Animal Control Officer Certification Classes
The courses contained on this page meet all requirements under Florida law to be taught within the state of Florida. These courses have been developed utilizing the same course design used by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission training programs.
Florida Animal Control Officer Certification
The Florida Animal Control Officer certification course is for people seeking employment as animal control officers within the state of Florida.
This 40-hour certification course meets the training requirements for Florida animal control officers prescribed under F.S.S. 828.27(4)(a)(1). Additionally, this course includes the training requirement for child abuse recognition and reporting as required under F.S.S. 828.27(4)(a)(2).
Topics for this course include but are not limited to: Overview of the animal control profession, animal control ethics, communicating in a diverse society, interview and report writing skills, constitutional law, search and seizure, field operations, animal control equipment, animal knowledge, first and CPR, zoonosis and biosecurity, investigations, rabies awareness and prevention, and disaster planning.
Students must attend all 40 hours of the training class, participate in discussions and scenario-based training exercises, and pass a 100-question written examinations.
Students who successfully complete this training class will be issued a certificate and photo identification card as a Florida Animal Control Officer. Additionally, students will be provided with a certificate of completion of the state-mandated DCF training on Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting.
The tuition for this course is $550.00.
ACO Field Training Officer Certification
The ACO Field Training Officer certification course is designed for officers who are responsible for training new animal control officers. This course provides an integral part of recruit training that training bridges the gap from the theory of the classroom to the practical application on the street. FTO programs have been very successful and provided a smooth transition from the classroom to the street.
This 40-hour certification course meets the Florida Animal Control Training Commission’s training recommendations for Florida animal control officers that are responsible for training new animal control officers.
Topics for this course include but are not limited to: Human behavior, the learning process, effective communication, the teaching process, planning instructional activity, instructor responsibilities and professionalism, instructional technique, risk management, trainee assessment, and the structure of the field training program.
Students must attend all 40 hours of the training class, participate in discussions, presentations, and scenario-based training exercises, and pass a 100-question written examinations.
Students who successfully complete this training class will be issued a certificate and photo identification card as a Florida ACO Field Training Officer.
The tuition for this course is $550.00.
Chemical Immobilization Technician Certification
The Chemical Immobilization Technician certification course is an instructor-led course designed for law enforcement and animal care and control professionals whose duties may require the use of anesthetizing chemicals to immobilize an animal for the purpose of capturing it.
This 16-hour certification course meets the training requirements for Florida animal control officers prescribed under F.S.S. 828.27(1)(b).
Topics for this course include but are not limited to the history of chemical immobilization, chemical immobilization equipment, pharmacology, officer, public, and animal safety considerations, operation planning, post-capture procedures, and required documentation.
Students must attend all 16 hours of the training class, participate in discussions and scenario-based training exercises, pass a marksmanship course, and pass a 50-question written examinations.
Students who successfully complete this training class will be issued a certificate and photo identification card with an endorsement as a Chemical Immobilization Technician.
The tuition fee for this course is $400.00.
Humane Euthanasia Technician Certification
The Florida Humane Euthanasia Technician certification course is for animal care and control personnel seeking certification in humane euthanasia of domestic animals in the state of Florida.
This 16-hour certification course meets the training requirements for Florida animal control officers prescribed under F.S.S. 828.058(4)(a).
Topics for this training class include but are not limited to the history of euthanasia, Florida laws pertaining to the euthanasia of animals, sodium pentobarbital, animal anatomy and physiology, performing euthanasia, compassion fatigue, safety considerations, required documentation and reporting.
Students must attend all 16 hours of the training class, participate in discussions and scenario-based training exercises, and pass a 50-question written examinations. Students will be required to participate in the humane euthanasia of a qualifying dog and/or cat as part of the training requirement.
Students who successfully complete this training class will be issued a certificate and photo identification card with an endorsement as a Humane Euthanasia Technician.
The tuition for this class is $350.00.
Bite Stick / O.C. Spray Certification
The Bite Stick / O.C. Spray certification course is for animal care and control professionals seeking proper training and certification in the use of bite sticks and O.C. spray as defensive tactics against animal attacks.
This 8-hour certification course meets the Florida Animal Control Training Commission’s training recommendations for Florida animal care and control professionals that may encounter dangerous animals during the execution of their duties.
Topics for this course include but are not limited to equipment operation and maintenance, Florida use of force laws, animal attacks, deploying bite sticks and O.C. spray against animals, decontamination procedures, officer and agency liability, and documentation and reporting requirements.
Students must attend all 8 hours of the training class, participate in discussions and scenario-based training exercises, and pass a 50-question written examination. Students will be required to participate physical exercises with the bite stick and be exposed to O.C. spray.
Students who successfully complete this training class will be issued a certificate and photo identification card with an endorsement for the certification in the use of Bite Stick / O.C. Spray.
The tuition for this class is $400.00.
Infrared Thermometry Certification
The Infrared Thermometry certification course is for animal care and control professionals seeking training in the use of infrared thermometry. This course is required for officers that utilize infrared thermometers in measuring temperatures as part of an investigation.
This 6-hour certification course meets the Florida Animal Control Training Commission’s training recommendations for Florida animal care and control professionals that utilize infrared thermometers during criminal investigations.
Topics for this course include but are not limited to sources of infrared radiation, how infrared radiation interacts with its environment, the Fluke 62 Max series infrared thermometer, investigating incidents involving animals that are left unattended in hot vehicles, animal removal, hyperthermia and heatstroke in animals, and documentation and reporting requirements.
Students must attend all 6 hours of the training class, participate in discussions and scenario-based training exercises, and pass a 25-question written examination. An infrared thermometer is included in this course and issued to the officer during the class.
Students who successfully complete this training class will be issued a certificate and photo identification card with an endorsement for the certification in the use of Infrared Thermometry.
The tuition for this course is $350.00 (includes the cost of the infrared thermometer).