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ACO Core Competencies 2026 Session I: Palmer, Massachusetts

Multiple dates / times

Palmer Police Station, 4417, Main Street, Palmer, MA, 01069, United States

1. Select Seats

2. Review and Proceed

Event Information

Multiple dates / times

Palmer Police Station, 4417, Palmer, MA, 01069, United States.

This training will take place at the Palmer Police Station at: 

4417 Main Street, Palmer, MA 01069

This training is a two day event occuring on Monday, Sept 14th AND Monday Sept 21st.  First time attendees must attend both days and complete testing to receive Core Competencies credit (make sure your register for both days!).

The training is available in-person or online via ZOOM. When registering please specific if you are attending in-person or virtually. 

Massachusetts animal control officer training begins with this mandatory 16-credit-hour Core Competencies course. The Core Competencies module is comprised of the following topics:

Monday Sept 14th DAY 1 - 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

  • Massachusetts state laws

  • Wildlife

Monday Sept 21st DAY 2 - 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

  • Companion animal identification, behavior, and safe handling

     

     

  • Emergency preparedness

  • Record-keeping and report writing

  • Communication and public relations

There will be a multiple choice quiz given at the end of Day 1 and a written exam to test practical report-writing skills at the end of Day 2. All tests are open-book. 

Please come prepared with a writing utensil and paper and a copy of your certification form(s) if you previously took a comprehensive NACA, NEACHA, or ACOAM training course.

Event Location

About Organizer

Sheri Gustafson Organizer name

Animal homelessness is a problem that causes animals’ lives to be lost to euthanasia, poses a public safety concern, and costs taxpayer money to pay for services for stray, abandoned, and feral animals and their offspring. It has been proven that sterilization of animals decreases not only the number of homeless and feral animals born each year, but it also decreases unwanted behavior in owned animals, including roaming and aggression, which are both factors that can lead to the surrender and euthanasia of animals. One solution to this problem is investing in spaying/neutering animals. Another is standardized and required animal control officer training that creates uniform enforcement of animal control laws. On October 31, 2012, a law took effect that, in part, created the Homeless Animal Prevention and Care Fund (Massachusetts Animal Fund). The Fund is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources with assistance from an advisory committee and seeks to end the problem of animal homelessness in Massachusetts. This program is solely funded by the voluntary tax check-off (Line 33f) on the Massachusetts resident income tax form and by monetary donations.

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