Animal Care and Management

The purpose of the Certificate Program in Animal Care and Management is to provide access to a career path in the veterinary care of primarily domesticated animals. To accomplish this, partnerships have been established between Bronx Community College and various veterinary clinics and animal hospitals in New York City to enable students to intern at those sites. In preparation for the internship, students in the Animal Care and Management Program will learn techniques for working in a veterinary clinic, including how to properly use and care for the instruments in a laboratory, particularly sterilization techniques, and how to analyze blood and urine samples. As a veterinary assistant, students support veterinarians in their daily tasks, including the restraining and handling of animals, feeding and exercising them, examining them for signs of illness, disease, or injury, cleaning and disinfecting cages and work areas, and sterilizing laboratory and surgical equipment.

This intensive, hands-on program provides BCC students with the technical skills and experience necessary to be competitive in obtaining veterinary assistant jobs in animal hospitals, animal control facilities, veterinary clinics, pet stores and animal rescue facilities. This curriculum also provides a foundation for those who would like to continue their education for an AS or B.S. as a veterinary technician or a D.V.M. as a veterinarian. The Certificate Program also fully articulates with Mercy College’s B.S. in Veterinary Technology. A copy of the articulation agreement may be found on the BCC Transfer Planning website.

Please note the following regarding minimum academic standards for Animal Care and Management students. To be eligible for admission into Animal Care and Management courses, a student must achieve the following in addition to the listed course prerequisites:

• a minimum grade of “C” or higher in BIO 11 General Biology I prior to attempting BIO 15 Zoology. BIO 11 can be repeated only once to achieve the minimum required “C” grade needed to take BIO 15.

• a minimum grade of “C+” or higher in BIO 15 prior to attempting ACM 90 Animal Care and Management Internship. BIO 15 can be repeated only once to achieve the minimum required “C+” grade needed to take ACM 90.

• A grade of “W” will not be counted in a student’s two attempts in BIO 11 or BIO 15 to meet the minimum grade requirement. If a student repeats either BIO 11 or BIO 15, the higher of the two grades will determine eligibility. Students are permitted to transfer BIO 11 credits from other institutions that are grades of “C” or better.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Animal Care and Management program requirements, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of basic animal anatomy, physiology, behaviors, and genetics.

2. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the techniques for working in a veterinary clinic, including how to properly use and care for laboratory instruments, particularly sterilization techniques, and how to analyze blood and urine samples.

3. Support veterinarians in their daily tasks, including the restraining and handling of animals, feeding and exercising them, examining them for signs of illness, disease, or injury, cleaning and disinfecting cages and work areas, sterilizing laboratory and surgical equipment.

4. Demonstrate and practice safe, efficient and effective veterinary office management and administration.

5. Demonstrate the skills, knowledge and competency to qualify for employment in a veterinary office, clinical/hospital setting.