Animal Care Assistant (2787)

The RSPCA Leybourne Animal Centre is located near West Malling in Kent.  The site extends to some 23 acres and welcomes in excess of 15,000 visitors each year. There are 42 kennels licensed for 57 dogs and 40 cat pens licensed for 72 cats. 

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

RSPCA Leybourne Facebook

RSPCA Leybourne Instagram 

We are looking for an Animal Care Assistant to join us as a new team member. 

Contract term: 7 months - ending at the end of July 2026

Shifts: Full time on a rolling roster including every other weekend and Bank Holidays

Hours: 8:30 - 17:00

Ideally, the successful candidate will be available to join us shortly after the interview process concludes

Are you one of our kind?

Our Recruitment Journey - We aim to make our recruitment process transparent, inclusive, and as stress-free as possible.

1. 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!
2. Panel Interview & Site Visit
If your application hits the mark, we'll invite you to meet us in person. You'll sit down with the Hiring Manager and Deputy Manager for a competency based interview and a tour of the site. This stage is designed for you to:

• Explore the Role: Get a feel for the team culture and the real-world impact you'll be making.
• Demonstrate Your Strengths: Share how you work and what you can bring to the team in a relaxed, supportive setting

As an Animal Care Assistant, you'll play a vital role in the care, recovery and rehoming of animals rescued from cruelty, abuse and neglect. This role in particular will work mainly in our kennels with large breed dogs. 

Your day will usually begin with caring for the animals' living spaces- cleaning accommodation, preparing food, and making sure fresh water is always available. You'll then move into daily exercise and enrichment routines. The work can be physically demanding, but it's also deeply rewarding, knowing you're helping animals feel safe, comfortable and content.

You'll work to the highest welfare standards, closely observing each animal's behaviour, health and wellbeing, and reporting any changes. With guidance from our Vets, Behaviour and Welfare Advisors, and the wider team, you'll administer prescribed medication and support behaviour modification programmes tailored to each animal's needs.

When an animal is ready to find their forever home, you'll be involved in the adoption journey - helping to match them with the right family and meeting potential adopters. You'll also offer post-adoption advice and support, giving new owners the confidence to help their animal thrive.

Are you looking for a role where your care, commitment and compassion can truly change lives? Then this could be the perfect match for you!  

Essential

• Experience working with dogs, gained through paid or voluntary roles (excluding personal pet ownership).
• Proven experience handling large dog breeds. Most of the dogs in our care are large and may be unsocialised, so you must have the confidence and skills to manage their behaviour safely and effectively.
• Emotional resilience when working with animals that may have experienced neglect, abuse, or cruelty.
• Emotional resilience when exposed to distressing situations, including euthanasia. While you will not be required to carry out euthanasia, there may be occasions where you are present or involved in related activities (for example, transporting animals). Your behaviour observations in these situations will be considered as part of decision-making processes. 
• Willingness to undertake practical outdoor work in all weather conditions (subject to reasonable adjustments where required).
• Strong communication and team-working skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues across the RSPCA, volunteers, and members of the public.
• Ability to multitask and work under pressure in a busy and sometimes unpredictable environment.
• Confidence using IT systems, including maintaining accurate computerised records for animals in your care.
  
  

Desirable

• Knowledge of canine behaviour.
• A qualification in animal management or a related field.
• A full manual driving licence (required for transporting animals between sites).

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

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 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. 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.