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114 - Animal Care Assistant (CERT)

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Agriculture & Veterinary Technology

College/School

School of Arts and Sciences

Program Description

The Animal Care Assistant Certificate program is designed for students who want to work in the animal care field. The program will give these students hands-on skills that will help them find employment in animal care, or to develop the skills and knowledge to help them be successful in a Veterinary Technician or another animal care related academic degree program if they wish to continue their education after completing the certificate.

There are no other similar programs in SUNY or in New York State.

Program Advantages

Students who complete the Animal Care Assistant Certificate Program and achieve the following benchmarks will be admitted to the Veterinary Technology program to pursue the AAS degree and be eligible to sit for the VTNE and earn licensure.

These benchmarks include:

  1. Earning no less than a "C" in the following courses: VETS 1002 Applied Veterinary Medical Terminology, VETS 1203 Introduction to Veterinary Technology, ANSC 2114 Domestic Animal Anatomy and Physiology

Professional Outlook

According to the NYS Department of Labor, there is a need for animal caretakers both statewide and regionally, with anticipated growth of 17% and 21% respectively in the ten-year period ending 2028.

Estimated wages: Entry $33,837 Experienced $46,214

Office of Accessibility Services

Students who believe they need a reasonable accommodation to properly participate in this program may contact Melanie Ryan in the Office of Accessibility Services. This office may be contacted by email at oas@alfredstate.edu or by phone at 607-587-4506. Please keep in mind that some accommodations may take time to implement, so students seeking accommodations are encouraged to contact OAS as early as possibl.