Pet Welfare Assistant – On-site Services
Application Deadline: 31 May 2026
Department: Rehoming & Fostering Services
Employment Type: Permanent
Location: Hertfordshire
Compensation: £12,488 / year
Description
Contract: Permanent, 18.75 hours per week
Salary: £12,488 per annum (£24,976 FTE)
Location: Hitchin SG4 8EU
Closing date: Sunday 31st May 2026
Interview date: 1th, 12th, 15th & 16th of June 2026
We’re recruiting a Pet Welfare Assistant for onsite animal care, for our Rehoming & Fostering team in Hertfordshire.
As a Pet Welfare Assistant, you will play an important role in ensuring that every pet receives the love, attention, and support they deserve during their stay at our Hertfordshire rehoming centre.
More about the role
As a skilled animal handler and assessor, you will be responsible for the ‘preparation stage’ with the pets in our care which involves caring, carrying out assessments and rehabilitation plans, preparing them for the ‘adoption stage’ or the best possible outcome for their circumstances with minimal delay.
You will ensure welfare standards are met and rehabilitation plans are followed and supported for pets in our care. Working independently and with the team you will carry out meetings with owners giving up their pet, ensuring all information is recorded, paperwork completed and that the pet is immediately assessed for behavioural or veterinary problems.
You will work closely with the Adoptions Coordinator to provide additional in‑person or virtual advice and demonstrations to ensure new owners are fully aware of the work that has been done with the pet and how to continue with any additional behaviour training or medical provision.
This is a part‑time role working 18.75 hours a week on a fixed working pattern.
About you
As a skilled animal handler and assessor, you will be intuitive with pets, empathetic and welfare focused, having worked in a similar animal‑related environment. You will also be used to assessing the needs of a pet, alert to the behavioural signs and have a basic knowledge of the use of medication. In addition, you will have a fundamental understanding that the best welfare intervention for a pet is to find a new home and leave on‑site pet accommodation as quickly as possible.
You will be self‑motivated, forward‑thinking with a collaborative and creative approach to your work, bringing pragmatic ideas for pet care to ensure the best outcome is achieved. You will assimilate information quickly, record it accurately and conduct conversations with clients and stakeholders. You will be an excellent communicator, approachable with strong interpersonal skills.
You are experienced in an emotionally charged environment, have resilience, emotional intelligence, showing empathy and knowing how to support clients and colleagues.
Knowledge, skills, and experience
- Experience of having previously worked or volunteered with domestic animals or in an animal welfare environment.
- Previous experience in working in a customer focused environment and used to achieving a high level of customer satisfaction.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Good organisational and administration skills to include computerised systems.
- Current full driving licence.
It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:
- Qualification or similar experience in animal behaviour or animal training.
- Experience of cash handling.
- Experience of working to strict health and safety procedures.
- Understanding of safeguarding issues.
Blue Cross benefits
- Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
- Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
- Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
- Health cash plan
- Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
- Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
- Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
- Life assurance
- 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
- Enhanced family friendly policies
- Recognition scheme
- Annual volunteer days
- Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers
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