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Foster Care
Become a Foster Carer with RSPCA Queensland
Foster a Life. Change a Life.
Foster carers play a vital role in the lives of vulnerable animals. By providing a temporary home, you’re giving animals the time, care, and space they need to recover, grow, or simply escape the stress of the shelter environment—until they’re ready for their forever families.
Whether it's a kitten too young for adoption, a dog recovering from surgery, or a pet escaping a crisis, you can be the difference that saves a life.
Why Foster?
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Make a real difference—help animals get their second chance
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Short-term commitment with life-changing impact
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All supplies and support provided by RSPCA
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Perfect for animal lovers who can’t adopt long-term
How to Become a Foster Carer
Getting started is easy—and you can complete the process from home!
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Submit an application form so we can get to know you
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Complete our short, online foster training
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Send in photos of your property for a virtual safety check
Once approved, you’ll receive weekly foster lists and can let us know when you're available. We’ll then match you with animals who need your help.
Who Needs Foster Care?
Animals come into our care for many reasons. You may be asked to foster:
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Puppies and kittens too young for rehoming
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Animals recovering from illness or injury
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Animals needing behavioural support and socialisation
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Pets seeking safety due to domestic violence situations
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Animals displaced by natural disasters like floods or bushfires
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Home Ever After pets whose owners are in hospital or have passed away
📍 Foster needs vary by location.
Please check the foster regions below for current priority animals near you.
Things to Know Before You Apply
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our animals, please keep in mind:
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Foster carers must be 18+ and have access to reliable transport
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Landlord/body corporate approval is required if you rent
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Existing pets must be up to date on vaccinations
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Flexibility with the type of animal you foster increases your chances of being matched
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Foster placements typically range from 2 weeks to 6 months, depending on the animal’s needs
Ready to Open Your Heart and Home?
Explore your local foster region below to begin your application and join a compassionate community of carers helping animals in need—one foster at a time.
Fostering Regions Available
Op Shops & Retail
Ignite Change, Shop with Purpose, and Be a Hero!
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Looking for a fulfilling way to make a difference in the lives of animals? Our Op Shops and World For Pets stores are calling for passionate individuals like you to join our cause! By shopping, volunteering, or donating, you can become a hero for the animals we care for and support their well-being.
Volunteer Opportunities: Are you an animal enthusiast with a flair for retail, customer service, or simply want to be part of a fantastic team?
Join our Op Shop family as an Op Shop Assistant or Op Shop Driver Assistant. Make a tangible impact while gaining valuable experience and creating unforgettable moments. All of our current volunteer vacancies are linked below. Please have a look through and apply today!
Shop with Purpose: Discover amazing bargains and unique treasures while helping us raise crucial funds for over 50,000 animals we care for each year. Our Op Shops offer a wide range of clothing, homewares, accessories, and furniture. Your purchases directly support our mission of compassion.
Join the RSPCA movement today and be a catalyst for change! Click below to explore our Op Shop locations, discover volunteer opportunities, and make a meaningful impact on the lives of animals. Together, let's create a brighter future filled with love, compassion, and wagging tails.
Volunteer Positions Available
Rescue
Answer the Call of Compassion: Unleash Your Heroic Spirit with RSPCA QLD's Inspectorate & Rescue Team!
Currently recruiting volunteers for Rescue Driving!
Embark on a heroic journey that will touch your soul!
Join our Inspectorate & Rescue team and become a lifeline for animals in need. In 2025 alone, a staggering 23,144 creatures received our life-saving assistance through our dedicated Rescue Units. Among them, an astonishing 77% were the magnificent treasures of Australian wildlife - our native birds, possums, koalas, kangaroos, and wallabies. As a Rescue Unit Driver or Rescue Unit Assistant volunteer, you'll be at the forefront of these daring missions, making a tangible impact on the lives of animals in distress.
If being out on the road and rescuing animals is appealing to you, the Rescue Unit Driver or Rescue Unit Assistant volunteer roles might suit you!
These roles are also perfectly suited to people who want to volunteer together, such as teaming up with a friend or partner.
At present, we are unable to accommodate volunteers who require the support of a support worker due to current program capacity.
