Purpose of the role:
Our volunteer cat carers support our cat team and ensure all health and welfare needs are met.
You will support our cat team in the day to day running of our cattery with high standards of cleaning.
Responsible to:
Animal welfare manager and supervisor
Main Duties:
Feeding cats (following strict diet controls where in place)
Changing and cleaning litter trays
Cleaning cat bed areas
Cleaning cat pens, sweeping up debris
Keeping walk ways clean and sanitised
Stocking up all supplies needed on a daily basis
Ensuring cattery kitchens are clean and hygienic
Topping up and changing water
Communicate with others to report any changes or concerns in our cats
You must follow instructions
Organising shelter donations into dedicated storage areas
Skills and qualifications:
You do not need to have qualifications for this position but previous animal husbandry experience is helpful
The role of a cat carer is physically demanding and requires you to be fit and healthy
An understanding of cross contamination is preferred but not essential
A desire to learn more about cat behaviours and environmental factors would be beneficial
An ability to work well with others and communicate with the wider team as well as working independently
Time commitment:
We ask for commitment and dedication to your volunteer role, and require a minimum time commitment of 4 hours between 9am and 1pm, on a set day each week
On occasion we may ask you to attend shelter fundraising events outside of these hours, if you are able to do so
Please note you must be aged 18 or over to volunteer.
Only successful applicants will be contacted
If you are interested in this volunteer position please fill out the form below
Purpose of the role:
To help with the organisation of our storage areas, including food, bedding and overflow storage areas. Assist in moving any donations into the correct storage areas, and sort any donations to ensure they are usable. Rotate food stock to ensure all food is usable and within date. Help keep site clean and tidy and animal blocks stocked to appropriate levels with food, bedding and consumables. This role will include a lot of heavy lifting, moving and handling so will require a good level of physical fitness
Responsible to:
Animal welfare manager
Site supervisor
Main Duties:
- Sort donations received to ensure donations are of good quality and usable
- Organise stores to ensure food is usable and in date
- Arrange storage areas for bedding and locks to make sure the bedding is usable and organised for ease of use and access.
- Help in moving and donations or stock to the relevant areas ensuring they are stored to meet health and safety standards
- Assist in general cleaning and tidying of communal site areas
Time commitment:
We have volunteer positions available 7 days per week form 9am to 6pm
Skills and qualifications:
- We do not need you to have qualifications for this position, you must be willing to complete a Manual Handling Awareness course upon accepting this volunteer position.
- An understanding of health and safety guidelines would be beneficial
- A willingness to work outside in all weather conditions is essential
Please note you must be aged 18 or over to volunteer.
Only successful applicants will be contacted
If you are interested in this volunteer position please fill out the form below
Purpose of the role:
To provide a high level of customer service to customers visiting our charity shops, to replenish and manage stock on the shop floor and store room.
Responsible to:
Finance and Operations Co-Ordinator
Main Duties:
Customer service and cash handling
Accepting and sorting donations
Replenish shop stock
Steam/press and hold/hang clothes
Clean homewares before putting on display
Price items accordingly
Keep shop clean and tidy ensuring any health and safety issues are reported immediately
Ensure all customers are welcomed to the shop
Build public support for the shelter
Assisting on shelter events
Skills and qualifications:
We do not need you to have qualifications for this position but do ask you have some previous customer service experience.
A willingness to promote the charity and what we do to members of the public visiting our shops
Time commitment:
Our charity shops are open Monday to Saturday between 930am and 430pm, volunteer positions would be during these times.
On occasion we may ask you to attend shelter fundraising events that may be outside of these hours, if you are comfortable doing so
Please note you must be aged 18 or over to volunteer.
Only successful applicants will be contacted
If you are interested in this volunteer position please fill out the form below
Purpose of the role:
- To provide a safe place in your home to care for an animal who may be struggling in the shelter environment.
Animals needing foster carers are usually receiving veterinary treatment, recovering from operations, or really struggling with the shelter environment, these cats may not be comfortable with your attention initially and need space and reassurance to allow them to settle into a home environment whilst we find the perfect home for them.
Responsible to:
- Animal welfare manager
- Designated Key worker
Main duties:
- Providing warm safe space within your home – if fostering a cat we would ask you have a spare room specifically for your foster cat which can be used as a sanctuary room for the cat, although this may not apply to all of our cats an explanation of space available for a foster cat would be beneficial.
