Animal Care Assistant - Casual (1866)

The RSPCA Leybourne Animal Centre is located near West Malling in Kent. 

The site extends to some 23 acres and ongoing maintenance work is required to keep the animal centre looking spic and span for the 15,000 visitors who come each year. There are 42 kennels licensed for 57 dogs and 40 cat pens licensed for 72 cats. There is also a small animal house which caters for just about everything else! It has 16 rabbit runs, 4 ferret pens, 3 small rooms to house rodents, birds and wildlife, hutches for guinea pigs plus 2 stables and wooden arks for fowl - and sometimes farm stock - have shelters. 

Visit our social media pages to find out more about life at the centre:

RSPCA Leybourne Facebook

RSPCA Leybourne Instagram 

Working hours: This is a casual role where the post-holder will work as and when shifts arise, for example when staff members are sick or on annual leave. 

Interview dates: Week commencing 16th December. 

Are you ready to be part of our journey and make a difference?

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity at the largest animal welfare charity in the UK as an Animal Care Assistant. 

Our Animal Care Assistants are responsible for the care and rehabilitation of animals who have been rescued from cruelty, abuse and neglect.

You'll start your day cleaning the animals' accommodation,as well as feeding and watering them, and then start the daily exercise routine. It can be physically hard, but also very rewarding and satisfying work knowing the animals are comfortable and happy when you are finished.

Our Animal Care Assistants 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.

Once the animals in our care are ready for their forever home, you will be involved in the adoption process, helping to find the perfect matched home for the animal you look after. You'll also meet with potential adopters to provide post-adoption advice and support.

Join our dedicated team for this amazing and rewarding opportunity to make a real difference to an animal's life!

• Experience working with animals either through paid or voluntary work (not including your own pets).
• Experience working around large dog breeds. Some of the dogs we currently face are of large size & unsocialised. We will require an individual who has the experience & confidence to manage the characteristics of these dogs effectively.
• Resilience - many of the animals in our care have been victims of neglect and/or abuse and cruelty. 
• Emotional resilience of euthaniasaia - although you will not be required to conduct euthanasia, there may be times where you will be exposed to this; such as transporting or being present of a euthanised animal.  
• Willing to undertake practical work outdoors in all weather (practical work subject to reasonable adjustments if required).
• Excellent communication and team working skills - you'll be working with colleagues across the RSPCA, volunteers and members of the public.
• Able to multitask and work under pressure - working with animals can be busy and unpredictable! 
• Comfortable with using IT - you'll be keeping computerised records on the animals under your care. 

Desirable

• Experience working in a kennel, animal rescue or welfare environment.
• Knowledge of canine behaviour.
• A qualification in animal management.
• Hold a full manual driving licence. 

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

Due to high interest in some of our roles, we review applications as they are received. This can occasionally result in positions closing earlier than advertised. Therefore, we strongly recommend submitting applications early. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications after the posted closing date.

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

We recognise that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to achieving our core mission. 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.

Should you need any support with your application or interview process please contact resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk / 0300 123 0685.

Our mission is to ensure animals have a good life by rescuing and caring for those in need, by advocating on behalf of all animals and by inspiring everyone to treat them with compassion and respect