Our final orientation dates are as follows:
- Monday 20th April @ 9am
We will be transitioning to a new orientation process over the coming weeks and will have more dates available soon. This notice will be updated when availability is changed. If you're unable to attend any of these sessions, please feel free to keep an eye on this space for updates!
Volunteer Positions Available
Rescue Unit Driver | Toowoomba
Are you passionate about helping animals and want to make a real difference? Our Rescue Volunteering Roles offer a unique opportunity to support RSPCA’s vital rescue operations across Queensland. From supporting the rescue team with coordinating rescue jobs to assisting with logistics, this role is perfect for those who thrive on variety and have skills to share.
Please note this role will be based in Toowoomba and surrounds.
What to expect
RSPCA Qld provides a Volunteer Rescue Unit service in Toowoomba dedicated to rescue any sick, injured or orphaned animals in the Toowoomba Council area (in a vehicle that we provide with iPhone and iPad). This shift works slightly different from our Wacol positions as the car stays in the Toowoomba area and is transferred between volunteers personal homes when it is your shift. It is a requirement that you live in the Toowoomba council area for this role. If you don’t, please consider our other roles.
We ask that all new Toowoomba Drivers attend the Wacol Campus (Brisbane) to do 2 x training shifts with our Rescue Officers to gain an insight into the Department and on the road training with a Rescue Officer, and 1 shift in Toowoomba, prior to commencing permanent shifts.
Please note if you are applying for a Driver role, our fleet consists of larger vans, as shown in the photo above. Like all larger vehicles, these vans have blind spots and require more care to maneuver than a standard car. Applicants should therefore be comfortable and confident driving a vehicle of this size.
What are the benefits?
🐾 Opportunity to improve animal handling skills and gain a deeper understanding of how the RSPCA operates
🎓 Learn directly from experienced RSPCA Rescue Unit Officers
🦘 Increase awareness of native wildlife and the challenges they face
❤️ Make a meaningful difference by helping keep animals safe and comfortable
🤝 Become part of a friendly, supportive team and community
What are the tasks?
The position involves transporting injured or unwell animals as required and includes:
🗺️ Significant driving throughout the greater Brisbane area using an RSPCA vehicle
🏥 Collecting and transporting animals from veterinary clinics, or delivering animals to vet clinics for collection
👋 Interacting with members of the public while assisting animals or gathering additional information
What skills and characteristics do I need?
🐾 Confidence working with animals, or a willingness to learn to handle a variety of species
📱 Basic tech skills (emails, photos via iPhone/iPad)
✅ Reliable, committed, and physically fit (able to lift 10kg)
🔍 Strong attention to detail for paperwork and ability to accurately listen to and follow instructions
🤝 Enjoy working as part of a team
🔄 Flexible and adaptable to changing situations
🗣️ Excellent communication skills
- This role can sometimes be emotionally challenging. You may encounter animals in distressing or confronting conditions. Our mission is to help these animals in need and provide them with the care and support they deserve. Please keep this in mind when applying, as resilience and empathy are essential for this position.
- To help potential volunteers to fully understand the role requirements, we have created the Essential Capabilities of an RSPCA QLD Rescue Volunteer.
- It is a requirement that before handling animals at the RSPCA you have an up-to-date tetanus vaccination.
- Flexibility is important: Due to the nature of this role, shift lengths may vary depending on traffic and weather conditions
- A minimum commitment of one shift per fortnight for at least 3 months is required
- Full orientation and animal handling training will be provided
When can I volunteer?
Shift times: Monday – Sunday 7am-3pm, 3pm-9pm
Can be flexible to driver times and can be discussed at the time of applying
📝 Please indicate your available days and preferred shift times when applying
If you have any questions about this role, please contact the Volunteer Ambulance Coordinator via email on: animalambulance@rspcaqld.org.au or fill in the application above.
Toowoomba
Join the Fun and Make a Pawsitive Difference at our Toowoomba Animal Care Centre!
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!
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:
- Saturday
General Interests
Animal Care Assistant | Toowoomba
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
To help potential volunteers to fully understand the role requirements, we have created the Essential Capabilities of an Animal Care Volunteer document. Please read this before you apply to ensure you understand what we look for when reviewing applications.