- Monitoring your foster animal for signs of stress or illness and reporting any concerns directly to us.
- Administering medication when needed, and updating us on any concerns or development with medical conditions
- Keeping in regular contact with your appointed key worker
- Transporting our animal to any veterinary appointments or back to shelter to meet any potential adopters, or when the foster period ends
Hand rearing kittens – this will be specialist foster carers not an option for all foster carers
Time commitment:
Depending on your foster animals individual needs we ask you have some spare time to allow your animal to settle into their new environment, and you have flexibility to transport animals when needed.
Hand rear kittens need full time commitment as they often require feeding every 2 to 4 hours, 24hours per day.
What’s included:
We provide all food, cat litter, walking aides, bedding, toys and anything else we feel may be needed to help your foster animal settle.
We also provide all medication where needed.
You will receive training where necessary and be given a detailed background on any medical issues or behavioural concerns. You will have a key worker who will be available for regular updates about your animals rehome status, or medical needs. They will also be on hand to offer reassurance to you and answer any concerns.
Skills and qualification:
No skills or qualifications are needed, however being an experienced animal owner would be a benefit. Certain dogs, cats or kittens will only be matched to foster carers with specific experience, so please provide as much detail as possible when completing your application form.
All we ask is:
- You must be 18 years or older
- You must hold a full driving license (necessary to ensure the animal can receive urgent veterinary treatment)
- You must be a homeowner or be able to provide written landlord permission that you are able to have a pet in the home
- You must live within a 20-mile radius of our Rehoming Centre, Benton Lane, NE12 8EH
All applications will be reviewed, and a telephone meeting arranged to discuss the finer details. If you are chosen as a foster carer, we will invite you down to site to meet the team, and some of our wonderful animals, to give you a clearer understanding of how the process will work.
Purpose of the role:
To assist in the mucking out and setting up feeds for our equine and farm animals.
Groom our horses, donkeys and ponies providing essential health benefits whilst strengthening our equines bonds with humans.
Lunging may also be required to assist our animal care farm team
Responsible to:
Animal welfare supervisor
Main duties:
Mucking out stables, field shelters and farm areas
Setting up feeds following strict feeding guidelines
Changing and refreshing waters for all farm and equine animals
Brushing and grooming our equines
Hoof picking
Lunging some horses
Skills and qualifications:
You must follow instructions
You do not need to have qualifications for this position, but previous equine or farm husbandry experience is helpful
The role of horse and farm volunteer can be physically demanding and requires you to be fit and healthy
An ability to work well with others and communicate with the wider team as well as working independently
Time commitment:
We ask for commitment and dedication to your volunteer role, and require a minimum time commitment of 4 hours between 9am and 1pm, on a set day each week
On occasion we may ask you to attend shelter fundraising events outside of these hours, if you are able to do so
Please note you must be aged 18 or over to volunteer.
Only successful applicants will be contacted
If you are interested in this volunteer position please fill out the form below
Purpose of the role:
To provide additional exercise to dogs in our care looking this will be in the form of Dog walking and some off lead play time. Working with the animal care team to provide exercise for dogs in our care, you will work with the rehoming team to ensure each dogs individual needs are met.
Responsible to:
Assistant animal welfare manager
Animal welfare supervisor
Main Duties:
- Take dogs on walks around site, with the potential to take some dogs off site once confident
- Play with dogs in our designated enclosed areas – both indoor and outdoor
- Ensure each dogs individual needs are met when walking
- Cleaning up after each dog you walk
- Reporting any concerns – behaviour or medical- as soon as possible to the appropriate people
- Basic grooming such as brushing may be done with the dogs, only with dogs this has been deemed possible to do so.
- Some dogs have behaviour issues and require you to follow instructions when handling and working with them, you must be willing to follow training instructions and guidance provided by our arrivals team
Time commitment:
We have volunteer positions available on weekday afternoons, between 12 and 5
Skills and qualifications:
- We do not need you to have qualifications for this position but do ask you have experience of walking dogs, either personal or professional
- A willingness to work outside in all weather conditions
- An understanding that each dogs individual needs must be met, and any walking instructions should be followed
Please note you must be aged 18 or over to volunteer.
Only successful applicants will be contacted
If you are interested in this volunteer position please fill out the form below