Volunteering with the RSPCA QLD

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 interactions with the animals in our care.
• Develop valuable skills and gain insights 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 the animals' pens a fresh start each day by cleaning up, replacing bedding, and ensuring everything is spick and span.
• Maintaining a clean and hygienic environment, because happy animals mean happy volunteers!
• Helping to keep our Animal Care Campus in tip-top shape, making it a welcoming haven for our furry residents.
• Taking our four-legged friends for a stroll around the campus, providing them with much-needed enrichment and exercise.
• Embrace your playful side by spending time with all our animals and facilitating social interactions with other animals, toys, and fellow humans.
• Handling laundry duties, ensuring that our animal friends have clean and cozy bedding.

Skills and Characteristics We're Looking For:

• Confidence in working with domestic animals or a willingness to learn more about animal care in a shelter setting.
• An ability to handle increased noise levels like a pro.
• Independence is key! We need volunteers who can work autonomously and take initiative.
• Physical fitness is a must! You should be able to lift up to 10kg and stand for extended periods.
• Attention to detail is crucial, as you'll be following instructions to ensure the well-being of our furry friends.
• Teamwork makes the dream work! Enjoy working collaboratively in a supportive environment.
• Excellent communication skills will help you connect with both animals and fellow volunteers.
• Show your dedication and hard work, as you'll be joining our passionate RSPCA team.

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 have shifts either morning shifts, or afternoon shifts available Monday - Sunday with either our purr-fect Cats or our paw-some Dogs.
To ensure consistency and make a lasting impact, we kindly request a minimum commitment of one four-hour shift per week. Don't worry if you're new to this—our team will provide you with orientation and training on 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!
If you're fulfilling mutual obligation requirements with Centrelink, let us know, and we'll work together to find the best opportunity for you. 

If you're keen to volunteer in an animal care role, please have a look at our current vacancies below and submit an application.

Need More Info?

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 Bundaberg 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:

• Be a courteous and considerate driver, making the journey as smooth as possible for your furry passengers.
• Confidence in handling a large van and/or towing a trailer, because you're about to become a road warrior for animals.
• Good communication skills to coordinate with our team and ensure a seamless transportation process.
• Hold a clean, manual open driver's licence, allowing you to hit the road with confidence.
• Display excellent driving skills and the ability to handle traffic like a pro.
• Physically fit and capable of lifting up to 10kg, ensuring our animal friends are in safe hands.
• Show your animal handling skills, making every ride a comfortable and stress-free experience for our furry passengers.

When Can You Volunteer?

We're looking for dedicated drivers who can commit to regular shifts, as well as those who can be available for on-call driving. Please note that flexibility is key in this role, as trip durations may vary due to changing traffic and weather conditions. To make a lasting impact, we kindly request a minimum commitment of one shift per week. Don't worry if you're new to this—our team will provide you with comprehensive orientation and animal training.

Important Reminders:

Before handling animals at the RSPCA, please ensure you have an up-to-date Tetanus vaccination. Safety first!

Join our team of compassionate drivers and become a superhero for animals on wheels. Apply today and let's drive change together!

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 are the benefits?

• Gain an understanding of a well-respected charity and be able to share this knowledge with others in order to help animals, enlighten people and change lives.

What skills and characteristics do I need?

• Gardening, handyperson or maintenance experience. When applying please highlight what part of the role you are interested in doing.
• Reliable, punctual, organised and professional.
• Able to work as a team member and individually.
• Need to be physically fit with the ability to lift 10kg when required.

When can I volunteer?

• This is a flexible role, ideally Mondays from 7am - 11am.
• We ask for a weekly commitment of one shift a week.

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

Welcome Wagging Tails and Happy Humans

If you are a friendly, welcoming, outgoing person who is passionate about supporting the RSPCA in finding animals their ‘forever’ homes, this rewarding volunteer position could be for you.  As a Volunteer Administration Assistant, you are the ‘face’ of RSPCA, the first person people see when they visit the shelter.  In this role, you are responsible for coordinating our very busy reception desk at the shelter; tasks include meeting and greeting customers, assisting with data entry, answering enquiries in person and by phone or email, typing in correspondence and other general office administration tasks.

What are the benefits?

• Opportunity to gain knowledge of the how the RSPCA operates.
• Gain experience with various administrative duties and further develop customer service skills.
• Working in a friendly team and meeting new people
• The opportunity to make a huge difference in your local community
• Knowledge of RSPCA, and learning how to interact with all our animals.

What are the tasks?

• Greeting customers on arrival to the shelter
• Answering with general and adoption enquiries
• Answering incoming phone calls
• Assisting with data entry
• Responding to emails and typing correspondence
• General office administration tasks

What skills and characteristics do I need?

• Excellent communication skills
• Computer literate with a good knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel, and data entry
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Reliable and committed
• Friendly and welcoming nature
• Excellent attention to detail, and able to multi task

When can I volunteer?

• Availability any days from Wednesday - Sunday between 10am - 2pm (flexible).
• We request a minimum commitment of 1hr x shift per week for a minimum of 3 months to ensure consistency and continuity with the animals.   
• Full orientation and training is provided.

Important Reminders:

It is also a requirement that before handling animals at the RSPCA you have an up to date Tetanus vaccination.