Vet nursing course to teach pet grooming

Pat the cat, stroke the dog — now it can lead to a career.

Leo the West Highland terrier might have seemed nonplussed by all the attention, but his grooming session yesterday represented a significant first for Otago Polytechnic/Te Pūkenga veterinary nursing.

Amid the whirr of hairdryers caressing canine coats, the Dunedin facility hosted the first group of students engaged in a block course of the New Zealand certificate in animal management (pet grooming).

Developed at the request of the burgeoning pet care industry, the level four programme recognises the role of the groomer in the routine healthcare of our companion pets.

Otago Polytechnic head of veterinary nursing Francesca Brown, who is also a member of the transitional lead team at Te Pūkenga for animal healthcare and veterinary nursing, said yesterday’s activity was the result of much work done behind the scenes to get a qualification listed and then a programme written.

“We were approached in 2021 by members of the Pet Groomer Employers’ Association with a request to support the development of an NZQA-accredited qualification in pet grooming. At the time, there was no standard of training and they wanted to drive industry standards and expectations.

“Our team is responsible for rolling out the delivery of unified Animal Healthcare and Veterinary Nursing programmes across [the] Te Pūkenga network. We are really excited to have been able to take the lead in bringing this qualification to the pet grooming industry and supporting them in their journey to increase the standards within the industry.”

As well as teaching students how to groom dogs and cats, the programme covers health, welfare, behaviour and husbandry, anatomy and physiology as well as low-stress handling techniques integral to being an effective dog groomer.

The programme was delivered through a “flexible facilitated” format, which is a combination of online and in-person teaching through block courses and work placement.