Dog Welfare Assistant (30 hours per week)

Dogs Trust; Ballymena; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

Dogs Trust is seeking a Dog Welfare Assistant at our Ballymena Rehoming Centre. The role involves daily care for dogs, helping them prepare for their forever home, and engaging with visitors and potential adopters.

The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator, energetic and empathetic, with experience handling dogs and a valid manual driving licence. This is a permanent part-time post (30 hours/week) with benefits.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and empathy with people and animals.
• Experience working with or handling dogs and knowledge of basic dog behaviour and health issues.
• Full, manual driving licence is essential for the role.
• Strong teamwork and energetic, positive attitude are required.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily care to dogs at the rehoming centre, following Dogs Trust code of practice and Health and Safety guidelines.
• Educate potential new owners and the public on dog care and welfare.
• Deliver excellent customer service to all visitors to the centre.

Skills

Driving licence

Excellent communication

Empathy

Team player

Knowledge of dogs

Job description

Dog Welfare Assistant (30 hours per week)

Application Deadline: 18 October 2026

Department: Rehoming

Employment Type: Permanent - Part Time

Location: Ballymena

Compensation: £20,200 pro rata (full time equivalent £25,250) per year + benefits

Description

Have you always had an itch to scratch when it comes to helping dogs? We’re looking for someone with a commitment to animal welfare to join the team in our busy rehoming centre.

Dog Welfare Assistants are the backbone of our centres, as they care for our four-legged friends every day. We’re looking for someone who can provide our dogs with the highest level of care and enrichment, as they prepare for their forever home.

What does this role do?

As Dog Welfare Assistant, you’ll:

• provide daily care to the dogs in the rehoming centre, working to Dogs Trust's code of practice and Health and Safety guidelines,
• educate potential new owners and the general public on the care and welfare of their dogs,
• deliver excellent customer service to all visitors to the centre.

Could this be you?

The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator with the ability to show empathy to both people and animals. A strong team player, you'll have lots of energy and a positive upbeat attitude. Experienced in working with or handling dogs, you'll be knowledgeable in basic behaviour and health issues and, above all, be committed to the aims and objectives of Dogs Trust. A full, manual driving licence is also essential, as driving will be a part of the role.

Interviews are provisionally scheduled for 26 October at Ballymena Rehoming Centre.

What does this team do?

Our rehoming centres house thousands of dogs each year until they can find a loving new home and the success of our centres wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated team of staff and volunteers; there is a real family-community within each of our centres. Come rain or shine, our team are out in all weathers to make sure the dogs have the best possible life. Dealing with thousands of visitors each month, our rehoming centres are the face of Dogs Trust, and we pride ourselves on our staff providing the very best in customer service.