Animal science goes to the dogs

Aspiring scientists who wish to specialise in the study of animals have fresh options next year with the introduction of a four-year bachelor of animal science degree at the University of New England at Armidale, NSW.

“[We want] to be broader than the traditional animal science degrees that focus purely on production animals,” says UNE lecturer Wendy Brown, who has been instrumental in developing the new program.

Production animals can still be a major but students also have the choice of “specialising in canine science, equine science, as well as wildlife management. I’m particularly excited about the canine science because this is a world first,” she says.

The impetus for providing a canine science specialisation springs from a worldwide shortage of detector dogs due to increasing needs for biosecurity.

“There’s a huge demand for these dogs and within Australia the organisations that use them include the police, the military, Customs and quarantine,” Brown says. “Our graduates would be fully employable in those agencies.”

So does a major in canine science teach students how to train sniffer dogs?

“We wouldn’t be teaching training specifically, but what we would be teaching would include the theory behind how dogs learn and the techniques that are used, because each organisation has its own specific training methods,” Brown says.

“And we’re having links with all of these organisations so that students interested in specialising in this field can have hands-on work experience during their degree.”

Brown believes the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service would be a good match for canine science graduates because the course includes agricultural areas, “different foods and biosecurity related to which foods and organic material can come into Australia and which ones create a risk for the environment”.

Students who specialise in equine science will have a large equestrian industry, particularly the racing sector, as an avenue for employment. “I’m imagining our graduates will be more suited for management positions in that industry,” Brown says.

Then there are opportunities for animal scientists in the pet food and animal feed industries, as consultants or even sales reps. “Pet food company Mars, which [makes brands such as] Pedigree and Pal, puts on 20 graduates a year,” she says.

The bachelor of animal science “is a serious four-year science degree”, so graduates will be qualified for any job that requires a scientist. The first two years are the same across all majors, with units such as biology, chemistry, physiology, animal nutrition, genetics and animals in society. In third year, students choose their major and the fourth year can be research-based or the pursuit of further electives.

Students are required to undertake a total of 12 weeks of industry placements during their holidays. For wildlife management majors, Brown has found an opportunity in Africa.

“The University of Pretoria runs an excellent three-week wildlife management study course. They do some theory but it’s mainly hands-on,” she says.

“I’ve also been making connections with some of the volunteer agencies [in Asia] with things like elephant welfare and conservation.”

As well as the new animal science program, UNE is launching “a three-year pre-vet degree” which has been approved by the University of Melbourne for entry into its four-year, postgraduate doctor of veterinary science.

The bachelor of animal science is available on campus and via distance education.