DSHS ACO Training Course Schedule
Includes courses conducted by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Zoonosis Control. These courses are all approved and serve to meet the training requirements outlined in Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 829, Animal Control Officer Training. It is the responsibility of each animal control officer (per definition in Chapter 829) to fulfill these training requirements, maintain records of completed training, and have this documentation available for review by facility inspectors. The ACO Basic training course does NOT count toward an ACO’s CE hours.
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.
| Date | Type | Name | Location | Contact/s | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/7/2025 | ACO | CE | Brownwood | Nick Ferguson hsr2-3.zoonoticreporting@dshs.texas.gov | 817-264-4920 |
| 8/18/2025- 8/19/2025 | ACO | Basic | Cedar Hill | Nick Ferguson hsr2-3.zoonoticreporting@dshs.texas.gov | 817-264-4920 |
| 11/12/2025- 11/13/2025 | ACO | Basic | Amarillo | Tonya Finch tonya.finch@dshs.texas.gov | 806-477-1104 or 806-674-0640 |
* Indicates the course is full
These courses serve to meet the training requirements outlined in Texas Health and Safety Code, Ch. 829, Animal Control Officer Training.