ACO Courses By Outside Sources

Includes courses that are approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to meet training requirements set forth in Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 829, Animal Control Officer Training and for which the course sponsor has requested posting; however, they are conducted by outside sponsors, NOT the DSHS.  It is the responsibility of each animal control officer to fulfill these mandated training requirements, keep accurate records of their DSHS-approved training, and have this documentation available for review by facility inspectors.  In the chart below, call the number provided or click on a contact name for the course for which you would like to register to ask questions about a particular course.

Chapter 829 of the Texas Health and Safety Code mandates that 30 hours of required continuing education (CE) training for Animal Control Officers (ACOs) approved by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) be completed every 3 years. Of these, DSHS policy has been that a maximum of 10 hours per 3-year period can be obtained via satisfactory completion of DSHS-approved online training.  However, due to the number of course cancellations and the limitations on travel created by the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a temporary exception to this limit has been implemented.  For ACOs whose 3-year period ends between March 15, 2020, and March 15, 2021 (inclusive), up to 30 of the required CE hours can be earned via satisfactory completion of DSHS-approved online training.  Please note that certificates of completion from online sponsors may still include the statement about the 10-hour limit; that does not mean that this temporary exception does not apply.  

On May 14, 2020, the Office of the Governor issued a waiver pertaining to the temporary suspension of Chapter 829 training requirements for ACOs as a result of the March 13, 2020, COVID-19 disaster declaration. An extension to this waiver was granted on August 10, 2020. This extension is in effect until terminated by the Office of the Governor or until the March 13, 2020, disaster declaration is lifted or expires. Notification of the waiver is available at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/waivers.aspx.

Please be advised that the outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in cancellation of many Animal Control Officer Basic Training and continuing education courses.  Contact the course sponsor to determine if a course you plan to attend will still be conducted.

The ACO Basic training course does NOT count toward an ACO’s CE hours.

Additionally, the euthanasia training courses listed below have been approved to meet training requirements set forth in Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 821, Treatment and Disposition of Animals. On May 14, 2020, the Office of the Governor also issued a waiver pertaining to the temporary suspension of Chapter 821 training requirements for euthanasia technicians. An extension to this waiver was granted on August 10, 2020. This extension is in effect until terminated by the Office of the Governor or until the March 13, 2020, disaster declaration is lifted or expires. Notification of the waiver is available at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/waivers.aspx.

Before attending a non-DSHS course, an ACO should request verification from the course sponsor that a specific course, including title, date, and location, has been pre-approved by the DSHS for meeting Chapter 829 ACO training requirements.  Upon completion of training, an ACO may request a new certificate from the course sponsor if the one that is issued does not contain the following information:  course title, participant’s name, whether the course is Basic or continuing education (CE), course date and location, length of course in DSHS-approved hours, a statement that the course was approved by DSHS, and the course sponsor’s name and contact information.

Disclaimer: The approval of an animal control course by the Department of State Health Services pertains only to the approval of the course curriculum, instructors, length, date, and location as provided by the course sponsor. During the current COVID disaster declaration, it is the responsibility of the course sponsor to determine if there are any applicable restrictions in place to which they must adhere, including those associated with an emergency declaration(s) or a local order condition(s).