Animal Care Assistant (3302)

Do you want to help create a better world for animals? 

At the RSPCA, we believe animal welfare is everyone's welfare. Join us in creating a better world for every animal. We can do it if we work together — everyone for every animal. Choose a career with us and make a difference.

We are looking for a new team member to join us as an Animal Care Assistant. covering the Small Animal House, Kennels, and Cattery. While flexibility across all animal areas is required, the role will primarily be based within the Small Animal House.

A genuine passion for and experience working with small animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, and ferrets is essential. Previous experience working within an animal rescue, welfare, rehoming, kennel, cattery, or similar animal care setting is highly desirable.

Working hours: 35 hours / Monday – Friday
Location: Millbrook Animal Centre,

It's important to us that you feel part of our team from the start. We like to keep in touch with regular check-ins and team meetings. There's always a teammate around for support or a quick chat.

Are you ready to join our movement?

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, just let us know - we're happy to support you.

We think this role is going to be popular and are expecting to attract high interest, so we strongly encourage early applications to avoid missing out. The deadline for applications will be 30th June 2026

As an Animal Care Assistant, you will play a vital role in the day-to-day operation of the animal centre, providing exceptional care, enrichment, rehabilitation, and welfare support to animals rescued from cruelty, neglect, and abuse.

Working closely with staff and volunteers, you will be responsible for ensuring animals receive the highest standards of care while supporting their physical and behavioural rehabilitation journey towards finding their forever homes.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide daily care for a range of animals, with a primary focus on small animals including guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, and ferrets.
• Clean and maintain animal accommodation to high welfare and hygiene standards.
• Feed, water, exercise, socialise, and enrich animals in accordance with individual care plans.
• Monitor and record animal health, behaviour, and wellbeing, reporting concerns appropriately.
• Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by veterinary professionals.
• Support behaviour modification and rehabilitation programmes under guidance from Behaviour and Welfare Advisors.
• Assist with the rehoming and adoption process, helping to match animals with suitable adopters.
• Provide advice and support to adopters both during and after the adoption process.
• Maintain accurate computerised animal records and welfare documentation.
• Work flexibly across the Small Animal House, Kennels, and Cattery as required.

• Experience working with animals through paid employment or volunteering (excluding personal pet ownership).
• Strong passion for small animal welfare, with experience handling and caring for species such as rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and ferrets.
• Experience and confidence working around large dog breeds, including dogs that may be unsocialised or display challenging behaviours.
• Excellent understanding of animal welfare and the ability to recognise signs of illness, stress, or behavioural concerns.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills when working with colleagues, volunteers, and members of the public.
• Ability to remain calm and resilient when working with animals that have experienced neglect, abuse, or cruelty.
• Emotional resilience when exposed to difficult welfare situations, including euthanasia-related procedures.
• Ability to undertake physically demanding work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to multitask in a busy and unpredictable environment.
• Confidence using IT systems to maintain accurate animal records.

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 as we are unable to sponsor visas.

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.