Page 347 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

13.6 Practical Safety Tips 319

VetBooks.ir Table 13.1 International legislation directly affecting zoo animal training.

legislation/guidelines
Region Specific training Details
Australia Proposed Animal Specific to training animals:
Welfare Standards and ● The operator must ensure written procedures regarding the
Guidelines 2014: health, safety, and behavioural needs of the animal during
Training training are developed, maintained and implemented, and
are readily available to staff who train animals.
● The operator must ensure training is undertaken by an
appropriately experienced trainer or under the immediate
supervision of an appropriately experienced trainer.
● The operator must ensure training does not compromise the
animal’s normal physical development, health or welfare.
● The operator must ensure training programmes do not
exceed the physical capabilities of the animal.
● The operator must ensure exhibitions of trained behaviours
of animals demonstrate behaviours that are reflective of
those expressed in the wild.
● Trainers should use operant conditioning.
● Punishment should be avoided as a training method.
● Animals should be conditioned to accept routine husbandry
procedures.
Proposed Animal Specific to visitor–animal interactions:
Welfare Standards and ● The operator must ensure interactive programmes are
Guidelines 2014: designed to enhance people’s appreciation of and respect for
Interactive Programmes animals.
● The operator must ensure a proficient keeper is responsible
for overseeing, coordinating, and supervising all interactive
programmes.
● The operator must ensure a risk assessment examining the
risks to the animals is undertaken for each interactive
programme and is reviewed on a regular basis.
● The operator must ensure written procedures for interactive
programmes are developed, regularly reviewed and
implemented, and are readily available to staff.
● The operator must ensure interactive programmes do not
have adverse impacts on animal welfare.
● The operator must ensure animals that display signs of
distress or illness are removed from the interactive
programme until such time as they are reassessed by a
veterinarian or proficient keeper as being suitable to re‐enter
the interactive programme.
Canada Canada’s Accredited CAZA Policy on the Use of Animals in Educational
Zoos and Aquariums Programming states:
Guidelines ● An overall programme animal training protocol providing
for frequency of training, the process for qualifying and
assessing handlers, including who is authorised to train
handlers.
● Training content (e.g. taxonomically specific protocols,
natural history, relevant conservation and educational
messages, presentation techniques, interpretive
techniques, etc.).

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