Main Purpose of Role
Our Animal Care Assistants are at the heart of our contribution to improving the lives of animals in need. Animal Carers care for animals in the animal rescue and rehoming centre by maintaining high and safe standards of care and companionship. They also provide excellent customer service when dealing with members of the public and partner organisations, promoting Borders Pet Rescue and contributing to animals finding suitable and loving new homes.
Your part in the team
You will work with guidance and support from the Rescue Centre Manager, as your line manager.
Our overall contribution to animal welfare is stronger for being a team, so we expect that you work openly, supportively, and creatively with our volunteers, and colleagues across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
Animal Care
- Arranging, with the support and guidance of the Rescue Centre Manager, the admission and adoption of animals at the Centre, including completing paperwork with previous/new owners, assessing the suitability of animals for the current situation at the Centre based on e.g. space, behavioural/medical requirements, arranging appointment for animal to come into centre, or collection as necessary.
- Reviewing animal wanted applications, assessing suitability of potential adoptees and arranging and conducting appointments for people to meet animals.
- Arranging and attending veterinary appointments including, as required, the safe transportation of animals in the BPR vehicle.
- Arranging and carrying out home checks as required.
- Implanting microchips and updating microchip information for Centre animals for new admissions, adopted animals in addition to the microchipping service offered to the general public. Full training would be provided.
- Animal welfare including exercising, cleaning, feeding, grooming, health checks and training.
- Animal care, including treatments, medications, post-operative care, births and general care of all animals as guided by the Centre Manager and/or designated Vets.
- Maintaining and monitoring accurate animal records.
- Ensuring that animal accommodation, isolation areas, pens, treatment rooms and exercise facilities are maintained to strict standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
Working in a Team
- Communicating and working with Centre staff colleagues including via shift overlaps.
- Communicating and working with BPR colleagues in other locations, Trustees, members and supporters and other charitable organisations.
- Encouraging, guiding, instructing, working with and supervising volunteers as appropriate to the activity in care of the animals.
- Customer Service/members of the public/other animal welfare professionals
- Handling enquiries from the general public and provide excellent customer service face to face, via telephone and email.
- Liaising with veterinary surgeons, other rescues, dog warden, police.
- Promoting BPR to the public where appropriate.
General Administrative duties
- Completing documentation relating to the animals in accordance with BPR procedures.
- Contributing to updates on website/social media including Facebook, Instagram, X. Ensuring comments and messages are dealt with in a timely and correct manner.
- Contributing to organising animal display photos for the charity shops, producing Pet of the Week posters, updating website with animal information.
- Recording payments.
- Contributing to organising, supporting and attending fundraising events (e.g. Fun Dog Show, Open Day, sponsored walks, community partnership events).
- Conducting educational tours of the Centre.
Other duties
- Provide key holder duties as required.
- Attend meetings as required by the Rescue Centre Manager and Charity Manager.
- Undertake mandatory and developmental training requirements of the post as required.
- Maintain confidentiality at all times as outlined in the confidentiality procedure.
- Adhere to Borders Pet Rescue policies and procedures as applicable to the role.
- Observe all Health and Safety policies and procedures (those directly relevant to the employee and those which may place others at risk by any specific acts or omissions).
- Understand and adhere to the Charity’s general policies and procedures.
- Attend events that are held at the Centre or externally.
- Undertake other duties as reasonably required by the Rescue Centre Manager.
The person
- Always kind and considerate to all animals with a calm and resilient approach.
- Commitment to animal welfare.
- Able to work well with other people.
- Acts with honesty and integrity.
Experience, Skills and Abilities
- SVQ or equivalent Level 2 in Small Animal Care
- Practical experience of working with a variety of animals with good observation skills of physical and behavioural changes.
- Able to work as a member of a Team.
- Experience of working with the general public and understanding of customer care.
- Able to work with dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hedgehogs and exotics.
- Able to foster animals where possible.
- Able to prioritise workload and work alone under minimal supervision from a distance.
- Able to respond appropriately when members of public are faced with or present difficult conversations.
- Clear communication skills both verbal and written.
- Ability to make and maintain clear written and numerical records.
- IT skills (Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and Outlook Email).
- Familiar and competent with social media
- Flexible in respect of working hours and responsibilities
- A commitment to and understanding of the benefits of animal welfare education
- A full clean driving licence.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of domestic animal care and husbandry from working in the animal care/welfare industry
- Willingness to develop dog management skills
- Able to deal with difficult animals
- Able to foster animals where possible.
Closing date for applications: Thursday 17th October 2024 at 5pm
Interview date: Friday 25th October 2024
For further information, please contact: [email protected]
