Animal Care Assistant

We're on the lookout for a passionate Animal Care Assistant to join our dedicated team at the RSPCA Felledge Animal Centre on a full time, permanent basis. 

At Felledge we care for animals that have been rescued from cruelty or neglect, and rehabilitate and prepare them for a new life with caring and loving adopters.

Our cattery can house more than 60 cats at a time with comfy sleeping areas, toys and scratching posts to keep them occupied until they go to a new home. Many require gentle and careful handling at first as they recover from previous trauma and mistreatment until they realise they are safe.

Our state of the art kennels have been designed to cater specifically for cruelty case dogs that have to stay with us for extended periods, sometimes up to a year, while the court cases are ongoing. With over 40 dogs always on site, walking, socialising and training takes up most of the day to keep them happy and healthy before they start the next chapter of their lives.

Working hours: 35 hours per week. 08:30 to 16:30 on a 2 week rolling rota to include alternate weekends with a weekday off either side of the weekend worked & bank holidays.

Please note that a drivers license/vehicle access is highly desirable due to the lack of public transport to our Felledge site. 

Are you one of our kind?

Our recruitment journey - key dates for you to note: 

We believe in transparency and a stress-free experience. Here is a quick look at what you can expect.

Application

You'll be asked a few targeted questions designed to help us understand your experience, unique skills, and future potential. This is your first chance to stand out!

1st stage panel Interview in person at the Centre

If your application hits the mark, we'll invite you to meet us in person. You'll sit down with the Manager and Deputy Manager for a competency based interview. This will then be followed by a tour of the centre and an opportunity to to meet some of the team.

2nd stage face to face interview & tour of the centre

If successful after the first interview, we will invite you back to centre where there will be another short competency interview followed by a tour of the centre where you will get a chance to really see what the amazing staff do and give you a clearer insight to the role.

As an Animal Care Assistant, you'll be at the heart of our mission helping rescued animals recover, rebuild trust and find their forever homes.

Your day will include:

• You'll start your day by cleaning the enclosures of our cat & dog intakes as well as feeding, watering, grooming and exercising them.
• You'll ensure the highest standards of welfare, and will monitor and report on animal behaviour, wellbeing and health.
• You will also administer medication or treatment prescribed by a Vet and implement behaviour modification programmes with guidance from our Behaviour and Welfare Advisors and the wider team.
• Working with adopters to match animals to the right homes, and offering post-adoption support.

While our animals are at the heart of what we do, this role is equally about supporting the people who walk through our doors. A key part of your day will involve speaking with, helping and advising members of the public, volunteers and fellow professionals, often in busy or sensitive situations. We are looking for someone who can provide a high standard of customer service and remain calm under pressure, whether you are managing a complex face-to-face interaction at the centre or handling challenging enquiries over the phone.

No two days are the same, it's hands-on, rewarding and sometimes tough, but always worth it!

Essential

• Experience working with animals, particularly dogs, in a professional or voluntary capacity (not as a pet owner). We are particularly interested in hearing from you if you have experience working in a private boarding kennel or as an animal carer for another charity or company.
• This work will be physically and emotionally demanding, but it is also deeply meaningful and highly rewarding.
• Resilience - most of our animals have been through trauma, and need patience and compassion.
• Practicality - you'll be outdoors in all weathers, mucking in as part of the team.
• Communication skills - working with colleagues, volunteers and the public is a big part of the role.
• Adaptability - animal care can be unpredictable, so you'll need to stay calm under pressure
• IT confidence - you'll use digital records to track each animal's journey.
• Transport - We are located in a rural area with no public transport links nearby. It is therefore important you have your own means of transport to travel to and from work.

Desirable:

• Animal care qualifications

Successful candidates for certain RSPCA roles will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK - We are unable to sponsor visas at RSPCA

We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible

Our vision is a world where all animals are respected and treated with kindness and compassion. Our purpose is to inspire everyone to create a better world for animals. We are building the future of a diverse Society, and our priority is to support animal welfare by finding people from all backgrounds who are committed to our purpose. For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications - in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities - as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA. Your transferable skills & lived experiences could make you a valuable addition to our RSPCA Family!

We're here to support you and encourage you to let us know if you need any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Please feel free to contact us at resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk or 0300 123 0685 so we can ensure the process works for you.