Animal Rescue Officer in Sunderland

As an Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) with the RSPCA, you'll respond to reports of cruelty, neglect, or injury and play a vital role in preventing animal suffering through education, advice, and, where necessary, intervention. This work can be physically and emotionally demanding, but it is also deeply meaningful and highly rewarding. You'll see the direct impact of your decisions and actions on animals' lives and the people connected to them.

We recognise the emotional demands of animal rescue work, and as part of our commitment to your wellbeing, you'll have access to mental health resources, inclusive policies, and ongoing development opportunities to support both your personal resilience and long-term career progression. Much of the role involves working independently and travelling long distances, including frequent motorway driving and visits to remote rural locations. While you'll often be out on your own, you'll remain closely connected to a supportive and experienced team. We provide comprehensive training, equipment, and guidance to help you work safely and confidently.

You will regularly engage with members of the public in emotionally charged situations. People may be distressed, angry, anxious, or defensive, and effective communication is essential. You'll need to ask the right questions quickly, gather accurate information under pressure, and use calm, confident influencing skills to de-escalate heightened emotions while remaining professional and empathetic. These skills are critical in enabling you to make accountable decisions without immediate supervision, often with real consequences for animal welfare and public safety.

Responsibilities:

• Respond to reports of cruelty, neglect, or injury and intervene as appropriate.
• Educate, advise, and support owners and the public to prevent animal suffering.
• Travel independently to various locations, including long distances and remote rural areas.
• Engage with the public in emotionally charged situations; de-escalate tensions while remaining professional and empathetic.
• Make accountable decisions with real consequences for animal welfare and public safety, often without immediate supervision.
• Work as part of a team when required and utilise training, equipment, and guidance to work safely.

Requirements / Qualifications:

• There are no mandatory animal welfare qualifications required to apply; many skills can be gained through other careers, caring roles, volunteering, or community-facing work.
• Aged 17 or over at application and 18 by the course start date.
• Resilience, good judgement, and strong communication skills with the ability to handle sensitive conversations.
• Ability to work independently, with the support of a wider team.
• Willingness to work varied shifts between 8am and 9pm, including bank holidays and weekends.
• Availability to start on 18th May 2026 and commit to a continuous, intensive 26-week training programme (annual leave cannot be taken during this period).
• Flexibility to travel for training at locations across the country, with occasional overnight stays.
• Full manual driving licence, with recent experience and confidence driving long distances (up to 150 miles per day).
• Comfortable with lone working.
• Confident swimmer: able to swim 50 metres fully clothed within 2.5 minutes by the point of assessment during training.
• Disability Confident: eligible considerations in line with employer policies.

Training and Support:

Training and ongoing support are provided throughout the 26-week programme and beyond to help you succeed and grow in the role.

Important Dates:

• Mandatory online awareness sessions: w/c 9th February.
• Online assessments: slots between 23rd February and 6th March.
• Online interviews: slots between 16th March and 27th March.

Locations & Eligibility:

To be considered, you must live within one of the postcodes specified in the document attached to this advert titled “Northumbria - Postcodes.” We are not currently considering applications from candidates who wish to relocate.

Disability Confident:

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people.

Additional Notes:

Securing animal welfare isn't a 9 to 5 role. AROs work a range of shifts between 8am and 9pm, including bank holidays and weekends, and may occasionally need to stay later to complete tasks. Rotas are planned in advance wherever possible, with wellbeing and sustainability in mind.

Are you passionate about people and animal welfare and want to build a career with purpose? We'd love to hear from you - even if this is not a role you've previously considered!