2 Sep 2023

9 Best Online Animal Care Courses

Michael Yi

Animal care is a dream industry for people who love furry, scaly, and feathery friends.

It offers limitless opportunities to grow as a professional, and make a real difference to the lives of animals. Within this exciting industry are a variety of jobs, all of which play a slightly different role in looking after animals.

Animal care work can include pet grooming and training, zookeeping, animal welfare, and wildlife conservation — just to name a few.

This article compares courses in:

Pet grooming and training
Veterinary work
Zoology and wildlife conservation
Animal welfare

What are the benefits of studying an animal care course?

In order to enter these roles with confidence, a strong and capable skillset, and demonstrated passion, you’ll want to complete a course relevant to the field you’d like to work in.

Not only will a course give you the right technical knowledge and skills, it will help you stand out to employers. Having these qualifications on your resume demonstrates your passion and commitment to this industry. Animal care can be challenging, but with the right training, you’ll have the capability to help animals, and give them the best quality of life.

With so many different avenues in animal care, finding the right course can be confusing and tedious. To make the right choice for your future, you need to be able to compare various courses and select one that fulfils your needs.

Ready to start comparing and find your perfect course?

Animal grooming and training courses

Dog Grooming Certificate

Learning Online

What you’ll learn:

Comprehensive understanding of grooming essentials, like clipping, scissoring and styling
How to bathe and dry pets
Understanding of how to groom specialty coat types
How to work with a variety of dog breeds

Delivery method:

Online

Duration:

0 months

access to self-paced content

Career outcomes:

Animal grooming assistant
Dog Kennel Attendant
Dog Shelter Employee
Start an animal daycare/grooming business

Cost:

Check with provider

Payment plans:

available from

$0/week

View Course

Advanced Certificate in Dog Grooming

The Career Academy

What you’ll learn:

Comprehensive understanding of grooming essentials, like clipping, scissoring and styling
How to take care of coats so that they’re shiny and healthy
How to handle animals safely and hygienically
About different animal breeds and their different needs and temperament
Basic animal anatomy and hygiene
Business skills

Delivery method:

Online

Duration:

0 hours

of self-paced content

Career outcomes:

Pet Shop staff member
Animal Trainer
Animal Trainer

Cost:

Check with provider

Payment plans:

available from

$0/week

View Course

Veterinary courses

Vets are medical professionals: they administer medication and other treatments, they diagnose and manage conditions, and they respond to injuries. They just tend to animals rather than humans. So, vets are students for a long time. Usually six to seven years in a Bachelor of Veterinary Science, followed by a Doctoral degree.

If six to seven years of study sounds like a big commitment, you can get your foot in the door of a veterinary clinic by completing a veterinary assistance course. This is an equally rewarding career, where you’ll have extensive opportunities to care for animals (including giving them love and attention).

Vet Assistance Certificate

Learning Online

What you’ll learn:

How to feed, exercise and bathe animals
How to assist Vet Nurses and Vet Technicians with lab work
How to clean, sterilize and maintain the various tools, rooms and equipment in a clinic.
How to perform clerical duties and general vet cleaning duties
How to complete reception-based tasks

Delivery method:

Online

Duration:

0 months

access to self-paced content

Average course completion is 15-20 weeks

Career outcomes:

Veterinary reception and general office duties
Veterinary technical maintenance
Specialist vet support roles
Animal pathology laboratories
Animal hospitals
Government veterinary services
Animal refuges and welfare organisations

Cost:

Check with provider

Payment plans:

available from

$0/week

View Course

Wildlife Veterinary Assistant Certificate

Learning Online

What you’ll learn:

Hybrid content on both veterinary skills and skills for handling wildlife
Animal first aid and healthcare
How to identify signs of wellness and disease
Animal rehabilitation

Delivery method:

Online

Duration:

0 months

access to self-paced content

Average course completion is 15-20 weeks

Career outcomes:

Wildlife rescue shelter worker
Animal welfare shelter worker
Specialist vet support roles
Animal Breeder

Cost:

Check with provider

Payment plans:

available from

$0/week

View Course

Zoology and wildlife conservation courses

In zoology courses you’ll learn about ecology, evolution, and conservation. You study all about why animals are the way they are, and how to preserve diversity. This is an important background for working as a zoologist – someone who studies animals and their habitats to learn more about them and advise on population control and management.

Gain the practical skills and theoretical knowledge you need to stand out to employers and succeed in this field.

