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Education & Training Resources

It is not uncommon for officers to encounter clients or suspects with mental health issues. In this one-hour training, attendees will learn about approaches to de-escalation and appropriate support agencies and resources that may be able to help. Case studies will be reviewed as well as specific approaches that have proven to be successful with animal hoarding cases.

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.
Upcoming Trainings

**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

ACO Photography

Live on Zoom
Wed., December 18
9:30-11:30am PT
Recording available for 60 days

Belinda Lewis, MS, CAWA

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We don’t just photograph animals…we photograph circumstances

Learn what to shoot and how to shoot it.

This course is geared toward becoming a better investigator.  It differs from our forensic photography class as it targets daily work rather than narrowing to criminal case.  That makes it an asset for both the new ACO and the seasoned officer.  Portray the circumstances of the incident, photographically show the relevance of what you find, and illustrate the elements of the violation.  Make proper photographic capture a habit of your daily work to ensure your case package reflects the professional that you are.

Sponsored by:

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Shelter Behavior Training Series 2024

Five Recorded Sessions
(Recordings available until 12/31/24)

Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC

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5-Part Seminar: 

"What all animal welfare professionals should know about dog and cat behavior!"


Five Recorded 90-minute Sessions

(recordings are available through 12/31/24)

  1.    Resolving Common Behavior Problems to Prevent Surrender

  2.    Intake and Adoptions – A Behavior Perspective

  3.    Reading Dog and Cat Body Language

  4.    Reducing Stress in the Shelter Environment

  5.    Canine Behavior Assessments and Placement Decisions

CE Certificates -  Each session is 1.5 CEUs, totaling 7.5 CEUs

     $70 Members

     $100 Non-members (Learner Profile) must (for this series only) be a resident of California.

Sponsored by:

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CalAnimals Officer Academy Basic

Virtual - On Demand
60-80 hours
Self-paced, online instruction
Take up to 4 months to complete

Animal Welfare Professionals

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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. 

View Course Agenda 


$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.


The CalAnimals Certified Animal Control Officer program is 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:

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CalAnimals Officer Academy Advanced

Virtual - On Demand
40+ hours
Self-paced, online instruction
Take up to 4 months to complete

Animal Welfare Professionals

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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 Outline


$400 Members (staff of CalAnimals member organizations)

$450 Non-members (Learner Profile needed)

***Save $100 - Enroll before November 30, 2024


**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:

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San Diego Humane Law Enforcement Academy (Basic)

In-person in 2025
San Diego, CA
Please check back for dates and registration information.

Hosted by the San Diego Humane Society

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The next San Diego Humane Law Enforcement Academy will be in-person in San Diego. Check 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

Sponsored by:

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Koret's Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program

Application Deadline 12/5/24

Offered by Koret Shelter Medicine Program Shelter Learniverse

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Transform your shelter work with professional certification in 2025!

Are you ready to take your career in animal sheltering to the next level? Offered by the Koret Shelter Medicine Program Shelter Learniverse as part of Maddie's® Million Pet Challenge, the Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program empowers frontline animal shelter workers to provide exceptional care, grounded in best practices, with a focus on improving outcomes for animals and communities.

Applications are now being accepted for the Winter 2025 session starting 1/6/25! Start learning today and become part of the growing movement to transform animal sheltering.

Sponsored by:

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Recorded Trainings
  • 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).

  • CE Certificates are now available immediately after viewing the workshop and remain stored in your CalAnimals Classroom Profile.

 

Learn More

Courtroom Testimony

Farm Animals - Husbandry and Handling

Illegal Blood "Sports"

2.5 CEU

Officer Academy Advanced

Pets are Big Business: Puppy Sales, Scams, and Prosecution

Search Warrant Basics

Veterinary Forensics & Animal Cruelty: Case Studies

Animal Cruelty Cases

Coyote Response Best Practices in an Urban Landscape

Forensic Photography: Provide Your Prosecutor Quality Photography to Accept & Win Your Case

Inspections: Pet Shops, Traveling Animal Exhibits,
Rodeos and More

Officer Academy Basic

Professional Handling and Capture of Dogs

Shelter Behavior Series 2024

1.5/7.5 CEU

Bites! Scratching the Surface

De-Escalation & Crisis Management

Furensics: Animal DNA in Criminal Investigations

Interview & Interrogation

PC Section 597.1:
Pre and Post Seizure (6/23/22)

Professional Handling and Capture of Small Animals

Understanding Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

Client Mental Health, Case Studies, and Animal Hoarding

Equine Humane Case Investigations: From Corral to Courtroom

Horses, Cattle, Small Ruminant Series

Livestock Investigations: Sheep, Goats, and Cattle

PC Section 597.1:
Case Studies (5/30/24)

Recognizing and Understanding Bias for the Animal Welfare Professional

Venomous Snake Safety

EA Training

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.

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

    • 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

  • 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

 

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Want to keep informed about our trainings?
Please request a Learner Profile to add your name to our Contact List.

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