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Cairns
Volunteer at our Cairns Shelter and Experience the Joy of Making a Pawsitive Difference!
At RSPCA Qld, we offer a range of volunteer roles that put you right at the heart of animal care.
From hands-on work with dogs & cats to helping behind the scenes, there’s something for everyone.
These roles are rewarding - but they’re not all cuddles! Keeping animals happy and healthy means plenty of cleaning and physical work. Rain or shine, weekday or public holiday, we need dedicated volunteers every single day.
If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and make an impact, check out our current vacancies and apply today!
RSPCA CAIRNS IS URGENTLY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR MONDAYS & FRIDAYS.
If you're looking to complete hours for a Centrelink Agreement, please feel free to submit an application - we're happy to accommodate!
At present, we are unable to accommodate volunteers who require the support of a support worker due to current program capacity at this location.
Volunteer Orientations at this site are currently held on:
- Wednesday
- Saturday
General Interests
Animal Transfer Driver | Cairns
Hit the Road and Be a Hero for Animals!
If you have a passion for animal welfare and a love for the open road, we have an exciting volunteer opportunity just for you! Join our team at RSPCA Qld as a driver and embark on a journey of compassion and impact. Get ready to transport adorable furry friends, both domestic and wild, and lend a helping hand in collecting donations. It's time to put the pedal to the metal and make a difference!
What to Expect:
As a vital part of our large organisation, you'll play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of over 50,000 animals each year. Your mission will involve safely transporting animals locally and regionally, as well as collecting donated food. Whether you're shuttling animals between campuses, rehoming centres, vet surgeries, or caring for wildlife, every trip will be an adventure filled with furry passengers. Don't worry, we'll provide you with all the necessary equipment, including an RSPCA vehicle, during your shift. Please note that drivers must have an open licence.
Benefits of Being on the Road:
📖 Gain a deeper understanding of RSPCA operations and our mission to protect and care for animals.
🤝 Join our friendly team and make a significant contribution to raising much-needed funds for animal welfare.
As an RSPCA driver, you'll hit the road and tackle a variety of tasks, including:
🚐 Cruising around the greater Cairns area in an RSPCA vehicle, transporting our precious animal passengers.
🐕 Safely moving animals between our animal care centres, ensuring they reach their destinations with comfort and care.
🏥 Collecting and transporting animals from veterinary clinics back to our animal care centres, because their well-being is our top priority.
Skills and Characteristics We're Looking For:
😊 Courteous and considerate driving style to ensure smooth, low‑stress journeys for animals
🚚 Confidence driving a large van and/or towing a trailer
🗣️ Strong communication skills to coordinate effectively with RSPCA staff and volunteers
🪪 A clean, manual open driver’s licence
🏎️ Excellent driving skills and confidence navigating a range of traffic conditions
🏋️ Physically fit and able to lift up to 10kg
🐾 Confidence or willingness to assist with basic animal handling to ensure stress‑free transport
When Can You Volunteer?
📆 We’re seeking drivers who can commit to regular shifts, as well as volunteers available for on‑call driving
⏱️ Flexibility is essential, as trip lengths may vary due to traffic or weather conditions
✅ A minimum commitment of one shift per week is required
🎓 No experience? No problem—comprehensive orientation and animal handling training will be provided
Important Reminders:
Before handling animals at the RSPCA, please ensure you have an up-to-date Tetanus vaccination. Safety first!
Need More Info?
For more information and to get on the road to volunteering, contact our Volunteer Coordinator at 3426 9903 or volunteering@rspcaqld.org.au
Animal Care Assistant | Cairns
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:
Get ready for an adventure that combines your passion for animals with hands-on experience and learning. Although it can get a little messy and smelly at times, the joy you'll feel is immeasurable. From cuddling cute kittens to playing fetch with playful pups, you'll be immersed in a world of furry friends. Whether it's rain or shine, summer or winter, you'll be out there making tails wag and hearts happy.
What are the Benefits?
🐾 Plenty of quality time with lots of animals
🩺 An amazing opportunity to learn about the care and health requirements of our furry companions
🎾 Unleash your inner child and enjoy playtime and interaction with the animals in our care
📚 Develop valuable skills and gain insight into the animal care industry
🤍 Become part of our warm and friendly community, where every wag and purr counts
As a volunteer, you'll be an essential part of our team, with hands-on responsibilities that include:
🧹 Giving animal pens a fresh start each day by cleaning, replacing bedding and ensuring enclosures are clean and comfortable
🧼 Maintaining a hygienic environment—because healthy animals mean happy volunteers
🏡 Helping keep the Animal Care Campus clean, tidy and welcoming for our furry residents
🚶 Taking our four‑legged friends for walks around the campus to provide enrichment and exercise
🎉 Embracing your playful side by spending time with animals and facilitating positive social interactions with toys, other animals and people
🧺 Assisting with laundry duties to ensure animals always have clean and cosy bedding
Skills and Characteristics We're Looking For:
🐶 Confidence working with domestic animals, or a willingness to learn in a shelter environment
🔊 Ability to cope with increased noise levels
✅ Ability to work independently, take initiative and manage tasks autonomously
🏋️ Physically fit, with the ability to lift up to 10kg and stand for extended periods
🔍 Strong attention to detail and ability to follow instructions accurately
🤝 Enjoy working as part of a supportive team
🗣️ Excellent communication skills with both people and animals
🔥 A dedicated, hard‑working attitude and passion for supporting the RSPCA
When Can You Join the Fun?