Zoology Certificate

Careerhouse

What you’ll learn:

Introduction to animal welfare and first aid
Animal behaviour — how to tell if an animal isn’t behaving normally (e.g. if they’re under stress)
Animal psychology — including conditioning, innate behaviour and survival
How animals function in the wild and in captivity
How habitat affects animal health

Delivery method:

Online

Duration:

0 hours

of self-paced content

Career outcomes:

Zookeeping
Wildlife management
Aquariums
Wildlife safaris
Petting zoos
Amusement parks with animals
Wildlife conservation

Cost:

Check with provider

Payment plans:

available from

$0/week

View Course

Wildlife Conservation and Management Certificate

Careerhouse

What you’ll learn:

How to conduct surveys of plants and animals in a region
Information about wildlife conservation, biodiversity, habitat rescue
How to undertake conservation activities like improve habitats and breed animals in captivity
Business aspects of working in and managing wildlife parks and sanctuaries

Delivery method:

Online

Duration:

0 hours

of self-paced content

Career outcomes:

Wildlife education
Wildlife management
Zookeeping
Animal Breeding
Eco-tourism
Wildlife or animal care
Environmental consultation
Wildlife assessment

Cost:

Check with provider

Payment plans:

available from

$0/week

View Course

You can also do similar courses that are more tailored to specific interests. Like a Reptile Zoology Certificate where you would focus on reptile health, habitat, and behaviour or a Primate Zoology Certificate where you would focus on monkeys and apes.

These shorter courses are relevant for people interested in zookeeping and working in wildlife rescues, sanctuaries, and parks. They may also inspire you to study further to related courses such as a Bachelor degree in Zoology or in Science majoring in animal biology or animal studies. This further study can lead to job outcomes like:

Zoologist
Conservationist

Animal Welfare Courses

If you want to ensure that animals are protected from cruelty or other harmful living situations, an animal welfare course would allow you to enter the industry with confidence and a well-rounded skillset.

Working in animal welfare can be tough and heartbreaking. In order to help animals who truly need it, you’ll need to have a strong foundation in technical and legal knowledge and the skills to handle animals safely.

Animal Welfare Certificate

Learning Online

What you’ll learn:

The legal rights of animals
Assessing animals’ environmental conditions
Signs that an animal may be unwell, abused, or neglected
How to handle animals safely and humanely
Potential problems around disease prevention
Appropriate shelter
Nutrition

Delivery method:

Online

Duration:

0 months

access to self-paced content

Average course completion is 15-20 weeks

Career outcomes:

Animal sanctuary worker
Pet resort attendant
Animal rehabilitator
Animal technician assistant
Animal carer
Veterinary assistant

Cost:

Check with provider

Payment plans:

available from

$0/week

View Course

Animal Welfare Advanced Certificate

Simply Learning

What you’ll learn:

The theory and practice of animal welfare – wildlife, pets and farm animals
Animal health problems and healthcare
Animal behaviour and psychology
Rehabilitation care
Safety procedures
Administration of animal welfare
Veterinary facilities
Routine treatments

Delivery method:

Online

Duration:

0 hours

of self-paced content

Average course completion is 15-20 weeks

Career outcomes:

Business start-up in general or specific Animal work
Animal Boarding Facility or animal Daycare
Emergency Animal Assistant
Animal Rehabilitation
Animal Fostering, Animal Breeder, or Animal Carer
Vet Assistant
Work in Zoos and Animal Shelters
Work in Wildlife Reserves and Parks
Work in education and research

Cost:

Check with provider

Payment plans:

available from

$0/week

View Course

The animal care industry in Australia is large and varied. While some jobs require many years of study, others require only passion and interest. These online short courses are great ways to expand your knowledge of animals and find a career you’re passionate about.

9 Best Online Animal Care Courses

Animal grooming and training courses

Dog Grooming Certificate

What you’ll learn:

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Advanced Certificate in Dog Grooming

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Veterinary courses

Vet Assistance Certificate

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Wildlife Veterinary Assistant Certificate

What you’ll learn:

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Zoology and wildlife conservation courses

Zoology Certificate

What you’ll learn:

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Wildlife Conservation and Management Certificate

What you’ll learn:

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Animal Welfare Courses

Animal Welfare Certificate

What you’ll learn:

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Animal Welfare Advanced Certificate

What you’ll learn:

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Courses:

Skin Health & Facial Treatments

Project Management Fundamentals

People Leadership

New Leader

Mini MBA

Mastering Project Management

Finance for Non-Finance Managers

Data Insights for Business

Cybersecurity Fundamentals

Change Management – Embrace Evolve Thrive

Applied Project Management

AI is my CoPilot

Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing & Disability) CHC33021

Mental Health Co-existing Needs Skill Set (VIC Only) CHCSS00102

Alcohol and Other Drugs Skill Set (VIC Only) CHCSS00093

Course in Performing Allied Health Tasks and Supporting People with Disability (VIC Only) 22529VIC

Senior Cyber Security Professional

Online Personal Trainer Certification