Standards of Care

Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will introduce the very basics of professional animal care. By building off of existing USDA and AZA guidelines, this course will teach students the current standards of animal housing, diet, enrichment, and species-specific needs. As we learn more about animals and the way they interact with the world, the responsibility of zookeepers everywhere has never been clearer: we must do everything in our power to ensure our animals live happy, healthy lives.  
 
In this class, students will learn the legal and regulatory standards for animal care, and the ways these have influenced protocol at zoos around the world. You will also learn to build off of the standards to create standards of your own, where to look for trouble areas and how to fix them, how to assess the mental health of the animals in your care, and determine when changes are needed. Students will also learn realistic parameters of animal behavior as it relates to human emotions.
 
This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience.
 
This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. An animal may participate for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Standards of Care credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, and this is the first class of the series.
 
$40 per participant for 2-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting.

Message us to sign up or ask questions.