Does my certification expire when my membership expires?

Where do I send my verification of continued education hours?

How often do I have to renew my euthanasia training?

Do I have to repeat the hands-on portion of the class when I renew?

Is the euthanasia class a certification?

If I am assisting in euthanasia do I still need to be trained? 

What if my euthanasia training expires? 

Why do I need to be a Texas Certified Cruelty Investigator?

Do I have to take the courses in order?

Do I have to be a member of TACA to take the courses? 

Do I have to work for an animal shelter/police department/sheriff's department to take the courses?

When/where will the next course be held and how much do they cost?

I have completed cruelty investigations training through ACCI/LETI/NACA, do I have to retake these courses to be certified?

I'm a certified peace officer, do I have to take all three courses to be certified?

Once I am certified, what do I have to do to keep my certification?

1. Does my certification expire when my membership expires?
   Your membership expires on a month to year basis, certification renews every 3 years providing you have the required 30 hours of continued education hours.
2. Where do I send my verification of continued education hours? 
   You can e-mail to patti_stepp@yahoo.com or mail to TACA, 2402 Stonecrest Drive, Abilene, TX 79606-3563
3. How often do I have to renew my euthanasia training? 
   Euthanasia training should be renewed every 3 years.
4. Do I have to repeat the hands-on portion of the class when I renew? 
   No. You will usually be required to take an exam each time, but not the hands-on.
5. Is the euthanasia class a certification? 
   No, DSHS (Dept. of State Health Serv.) requires that you attend euthanasia training class. This is not a certification. All certifications go through TACA
6. If I am assisting in euthanasia do I still need to be trained? 
   No, the law states that if you are performing euthanasia you must be trained. However it is recommended that you do attend the training.
7. What if my euthanasia training expires? 
   Then you may not legally perform euthanasia until you have completed the required training.
8. Why do I need to be a Texas Certified Cruelty Investigator? 
   Court cases are often won and lost on the credentials of the experts that are called to give testimony. In a courtroom, no amount of experience can take the place of an official certification from a recognized agency. TCCI certification through TACA provides graduates with the knowledge and expertise to successfully investigate a case, and the necessary credentials to win in court.
9. Do I have to take the courses in order? 
   The TCCI Courses do not have to be taken in any particular order. The only requirements for TCCI certification is successful completion of all three courses (or 101 and 301 for certified peace officers) and a current TACA membership.
10. Do I have to be a member of TACA to take the courses? 
    All attendees must be a current member of TACA to take the courses. Course fees are structured to provide a discount for current members or include a membership fee for non-members.
11. Do I have to work for an animal shelter/police department/sheriff's department to take the courses? 
    TACA reserves the right to decline attendance without explanation. That being said, you do not have to be currently employed by an animal welfare or law enforcement agency to take the courses, however you may be asked to justify your attendance if you are not currently employed by one.
12. When/where will the next course be held and how much do they cost? 
    All course scheduling information will be made available on TACA's website as soon as it is available. Course fees can be found on the registration forms for each class.
13. I have completed cruelty investigations training through ACCI/LETI/NACA, do I have to retake these courses to be certified? 
    Please send all certificates for the courses you've completed to TACACruelty@att.net for evaluation. Credit can be given for previously completed courses and you may not have to take any of the TCCI courses or maybe only take one or two of them to be certified through TACA.
14. I'm a certified peace officer, do I have to take all three courses to be certified? 
    Certified peace officers must obtain and maintain a TACA membership and complete Courses 101 and 301 to be certified.
15. Once I am certified, what do I have to do to keep my certification? 
    All TCCI graduates must maintain a current membership in TACA to keep their certification. Additionally, all TCCI must complete a refresher course at least once every three years to maintain their certification. The refresher course will be given at TACA's annual conference beginning in 2013.