Taiwan MOA developing standardised teaching materials, pet care technician certificate

Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture is developing standardised professional teaching materials for pet care training, with publication expected as early as 2028. The ministry also plans to work with the Ministry of Labor to introduce a pet care technician certificate once the materials are in place.

The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) is developing standardised educational materials for pet care professionals to ensure quality of training across institutions, and plans to work with the Ministry of Labor to introduce a pet care technician certificate, an MOA official said.

The growing pet market is driving demand for pet care professionals, but training materials remain inconsistent in quality and content, the MOA said. To standardise pet care professionals' expertise, the ministry has commissioned the Chinese Society of Animal Science to compile professional teaching materials covering pet care, physiology and nutrition, it said.

The materials would be published as early as 2028 for use at high schools, vocational schools and colleges offering programs in animal science, veterinary medicine and related fields, it said. The ministry previously published guides for dogs and cats focusing on basic care and how to live with pets, including appropriate foods and basic information on the Animal Protection Act, Department of Animal Welfare Deputy Director Chen Chung-hsing said last month.

The new materials would be professional reference books rather than guides for general pet owners, with the first phase focusing on common pets such as dogs and cats, Chen said. Although specific pet businesses engaged in dog or cat breeding, sales or boarding must have at least one staff member who meets one of several qualifications, including completion of 200 hours of professional training and receipt of a certificate of completion, course materials are not standardised, with different schools of thought sometimes offering conflicting guidance and some materials focusing on specialised small-animal veterinary medicine, Chen said.

The new materials would provide standardised references for training pet care professionals and help students develop more advanced professional knowledge, he said. The Ministry of Labor already has some relevant certifications, including one for pet grooming, and once standardised teaching materials are in place, the ministries would work together to introduce a pet care technician certification, he said. No launch date has been set as details still need to be discussed, he added.