Animal Care Specialist

View and print the required courses for the Animal Care Specialist Certificate.

Guided Pathway >

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

Courses typically cover canine and feline behavior, nutrition, health, ethics, and facility management. Courses include:

• Canine & Feline Behavior and Nutrition
• Breed Identification
• Fundamentals of Grooming
• Ethics and Law for Pet Care Professionals
• Canine Training
• Animal Facilities Management

For a full list of courses visit our Academic Catalog.

Graduates of the Animal Care Specialist Certificate program pursue entry-level roles in:

• Animal Care Facilities
• Kennel Management
• Dog Walking and Training
• Animal Shelters and Rescue Operations
• Veterinary Assistant
• Pet Retail and Grooming Services

Students interested in continuing their education can apply credits from this certificat toward NSCC's Animal Care Specialist Degree.

Additionally, NSCC maintains transfer agreements with various four-year institutions, expanding opportunities for students to pursue bachelor's degrees in their chosen fields. Students are encouraged to consult with academic advisors to explore transfer agreements and plan their academic pathways accordingly.

Explore Transfer Options >

Attending all aspects of husbandry in dogs and cats are the primary functions of the Animal Care Specialist. These activities include: brushing, combing, bathing and drying all breeds and mixed breeds of dogs and cats, cleaning and maintaining living quarters of animals, providing proper nutrition and exercise for animals, observing and communicating the health status of animals. The animal care specialist should be able to communicate well with people in order to make appointments, discuss care requirements, advise on general health issues, and educate owners on the care of their pet(s). An animal care professional will also need to keep accurate records, order supplies and equipment, maintain an inventory and evaluate products and equipment used in animal care facilities. The ability to function in a fast moving, sometimes stressful, loud, and occasionally wet environment is a must for the animal care professional.

Download the Animal Care Specialist Technical Standards

The Animal Science Department at North Shore Community College utilizes animals in the instruction of students in both the Veterinary Technology and Animal Care Specialist Programs. The purpose of animal utilization is to provide primary educational experiences for the students. In order to ensure that the animals are safe and humanely treated, and that students are safe and experience a maximal educational benefit from live animal use, the Animal Science Department has developed the Animal Care and Use Policies.

Download the Animal Care and Use Policy

There is an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at North Shore Community College. IACUC, guided by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), is responsible for ensuring that all animals used at this institution, for educational purposes, always be handled, housed, treated, cared for, and transported in a humane and ethical manner in accordance with all federal, state, and local regulations, as well as institutional policies.

Download the IACUC Policy
Download the Incident Report Form