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*Association of German Clubs for Aquarium and Terrarium Care Expertise Center VDA20 New VDA Expertise Center at sera’s by Dieter Untergasser I n another step, sera will establish the Expertise Center West in cooperation with the Verband Deutscher Vereine für Aquarien- und Terrarienkunde (VDA)* in spring. Expertise trainings according to § 11 of the German Animal Protection Act with official examination, as well as accord- ing further education courses, will take place there. Expertise has an almost 20 year old tradition in aquarium care. Proof of exper- tise was originally intended for VDA mem- bers. It allowed them to refute claims that aquarists had insufficient knowledge for keeping the fish according to their require- ments. A 600 page training folder, a train- Training and further education have a long tradition in the sera com- pany. sera has been taking care of professional training in the spe- cialized trade for over four decades. ing course and an examination provided unique competence. In the meantime, the vast majority of VDA members successfully passed this examination. During the second half of the Nine- ties, § 11 of the German Animal Protection Act set forth for every store selling live an- imals commercially that a responsible per- son had to prove his or her expertise during a personal interview with the state veterinarian in charge. The same applies for keeping and breeding vertebrates commercially exceeding an annual turn- over of € 2,000. State Veterinarians got in touch with the executive committee of the VDA and asked whether the VDA could re- view the expertise folder and the examina- tion, as to make training the salespeople in the pet trade possible. The authors then added the contents of the proof of exper- tise according to § 11 of the German Ani- mal Protection Act to the expertise folder and the examination. Many trainings and examinations in the areas of freshwater aquarium care, marine aquarium care and terrarium care were held at the company sera’s as well as nationwide. During the last years, the VDA train- ing was reviewed completely by Dr. Stefan Hetz and Dieter Untergasser and filed for acknowledgment as equal. The new train- ing and examination comprises the areas of freshwater aquarium, marine aquarium and pond care. It is intended to add the area “invertebrates” later on. The legislative authority required to set up five permanent training institutions, so-called expertise centers. Trainings can be conducted according to consistent guidelines, and examinations can be held there. The examination must be held by an examiner of the association in the pres- ence of the state veterinarian in charge for the location. Upon passing the examina- tion, the examinee will receive a personal certificate from the VDA which he can present to his or her state veterinarian.

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