Rehoming Centre Groom (2332)

The Donkey Sanctuary; Ivybridge; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 15,000; Part time

Job summary

The Donkey Sanctuary is seeking a part-time Rehoming Centre Groom at Ivybridge to provide daily donkey care, training and handling. You’ll work with the team to prepare donkeys for adoption, enabling safe movement into Guardian homes with individual attention.

The role requires collaboration with equine professionals, flexibility for evenings and weekends, and a commitment to ongoing training. A driving licence is required.

Qualifications

• Previous equine experience or experience of animal husbandry.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team.
• Willingness to work outside in adverse weather conditions.
• Commitment to regular training and development.
• UK full valid driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Providing daily care to resident donkeys, including feeding, medicating, grooming, weighing and worming.
• Collaborating with Vets, Dentists and Farriers as required.
• Rehabilitating and training donkeys with a regular plan for rehoming.
• Supporting welfare across the Equine Operations department.
• Assisting with offsite visits including loading/unloading and supervising transport.
• Mucking out, paddock maintenance, feeding and bedding up barns.

Skills

Equine experience

Teamwork

Weather resilience

Training mindset

UK driving licence

Job description

The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare organisation, offering care and protection to donkeys worldwide. Our vision is a world where every donkey has a good quality of life, and our mission is to improve the lives of donkeys every day. We will achieve this by transforming the lives of donkeys in need worldwide by fostering greater understanding, collaboration and support, and by promoting lasting, mutually life-enhancing relationships.

We have an excellent opportunity for a self-motivated, flexible and compassionate individual, with strong teamworking, interpersonal and equine skills to join our dedicated Rehoming Centre, at Ivybridge. As Rehoming Centre Groom, you will provide care, behaviour training and handling to our resident donkeys being prepared for our rehoming scheme, enabling individual donkeys to move into a loving Guardian home where they can benefit from one-to-one care and attention.

About you:

• Previous equine experience or experience of animal husbandry.
• Able to demonstrate a collaborative, positive approach to team working.
• Willing to work outside in adverse weather conditions.
• Willing to commit to regular ongoing work-related training.
• UK full valid driving licence.

About the role:

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include –

• Providing daily care to our resident donkeys, including checking, feeding, medicating, grooming, weighing and worming.
• Working alongside internal & external equine professionals such as Vets, Dentists and Farriers, as required.
• Helping to rehabilitate and train donkeys through the guidance of the Manager and behaviour team by providing a regular training plan to suit the individual needs of donkeys for rehoming.
• Supporting with welfare support when required, collaborating with the wider Equine Operations department.
• Assisting with all aspects of offsite visits, including the loading, unloading and supervision of the donkeys during transport.
• Providing additional donkey care by operating machinery, and/or manually, mucking out, paddock maintenance, feeding and bedding up of barns and distributing straw and haylage.

What we offer in return:

Based at The Donkey Sanctuary Rehoming Centre, Ivybridge, this is a part-time permanent contract starting as soon as possible, working 22.5 hours a week - Monday to Friday
8:00am to 4:30pm (flexible on which days) Flexibilitywill be required for evening checks and weekend working as part of a rota.

Closing date for completed applications: Tuesday 27 October 2026.

Please note: Interviews will be held at our Ivybridge Centre on Tuesday 3 November 2026.

The Donkey Sanctuary is a Disability Confident Employer.

The Donkey Sanctuary is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults), and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

The Donkey Sanctuary also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and, for relevant posts, may request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

Please note: The Guaranteed interview scheme is only applicable to candidates who consider themselves to have a disability applying for roles based within the United Kingdom.

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