Agriculture and Nature Conservation › Nature Conservation
Animal Welfare Requirements in Entertainment and Sport Training
Description
This course equips learners with the knowledge and skills to identify and meet the welfare requirements of animals used in entertainment, exhibition, sport, and security contexts. It covers legal and ethical obligations, species-specific needs, and practical assessment of animal well-being in these settings.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify relevant national and international legislation and codes of practice governing animal welfare in entertainment, exhibition, sport, and security.
- Assess the physical and behavioural welfare of animals in various settings using appropriate indicators.
- Apply species-specific welfare requirements to ensure the well-being of animals in captivity and performance contexts.
- Evaluate the impact of environmental and handling factors on animal welfare and recommend improvements.
- Demonstrate procedures for reporting and addressing welfare concerns in accordance with legal and ethical standards.
Target Audience
Animal handlers, trainers, event organisers, security personnel, and anyone involved in the use of animals for entertainment, exhibition, sport, or security purposes in South Africa.
Prerequisites
None — open enrollment.
Course Outline
Objectives:
• Define animal welfare and its relevance to entertainment and sport.
• Identify key legislation and standards governing animal use in South Africa.
• Recognize common welfare risks in entertainment and sport contexts.
• Understand the Five Freedoms and their application.
• Describe the roles of stakeholders in ensuring animal welfare.
Topics:
• Introduction to animal welfare: definitions and principles.
• The Five Freedoms and their practical implications.
• South African legislation: Animals Protection Act, Performing Animals Protection Act, and SAQA standards.
• International guidelines: OIE, WSPA, and industry codes.
• Welfare risks: transport, confinement, performance stress, and injury.
• Stakeholder responsibilities: owners, handlers, veterinarians, and regulators.
• Case studies: welfare issues in racing, circuses, and film.
Objectives:
• Apply welfare assessment protocols to real-world scenarios.
• Develop an animal welfare management plan for a specific event or facility.
• Evaluate compliance with legal and ethical standards.
• Identify signs of distress and appropriate interventions.
• Implement best practices for handling, housing, and transport.
Topics:
• Welfare assessment tools: body condition scoring, behavioral indicators, and stress metrics.
• Designing welfare management plans: risk assessment, contingency planning, and record-keeping.
• Compliance audits: inspecting facilities, equipment, and routines.
• Emergency response: injury care, evacuation, and euthanasia protocols.
• Best practices for specific contexts: horse racing, dog shows, marine parks, and film sets.
• Ethical considerations: balancing tradition, entertainment, and welfare.
• Final assessment: group project presenting a welfare plan.
Practicals
Overview
Practical sessions allow learners to apply welfare assessment techniques, conduct facility inspections, and develop management plans. Hands-on activities reinforce theoretical knowledge and build competence in identifying and addressing welfare concerns.
Practical Activities
- Practical 1: Welfare Assessment Exercise — Learners observe live or video-recorded animals in entertainment settings and apply a standardized welfare assessment tool to evaluate body condition, behavior, and environment. (2h)
- Practical 2: Facility Inspection Simulation — Learners inspect a simulated animal facility (e.g., stable, enclosure, or backstage area) for compliance with welfare standards and identify hazards. (2h)
- Practical 3: Developing a Welfare Management Plan — In groups, learners create a welfare management plan for a given scenario (e.g., a horse race meeting or a dolphin show), covering transport, housing, training, and emergency procedures. (2h)
Summatives
Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.
Practical Assignments — 30%
Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.
Daily Exercises — 20%
Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.
Final Test — 50%
On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.
Final Total
| Component | Out of | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) | 100% | 30% |
| Daily Average (multiple choice) | 100% | 20% |
| Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) | 100% | 50% |
| Final Total | — | 100% |
All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.
Certificate
How it works
- Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
- Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
- You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
- If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it
Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.
Training Discounts
Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.
| Delegates | Discount |
|---|---|
| 5 | 3% off |
| 10 | 6% off |
| 15 | 9% off |
| 20 | 12% off |
| 25 | 15% off |
| 30 | 18% off |
| 50 | 30% off |
| 75 | 40% off |
| 100 | 40% off |
3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
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