Animal Care Assistant | Wacol
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Join the Fun and Make a Pawsitive Difference!
Looking for a rewarding way to spend your time? Love animals and want to make a meaningful impact on their lives? Look no further! We have an exciting volunteer opportunity that's perfect for animal enthusiasts like you. Get ready for an amazing experience that will leave you with a wagging tail!
What to expect
The Animal Care Assistant role would suit applicants that love animals and are committed to improving their welfare; people who wish to experience hands-on work with animals and want to learn about the care and health requirements for future work in the industry; and anyone looking for a worthwhile way to spend their time. It can be physically demanding and a lot of the time dirty, and you’ll be outside in winter and summer weather. You might feel emotional about the animals you’re working with and may find this difficult, but ultimately the reward is that you’re making a huge, positive difference to their lives – and yours!
What are the benefits?
🐶 Animal handling experience with domestic animals including dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, livestock (large and small), pocket pets and domestic birds
🎓 Hands-on training from our shelter team
📚 Opportunity to gain new skills and learn about the animal care industry
👥 Becoming part of a friendly and passionate new community
What are the tasks?
💪 The Animal Care Assistant role is a very physical, hands-on volunteering position, and every task (no matter how big or small) makes a lasting difference to the animals in our care. While there is some time during shifts for supervised interaction with animals, a typical shift includes the following tasks:
🧹 Daily cleaning of animal pens, including removing dirty bedding, hosing or wiping enclosures, sweeping and scooping waste, cleaning litter trays, and providing clean bedding and toys
🧼 Hygiene control, including appropriate sanitisation and hand-washing, preventing cross-contamination, and ensuring animals are stocked with food, water, bedding and toys
🐾 Assisting with animal socialisation, enrichment and exercise (training provided by shelter staff before independent participation)
🧺 Transporting bins of soiled linen, towels and bedding to the laundry and returning clean items to designated areas
🌀 Assisting with general laundry duties such as loading washing machines and dryers, unloading clean items and folding laundry
🧽 Helping to maintain a clean, tidy and presentable Animal Care Campus environment
❤️ Following RSPCA philosophy of positive reinforcement in all animal interactions
What skills and characteristics do I need?
🐕 Confidence working with domestic animals and/or a willingness to learn in a shelter environment
🔊 Ability to cope with increased noise levels and hear signs of animal distress or warning behaviours
✅ Ability to complete all tasks independently
🏋️ Physically fit, able to lift 10kg, and stand for long periods (this is a fast-paced role requiring effective time management)
🖐️ High level of manual dexterity with the ability to multitask
🔍 Strong attention to detail and ability to accurately follow and comprehend instructions independently
🤝 Enjoy working within a team environment
🗣️ Excellent communication skills
🔥 Hard-working and committed to the RSPCA
📄 To help applicants fully understand the role requirements, please read the Essential Capabilities of an Animal Care Volunteer document before applying. Applicants who are unable to meet these essential requirements will unfortunately be unable to progress further.
When can I volunteer?
We are seeking reliable volunteers who will be able to commit to a minimum of 1 x four hour shift per week for a minimum of 3 months to ensure consistency and continuity with the animals. Due to the variety of animals we work with and the level of training involved, your first 3 months will be considered a probationary period. This is so we can ensure the role is a good fit for you and so we can ensure you feel confident with the tasks involved.
🐕 Dog Shifts:
🕢 Monday to Sunday — 7:30am–11:30am or 11:45pm–3:30pm
🐱 Cat Shifts:
🕢 Monday to Sunday — 7:30am–11:30am or 11:45pm–3:30pm
🐰 Pocket Pet & Farmyard Shifts:
🕢 Monday to Sunday — 7:30am–11:30am or 11:45pm–3:30pm
Please note - If you are applying for a role that involves working with Dogs or Cats, you will be required to attend a 'first day' training shift before you commence with your regular weekly shift. We currently run these training sessions every Tuesday and you will be automatically assigned to one of these once you confirm your onsite orientation date.
Important Reminders:
Before handling animals at the RSPCA, please ensure you have an up-to-date Tetanus vaccination. Safety first!
If you are ready to join the RSPCA Qld team, please click "Fill in an application" above. For further information, please contact us at volunteering@rspcaqld.org.au
