Animal Ambulance Driver

The Lost Dogs Home; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Clinic discounts

Employee assistance program

Foster care program

Friendly team culture

Job summary

The Lost Dogs’ Home is seeking a Casual Animal Ambulance Driver to join our after-hours team covering Cranbourne and North Melbourne.

You will safely transport domestic animals and livestock to holding facilities, while handling challenging situations with care and professionalism.

Qualifications

• Strong animal handling skills, including high-risk dogs and livestock.
• Flexibility to work after hours, overnights, weekends and public holidays.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and telephone manner.
• Ability to work independently and travel within allocated area.
• Commitment to animal welfare and compassionate service.

Responsibilities

• Receive jobs via after-hours service and acknowledge promptly.
• Attend to stray, contained, injured and wandering animals within the area.
• Handle all animals safely to ensure welfare and wellbeing.
• Liaise with the public, council, police and veterinary clinics as needed.
• Prepare accurate reports with attention to detail.
• Check and maintain equipment and vehicles.

Skills

Animal handling

Night shift readiness

Communication skills

Self-motivation

Teamwork

Education

Certificate in Animal Studies

Job description

Casual Animal Ambulance Driver (shift work including overnights)

About us

At The Lost Dogs’ Home, we are a foundation in Victoria's animal welfare landscape, celebrated for our compassionate care of around 18,000 lost and abandoned dogs and cats every year. Beyond caring for animals, we are dedicated to providing diverse animal welfare and community programs, all aimed at giving animals the best chance of a happy and healthy life. Our mission is upheld by passionate individuals who embody a profound affinity for animals, community, and advocacy.

About the role

The Lost Dogs' Home offers an after-hours animal ambulance service across both our sites in Cranbourne and North Melbourne and surrounding areas to ensure lost and injured animals are safely collected and transported to our shelter. We seek candidates with exceptional animal handling skills, flexibility, and a commitment to working a rotating roster, including overnight shifts and weekends.

This vital role is crucial to our success as a leading animal welfare organisation. You will be responsible for ensuring the safe transport of domestic animals and livestock to the appropriate holding facilities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Receiving jobs via the council's after-hours service and acknowledging them in a timely manner
• Attending to stray, contained, injured and wandering large domestic animals and livestock within your allocated area
• Confidently handling all animals to ensure their safety and welfare
• Liaising with members of the public, council representatives and other external stakeholders, including the police and veterinary clinics, both in person and via telephone
• Accurate report writing, with a strong focus on attention to detail
• Checking and maintaining equipment and vehicle

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Certificate in Animal Studies and/or relevant qualifications (desired)
• A current drivers' licence, held for over 1 year, with a proven track record of safe driving
• Excellent animal handling skills including confidence with high risk dogs and livestock
• Experience working with animals in a shelter type environment (desired)
• Flexibility to work after various hours, overnight, weekends and/or public holidays
• Have a good telephone manner, strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong self-motivation and confidence to work alone at night, travelling varying distances within set contractual response times
• Exceptional customer service and problem-solving skills
• A passion for animal welfare

About our culture:

At The Lost Dogs’ Home, we cultivate an inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity. Our team enjoys a vibrant culture that fosters meaningful connections, both professionally and socially. Led by our dedicated social committee, we organise a wide range of engaging activities such as Paint and Sip Nights, Bowling, Trivia, and regular after-work gatherings. These events create opportunities for our team to relax, bond, and forge lasting friendships. We take pride in our diverse team where every individual is encouraged to be their authentic self, regardless of their role within the organisation.

What we can offer you

• A purposeful animal welfare career,
• Fantastic career development and opportunities,
• Discounts at our general practice clinic, Lost Dogs Home Veterinary Clinic,
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program,
• Access to the Foster Care Program,
• A unique and friendly working environment (surrounded by animals!),
• Rewarding work with animals in need of a forever home.

The successful applicant will be required to complete satisfactory background screening checks.

The Lost Dogs’ Home is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. Only candidates with the right to work in Australia may apply for this position.