Animal Care Assistant

We are currently looking for an Animal Care Assistant to join the team at the Edinburgh Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre. This centre offers rehabilitation and rehoming to both domestic animals and equine. We are looking to fill 2 positions, one of which must have equine experience. Please specify in your supporting statement if you have the relevant equine experience.

Hours – 37.5 hours per week, 10 days in 14 to include weekend working on a rota basis

Salary – £23,400 per annum (FTE)

Contract Type – Permanent

About the Scottish SPCA: As Scotland’s animal welfare charity, we have been on-hand to protect animals and prevent cruelty since 1839 – that’s over 185 years of creating a better world for all animals. We’ve grown to become a national charity which celebrates the strength of the human-animal bond and enriches the lives of animals and people. We are Scotland’s animal champions.

What does an Animal Care Assistant do? Our Animal Care Assistants provide a safe environment for all animals whilst in the care of the animal rescue and rehoming centre and help animals find loving new homes. Working with many different types of animals, no day will ever look the same. The role requires feeding and grooming the animals, clearing out their accommodation, and ensuring each animal gets the appropriate exercise and socialisation they need. Many of the animals in our care also need routine health checks completed, including administering relevant medicines, and this is the role of the Animal Care Assistant to provide this action when required.

Overview of main duties and responsibilities:

• Assist with any treatments, medications, births, and general care of all animals within the ARRC
• Maintain and monitor accurate animal records, following and updating each animal’s care plan as required
• Attend to the welfare needs of all animals (food preparation/feeding routines, grooming & exercising)
• Ensure animal accommodation, isolation areas, pens, treatment rooms, and exercise facilities are maintained to strict standards of cleanliness and hygiene
• Handle enquiries from the general public and provide excellent customer service
• Conduct educational tours of the centre
• Assist with home checks for rehoming animals
• Assist with the humane destruction of animals, including carcass disposal, in line with the Society’s policy of not putting healthy animals to sleep
• Promote Scottish SPCA membership to the public where appropriate
• Provide key holder duties in case of sickness/emergency where applicable.

What makes a good Animal Care Assistant?

• Practical experience working with animals
• Experience working with the general public
• Previous experience in a customer-focused environment
• Excellent customer care and communication skills
• A commitment to animal welfare
• Resilient and calm approach to the role
• Ability to act with professional integrity
• Flexible approach
• Able to work well within a team
• A willingness to work within group shift patterns

We are fortunate that some of our roles attract a high level of interest; therefore, we may have to close roles earlier than advertised. Early application submissions are highly recommended. This also means that we cannot provide individual feedback to unsuccessful candidates due to receiving high levels of applications. The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We recognise that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to achieving our core mission. The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is an Equine Welfare Member of the National Equine Welfare Council.