UPDATE! The deadline to register has been extended to Friday, February 3, 2017.
The Professional Animal Care Certification Council (PACCC) is excited to announce registration for our next Certified Professional Animal Care Provider (CPACP) exam is now open! The next exam will be offered between February 11 – 25, 2017. The deadline to register is January 26, 2017 (UPDATED: February 3, 2017). For details on how to register, visit paccert.org/provider-exam.
Earlier this month PACCC revealed the first class of pet care pros to successfully pass the exam and gain their CPACP credentials. The CPACP is the person in charge of the daily handling of the animals of a professional pet care business, overseeing every aspect of an animal’s well-being while in their care. Providers work in a variety of settings that include, but are not limited to, pet care boarding or daycare facility, pet sitting, dog walking, grooming, bathing, customer service and training.
To initially qualify to take the CPACP exam, the applicant had to meet minimum education requirements, have a minimum of 500 hours of experience, and provide letters of reference from veterinarians and other pet care industry professionals. The in-depth examination covered animal care topics including health, nutrition, dog fight and bite protocol, on-leash and off-leash interaction, sanitation, dog behavior and temperament, dog body language, dog training, animal and handler safety, vaccination protocol, workflow management, pathogen control, emergency and quarantine protocols, air quality standards, staff management expectations, and much more.
Certification as a CPACP is good for three years, at which time retesting or completion of 20 hours of continuing education is required to maintain certified status.
For a list of current Certified Professional Animal Care Providers, visit paccert.org/cpacp.