Kennel Assistant (Sandon)

Essex & Kent Police; Buntingford; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

Essex & Kent Police are seeking a Part‑time Kennel Assistant to help run a busy kennel block and oversee dog welfare. You will assist with health checks, liaise with officers, and support dog re-homing and adoption programmes.

Qualifications include animal care experience, strong cleanliness standards, and a driving licence. The role requires weekend work and is permanent, with a pro‑rata starting salary of £27,204.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in caring for animals.
• High standards of cleanliness to maintain animal hygiene.
• Good communication and teamwork to support officers and kennels.
• Full driving licence is preferred to enable transporting dogs.

Responsibilities

• Assist in running a busy kennel block and care for police dogs.
• Monitor health checks and notify staff of concerns.
• Transport dogs to vets when required.
• Coordinate re-homing and adoption of police dogs and puppies.
• Order and collect food and supplies, ensuring best value.

Skills

Animal care

Cleanliness

Communication

Teamwork

Job description

Location of Role: Sandon

Advert Closing Date: 08/09/2026

Starting Salary: £27,204.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)

Part/Full Time: Part Time

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Mon-Fri with occasional evening/weekends

Weekend/Evening Working: Yes

Applications are invited from individuals wishing to undertake the role of Part‑time Kennel Assistant.

This role will suit enthusiastic and motivated candidates wishing to play a key part in running a busy operational kennel block and managing the welfare and wellbeing of Police dogs.

This is a challenging role that requires the successful candidate to maintain the cleanliness of the kennel block, runs and ancillary buildings directly connected with the boarding kennels, ensuring that high standards of hygiene and dog welfare are always maintained.

The successful candidate will work closely in support of Police Officers by monitoring health checks for all dogs, notifying staff of any concerns in a timely manner and transporting dogs to vets if required.

Good communication skills will be demonstrated through receiving lay visitors and other parties who have an interest in the welfare and wellbeing of Police dogs.

The successful candidate will have previous experience in caring for, or dealing with, animal welfare and will be able to evidence high standards of cleanliness in maintaining animal hygiene.

The successful candidate will be required to assist in the coordination of the re-homing and adoption of police dogs, including the assessment of potential dogs to ensure the best outcome for the dog and new owners. Assistance will also be required in the coordination of the puppy programme to ensure that the welfare needs of the mother and her litter are met.

The successful candidate will also be required to display sound administrative qualities, including the ordering and collection of food and supplies, ensuring best value for money is achieved at all times.

The successful candidate will also be expected to work weekends.

A full driving licence must be held to enable the legal transportation of dogs and the collection of supplies. Prior to commencing any driving duties on behalf of the force, the successful candidate will be expected to undertake a force driver’s safety assessment. This will involve driving a transit van, and training will be provided.

At shortlisting we will be looking for you to provide evidence of the following skills/experience within your application:

• Working with others - Works co-operatively with others to get things done, willingly giving help and support to colleagues. Is approachable, developing positive working relationships. Explains things well, focusing on key points and talking to people using language they understand.
• Experience in caring for animals - Previous experience of caring for a animals is an essential requirement of the role, as you will be expected to run an operational kennel block, and on occasions left to work alone using your own innovative.
• High standards of cleanliness in maintaining animal hygiene - It is essential that the successful candidate has excellent knowledge about the importance of animal hygiene to ensure the highest standards are set, with animal welfare at the fore front.
• Personal attributes that make you a good candidate for the role - What skills do you bring to the role that will assist in delivering the highest standards of care for the dogs with minimal supervision.

Depending on your current vetting level and security clearances, you may be required to complete additional vetting information during the recruitment process.

Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.

If you're not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain. If you're from the UK you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn't apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.

As a Disability Confident Leader we:

• Have subjected our Disability Confident self-assessment to external challenge and validation.
• Are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping other employers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are central to the values of our organisation. At Essex Police we value and embrace the unique experiences, identities and abilities that each of us bring to our roles. We strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic self openly and safely to work.

Through the dedicated commitment of our support networks, DE&I team and wider HR departments, we are on a journey to embed our DE&I commitments, ensuring Essex Police is an employer of choice; where everyone feels included.

Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.