Control Officers Upgrading Program: An innovative apprenticeship model

Abstract

The gathering of animals left loose in the streets by the appropriate vehicles known as “carrocinhas” (little carts) needs adequation in order to assure that the personnel in charge of this job, known as “catchers” (“laçadores”), cease to be seen by the society as “murderous villains”. The Animal Control Officers Upgrading Program (FOCA), representing a partnership between the State Secretary of Health of São Paulo, the Technical Institute for Animal Education and Control (ITEC) and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), was created regarding humanization of these services and upgrading of human resources in order to implant population control actions for cats and dogs according to technical, rational and ethical principles. The program employs a teaching methodology designed in harmony with the three learning aspects: cognitive, motor and affective. Such approach generates knowledge and, at the same time, develops activities necessary to the profession, and also works with values, attitudes and postures that value image change of these professionals. It also brings conditions to ensue that, replacing the old “catcher”, a new health promotion agent comes into place, an ally of the community, an “Animal Control Officer”. In the State of São Paulo, 572 employees, from 128 cities, were upgraded.