Pet Welfare Assistant - Onsite Services: fixed term contract (26.25 hours)

Blue Cross For Pets; Southampton; On-site; GBP 16,000 - 24,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading animal welfare organization in Southampton is seeking a Pet Welfare Assistant for a fixed term contract. The role involves caring for animals, conducting assessments, and preparing pets for adoption. Candidates should have experience in animal welfare, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work in a team-oriented environment. The position offers a part-time contract of 26.25 hours per week with a competitive benefits package.

Benefits

38 days holiday rising to 43 with service

Health cash plan

Employee assistance programme

Pension scheme with employer contribution

Discount on pet insurance

Qualifications

• Experience in an animal welfare environment is essential.
• Previous customer service experience is required.
• Ability to work in an emotionally charged environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the care and rehabilitation of pets.
• Prepare pets for adoption by conducting assessments.
• Communicate with pet owners and provide guidance.

Skills

Experience with domestic animals

Excellent communication skills

Empathy and welfare focus

Resilience

Education

Qualification in animal behaviour or training

Tools

Computerised systems

Job description

Pet Welfare Assistant - Onsite Services: fixed term contract (26.25 hours)

Application Deadline: 4 December 2025

Department: Rehoming & Fostering Services

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Part Time

Location: Southampton

Reporting To: Ellie Stansfield

Compensation: £23,993 / year

Description

Contract: 26.25 hours per week, fixed term until August 2026

Salary: £16,795 (£23,993 FTE)

Location: Southampton, SO30 2HL

Closing date: Thursday 4th December 2025

Interview date: W/C 8th December 2025

We’re recruiting a Pet Welfare Assistant for onsite animal care, for our Rehoming & Fostering team in Southampton! This is a fixed term contract until August 2026.

At Blue Cross, we're dedicated to providing the best care possible to pets in need. As a Pet Welfare Assistant for our onsite services, you'll play an important role in our mission, ensuring that every pet receives the love, attention, and support they deserve during their stay at our Southampton 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.

As a Pet Welfare Assistant, you will ensure that the welfare standards are met and that 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. Working closely with the Adoptions Coordinator you will provide additional in person or virtual advice and practical demonstrations to ensure adoptees are fully aware of the work that has been done with the pet and how to continue with any other additional behaviour training or medical provision.

This role is 26.25 hours per week working alternate 3 and 4 day weeks. These days will be a mix of weekday and weekend working. This is a fixed term contract until August 2026.

About you

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 e.g., hibiscrub, flea and tick treatments, diabetes management. 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, which will ensure to bring your best pragmatic ideas for the care of the pets to ensure the best outcome is achieved. In addition, you will be able to quickly assimilate information, be competent at accurately recording information while also conducting conversations with clients and stakeholders. You will be an excellent communicator, approachable with strong interpersonal skills.

You will know what it is like to work in an emotionally charged environment and have excellent ‘bounce back ability’ and resilience. In addition, you will be emotionally intelligent, 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 of 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.

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached the job description which hopefully gives you everything you need.

How to apply

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Thursday 4th December 2025.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.

Our generous benefits package includes:

• 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

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.