Animal Activities Licensing course for inspectors becomes level 3 qualification

The Pet Industry Federation (PIF), has announced that its joint animal establishments inspector training course, run in collaboration with the City of London Corporation, will result in formal City and Guilds Level 3 qualification from July 2020.

Since 1 October 2018, the new Licensing of Activities Involving Animals regulations (AAL) require those carrying out inspections to be appropriately trained.

The “highly successful” ‘Professional Programme in Inspecting Licensable Activities Involving Animals’, a Level 3 equivalent course issued by City and Guilds, has been running to full capacity since it launched at the end of last year and was specifically developed by animal health inspectors and education experts to address this new legal requirement.

The course provides inspectors with appropriate training to ensure the legislation, its guidance and animal welfare requirements are understood and implemented.

Vicky Skinner, PIF education manager, said: “…We’re delighted that our collaboration with City and Guilds and our colleagues at the City of London Corporation has enabled this course to become a regulated Level 3 qualification from July next year.

“It means that inspectors who achieve it from that date will be able to add a qualification to their name. Furthermore, inspectors who complete the original course prior to July 2020 will also be able to convert to the qualification by undertaking an additional assessment to meet the qualification requirements.”