-person:
San Diego, CA
Hosted by the San Diego Humane Society
Check back for the next California Animal Law Enforcement Academy, 10-day, in-person academy, held in San Diego. View their website for more information and to register. All 80 hours of instruction must be completed in order to receive a completion certificate.
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.
$400 - Payment and registration is through San Diego Humane Society.
Sponsored by:
Recorded Trainings - Rent on Demand
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Recorded Training Workshops are available for rent for 60 days from purchase date.
(Officer Academy = 4 months) -
Individual registration is required using your Employee Sub-Account or Learner Profile (non-members).
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Most recordings are available to everyone.
(Members/Non-Members) -
FAQ
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You may already have an account.
(Try your work email as your username.)
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CE Certificates are now available immediately after viewing the workshop and remain stored in your CalAnimals Classroom Profile.
Magical Deserts
4/11-5/12
Magical Deserts
4/11-5/12
Magical Deserts
4/11-5/12
Various Dates and Locations (see below)
Euthanasia Training

When necessary, shelter staff may euthanize animals if they have completed a curriculum of at least eight hours of training as specified in the Euthanasia Training Curriculum published by the California Animal Welfare Association (CalAnimals). The training must be provided by a veterinarian, RVT, or instructor certified by (CalAnimals). Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. Email the instructors for more information on scheduling a training convenient for you.
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Check again soon for more dates Email Renee to Register
Each day is 9:00am-2:30pm
Renee's courses are currently virtual with the hands-on component scheduled after the training.
Contact Renee for location and details.
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Online - Tuesday, June 18, 9:00-5:30 Email Kim to Register
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with hands-on Thursday, June 20, 9:00-1:00 in Fresno
or -
with hands-on Monday, June 24, 9:00-1:00 in Novato
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Contact Kim for more workshops in June, August and October:
Instructors:
Kim Lanham-Snyder, Certified Euthanasia Instructor | Klanhamsnyder@gmail.com
Renee Harris, Top2Cats Consulting | reneeharris@top2catsconsulting.com
Want to keep informed about our trainings?
Please request a Learner Profile to add your name to our Contact List.