🐱🐶 We offer morning or afternoon shifts, Monday to Sunday, working with our purr‑fect Cats or paw‑some Dogs
📆 To support consistency and make a lasting impact, we kindly ask for a minimum commitment of one four‑hour shift per week
🎓 New to volunteering? No problem! Full orientation and training will be provided, including animal interaction, training and husbandry
Important Reminders:
Before handling animals at the RSPCA, please ensure you have an up-to-date Tetanus vaccination. Safety first!
Need More Info?
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
Gardener & Maintenance Assistant | Cairns
Plant, Prune, and Make a Difference
This rewarding volunteer role would suit applicants that wish to spend their spare time giving back to the local community and who enjoy being outdoors.
The role can vary in the type of work required. Jobs can include anything from general maintenance around the centre to working in the grounds doing mowing, whipper snipping, watering to keep our grounds looking good.
What to expect
🌞 A rewarding volunteer role suited to people who enjoy giving back to their local community and spending time outdoors
🛠️ A varied role with tasks ranging from general maintenance around the centre to grounds work such as mowing, whipper snipping and watering to keep the grounds looking their best
What are the benefits?
❤️ Gain an understanding of a well‑respected charity and be able to share this knowledge with others to help animals, educate the community and change lives
What skills and characteristics do I need?
🌱 Gardening, handyperson or maintenance experience (please indicate which aspects of the role interest you when applying)
✅ Reliable, punctual, organised and professional
🤝 Able to work both independently and as part of a team
🏋️ Physically fit with the ability to lift up to 10kg when required
When can I volunteer?
📆 Flexible availability, Monday to Friday
⏳ A commitment of one shift per week is requested
Important Reminders:
It is a requirement that before handling animals at the RSPCA you have an up-to-date Tetanus vaccination.
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
Laundry and Donation Sorting Assistant
Join the Fun and Make a Pawsitive Difference!
What to expect
If you are passionate about animals and animal welfare and looking for a unique and worthwhile way to contribute, this rewarding volunteer position could be for you.
As a Volunteer Laundry and Donations Assistant, you are responsible for ensuring all areas of the shelter have clean linen, bedding, towels and anything else required to provide a clean and comfortable environment for our animals. Whether it is an animal that has been subjected to abuse and cruelty, a stray or lost or recently surrendered animal, this role is truly pivotal to the effective operation of the shelter. Whilst this role is not the most exciting in comparison to some of the other roles available, it is essential. In addition, part of this role also includes bringing appropriate items that have been donated from the donations area down to the laundry to be sorted and put neatly away so the stock is constantly replenished as damaged items are discarded.
What are the benefits?
🤝 Working in a friendly team and meeting new people
🏭 Experience working in an industrial laundry
❤️ The opportunity to make a difference and know you are keeping our animals comfortable
What are the tasks?
🗑️ Discarding heavily soiled, damaged or ripped items
👕 Hanging washed items on the lines to dry
🧺 Folding and putting away clean laundry ready for use
🛏️ Washing and drying ‘special’ items such as dog beds, toys, leads and collars
📦 Liaising with Op Shop sorting staff and transporting appropriate donated animal care items from the donations area to the laundry
🧸 Sorting and putting away donated items
What skills & characteristics do I need?
🔥 Committed hard worker
🏋️ Physically fit and able to lift 10kg
🗣️ Good communication skills
When can I volunteer?
🕢 Flexible start & finish times
Important Reminders:
It is a requirement that before handling animals at the RSPCA you have an up to date Tetanus vaccination.
For further information, please contact volunteering@rspcaqld.org.au, or fill out the application above.
Administration Assistant & Receptionist | Cairns
What to expect
This rewarding role would suit applicants who are passionate about animal welfare, are outgoing and enjoy meeting new people, and have great computer and administration skills. In this role you will provide vital help to all creatures great and small by being the ‘face’ of the RSPCA Cairns, greeting people as they bring animals in, entering critical data onto the RSPCA systems, answering telephone calls and other general administrative tasks as required.
Please note: In this role, you will be the first point of call for members of the public, staff and volunteers bringing in injured animals. As such you will need to possess a certain level of resilience when handling these situations.
What are the benefits?
🏢 Experience hands‑on involvement in the day‑to‑day operations of a busy animal shelter
🤝 Being part of a team of enthusiastic, hardworking individuals who make a difference in the lives of animals every day
What are the tasks?
📞 Answering phone calls and responding to customer enquiries
🐾 Assisting staff with adoptions, surrenders and boarding bookings
⌨️ Completing a variety of data entry tasks
🧹 Ensuring the reception waiting area is clean, tidy and welcoming at all times
📝 Undertaking other office duties as required
What skills and characteristics do I need?
😊 A confident, friendly and positive manner when meeting new people and making them feel welcome
🤍 Preparedness to be involved in delicate and occasionally challenging situations
✅ Reliable, with the ability to work independently, take initiative and multitask
💻 Computer literacy, including a good working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel
🐕 Willingness to learn animal handling techniques and housing requirements for incoming animals
When can I volunteer?
📅 Current available shift:
🕙 Monday to Sunday, 9am – 12:30pm and 12:30pm - 4pm
⏳ A minimum commitment of one shift per week for at least 3 months is requested
🎓 Full orientation and training is provided.
PLEASE NOTE: It is a requirement that before handling animals at the RSPCA you have an up-to-date Tetanus vaccination.
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