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?
Laundry & Donations 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.
General Driver | Toowoomba
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
If you are passionate about animal welfare and looking for a rewarding volunteer role then perhaps consider becoming a driver for RSPCA Qld. Being a large organisation, responsible for the care of over 50,000 animals annually, we are looking for reliable individuals to help transport both domestic and wild animals locally and regionally, and help with other tasks, such as collecting donated food.
Every day we need assistance moving animals between campuses, pounds facilities, rehoming centres, vet surgeries and carers. You would be provided with all the necessary equipment, including an RSPCA vehicle, during your shift. Please note drivers must have an open licence.
What are the benefits?
📖 Gain a greater understanding of the RSPCA operations.
🤝 Becoming part of a friendly new team and making a great contribution to the ability of the RSPCA to raise much needed funds and care for animals in need.
What are the tasks?
The position involves transporting wildlife and domestic patients as well as collecting donations and includes:
🗺️ Significant driving around the Toowoomba area, using an RSPCA vehicle.
🏥 Travelling between Toowoomba shelter, vet clinics, pet barns, council and our Toowoomba Op Shop.
What skills and characteristics do I need?
😊 Courteous and considerate driving style
🗣️ Good communication skills
🪪 A clean, manual open driver’s licence
🚗 Sound driving skills and confidence managing traffic conditions
🏋️ Physically fit and able to lift up to 10kg
🐕 Good animal handling skills
When can I volunteer?
📆 We have a vacancy for Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 8:00am - 3:00pm.
✅ Please be aware that due to the nature of this role we ask you to be flexible to an extent with your shift time – it can be difficult to judge the length of a particular trip due to changing traffic and weather conditions.
🎓 Orientation and animal handling training will be provided
Important Reminders:
Please note: It is a requirement that before handling animals at the RSPCA you have an up-to-date Tetanus vaccination.
For further information, please contact us at volunteering@rspcaqld.org.au
Administration Assistant | Toowoomba
Be the Friendly Face of Animal Care!
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 Toowoomba, 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?
Our current available shifts are:
📅 Saturday and Sunday 9:30am-3:00pm
🕙 The successful candidate may have to attend training during the week
⏳ We request a minimum commitment of 1 x shift per week for a minimum of 3 months.
Important Reminders:
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
Wildlife Responders
Love Wildlife? Here's Your Chance to Make a Real Impact!
As a Wildlife Responder, you’ll be part of a passionate network helping injured, sick, or orphaned native animals get the care they need.
This flexible volunteer role lets you assist in your local area anytime, anywhere by transporting animals to safety and supporting simple rescues. It’s a hands-on way to protect Queensland’s wildlife and connect with your community while learning valuable skills.
Ready to help us protect and care for Queensland’s wildlife? Apply today and be part of something truly wild!
At present, we are unable to accommodate volunteers who require the support of a support worker due to current program capacity.
Volunteer Positions Available
Wildlife Responder
Answer the Call of the Wild!
Passionate about Australia’s native wildlife? Join our Wildlife Rescue network and make a real difference. This flexible role lets you help anywhere, anytime across Queensland.
What are the benefits?
💚 Ability to help your local wildlife
🌱 Connection with your local wildlife and community
🤝 Be part of a passionate rescue network
What are the tasks?
🦘 Wildlife Reunites: Help reunite juvenile animals with their parents
🌿 Community Engagement: Represent RSPCA QLD and provide advice & education to the public when appropriate
What skills and characteristics do I need?
🐾 Confidence around wildlife and/or willingness to learn
🗣️ Excellent communication and calm under pressure
🛡️ Commitment to safety, RSPCA guidelines, and what we stand for
💉 Up‑to‑date tetanus vaccination
When can I volunteer?
🌱 A great option to fit volunteering around your lifestyle while making a meaningful impact in your community
Important Information:
This role can sometimes be emotionally challenging. You may encounter animals in distressing or confronting conditions. Our mission is to help these animals in need and provide them with the care and support they deserve. Please keep this in mind when applying, as resilience and empathy are essential for this position.
Ready to make a difference?
For more information or to apply, email 1300animal@rspcaqld.org.au or complete the application form above.
