Animal Control Officer Trainings
To all Animal Control Officer Trainees and Certified ACOs,
Basic ACO Training
In the fall of 2019, Animal Welfare created online training for animal control officers (ACOs) to help them learn the Core Competencies necessary to do ACO work in the state of Maine as part of Phase I of the training. Phase II of the training was to be scheduled for the spring of 2020 that would teach the practical skills necessary to safely perform the duties of an ACO.
Since early the beginning of 2020 the entire world has been affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic that has resulted in many in-person trainings being canceled or postponed. Animal Welfare is in the process of scheduling an in-person training for the fall of this year, but we do understand that public health and safety is the top priority and may potentially have to reschedule that class as well. In the meantime, all ACO trainees will have until September 30th, 2020 to complete the online Phase I training hosted by JPMA. At that point we will consider all trainees as probational ACOs until the Phase II training can be scheduled and conducted safely.
Advanced Trainings for CE credits.
It is the responsibility of each animal control officer to fulfill the mandated yearly eight (8) hour training requirements, keep accurate records of their Animal Welfare Program-approved training, and have this documentation available for review if requested. CE credits need to be completed by the end of the calendar year, December 31st, in order to meet the mandated requirements.
With the current situation involving COVID-19 and its disruptions to training schedules everywhere, Animal Welfare is suggesting the following online trainings to help fill the training requirements until regular trainings can be safely held again. The online trainings listed below have been approved for CE.
Please keep checking the Animal Welfare Website for approved training dates and times. If you know of a training that can benefit you and help you in the course of your duties as an animal control officer, please contact the Animal Welfare Program with the course information and ask for it to be considered for approval for CE credits.
Liam Hughes
Director of Animal Welfare
Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation & Forestry
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