Volunteer roles for the Animal sector

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help. The purpose of this role is to support the organisation with communications and administration at a local level. You’ll play an active part in the branch committee and support the branch with record keeping and planning, thus enabling more cats to be helped.

You expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

A bit more information about this role and the team

We are seeking an applicant who can travel to the Harlow/Sawbridgeworth area 3-4 times per year for meetings.

What we need from you

You’ll be:

• Disseminating relevant organisation-wide information and updates to the branch volunteers
• Supporting engagement and communication between the branch and wider organisation
• Drafting committee meeting agendas and taking and sharing meeting minutes
• Supporting the efficient running of the branch by ensuring administration processes are carried out effectively
• Supporting the administration and update of the branch annual plan 
• Sign-posting queries from members of the public
• Keeping branch records and information up to date and secure, using Cats Protection systems – training will be provided

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats each year thanks to our dedicated and passionate volunteer groups and teams, all of which help our cats in different ways. Our treasurer volunteers maintain the finances of local groups and teams, ensuring they hold the funds needed to continue their vital work. Cats Protection relies solely on donations from generous members of the public, and our treasurer volunteers help make sure these funds are spent in the most effective way. 

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

A bit more information about this role and the team

We are seeking an applicant who can travel to the Harlow/Sawbridgeworth area 3-4 times per year for meetings.

What we need from you

You’ll be:

•  Preparing budgets
• Keeping accurate financial records
• Reporting financial records via ‘Cashlog’ (Cats Protection supplied software)
• Paying invoices and volunteer expenses
• Being part of a team which ensures there are sufficient funds to meet expenditure
• Updating and advising others on income received, expenditure and available funds
• Managing and monitoring donations made to the group
• Following financial procedures e.g. Gift Aid returns and VAT claims

Cattery Assistant

Our Branch

At Apsley Cattery we have around 30 volunteers, supported by our Animal Welfare Team. There will be lots of hands on contact with the cats, including cleaning and feeding at the cattery and/or socializing of the cats in our care. You would be part of a team that would make a real difference to the lives of our cats.

We are looking for volunteers to help care for the cats in our cattery to keep them fed, watered, and clean. You will learn new skills, and make our cats very happy whilst they wait for their forever home.

By volunteering at our Cattery, you would be helping us get through the essential tasks. As well as assisting with their feeding and the cleaning of the cattery, you will also be working closely with the team allowing you to get more involved and learn new skills. This opportunity to help our cats is extremely rewarding, knowing that you have improved their welfare and made them happy whilst they are waiting for their forever home.

Volunteer Cattery Assistant responsibilities

• Preparing and providing food and water for the cats.

• Cleaning, and maintaining the cattery to a high standard of cleanliness, so our cats are as comfortable as possible.

• Attending to the exercise and grooming needs of the cats.

• Following the health and safety procedures in place at the centre and ensuring that they are always observed.

What we are looking for in a volunteer Cattery Assistant

• Someone with knowledge of cats and can read their behaviour.

• Is comfortable around cats and has a patient and understanding nature.

• Can carry out physical tasks.

• Someone who is flexible and can offer an ongoing commitment predominately on a Morning or Afternoon for at least 3 hours.

• Able to work within a team but also capable of working with minimal supervision.

• Volunteers need to be aged 18 or over.

What we can offer you as a volunteer Cattery Assistant

• A way to meet new people, make new friends in your local area.

• A place where you will learn excellent new skills to add to your CV.

• An excellent induction and training programme relevant to your role.

• The opportunity to make a huge difference to the welfare of the cats in our care.

We are looking for volunteers who can commit to at least one morning session per week to assist the Animal Welfare Team with cleaning and feeding at the cattery and/or socialising of the cats in our care.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at our Apsley Cattery.

Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees, and dependent on the position, you may need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.

Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do and we'd love you to join us. We have a huge number of exciting and rewarding roles from directly supporting an animal in your home, or one of our centres across the UK, to supporting our shops and educational services. You may even wish to belong to our Pet Loss Support line. Find out more about the ideal role for you. Volunteering is fun and rewarding. We have centres and shops across England and Wales where you can get involved. Just search Blue Cross Volunteering for more info. Thank you. 

At RSPCA Buckinghamshire South Branch, our charity shops are looking for friendly volunteers to join our team and help make our shop a huge success. Make new friends, have fun, and help us help more animals!

As a volunteer Charity Shop Assistant, you would join a small team working with the shop manager and 1-2 other volunteers to help make it a success and raise vital funds for animal welfare. 

Why Volunteer With Us?

As a volunteer charity shop assistant, you will:

• Support a worthwhile cause and help improve animal welfare.

• Be part of a friendly and dedicated team.

• Enjoy a fun and fulfilling role at the heart of the local community.

• Training and development opportunities, including induction and ongoing support.

• Learn excellent new skills to add to your CV, such as customer service, multi-tasking, merchandising, and many more.

• Access to the RSPCA Learning Hub with a wide range of training materials.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Helping customers in the shop find what they need.

• Accepting donations of items and money from the public.

• Processing sales through the till and card machine, including Gift Aid.

• Sorting through donated items to determine what we can sell.

• Preparing donated items for sale by steaming and hanging items.

• Merchandising stock on the shop floor.

• Creating attractive shop window displays.

What We’re Looking For:

• Friendly volunteers who are confident talking to people.

• Retail experience would be ideal but is not necessary as full training will be given.

• We are ideally aiming for someone who is flexible and can offer an ongoing commitment predominately 8 hours or more per week.

• Good communication and numeracy skills.

• You will need to be aged 16 or over.

What’s in It for You?

• Meet new people and make new friends.

• Learn new skills to enhance your CV.

• A comprehensive induction and training programme relevant to your role.

• Volunteer in a fun environment at the heart of your local community.

• Know that your time and effort is making a real difference to the welfare of animals.

• We’re happy to reimburse reasonable travel expenses incurred while volunteering.

Practical Considerations:

• Health & Safety: You’ll need to complete a simple online Health & Safety course before starting the role.

Disclaimer:

Our voluntary roles are subject to:

• An informal interview and trial period.

• Submission of two referees’ contact details.

• Completion of relevant training and assessments for the role.

Animal Fosterer

As an animal fosterer, you would be supporting the RSPCA in providing either our cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, or other small furries with the safety of your home whilst tending to their welfare needs such as feeding and grooming. In addition to this, by providing a temporary loving environment, you will play a crucial role in their wellbeing and socialisation, which will significantly improve their chances of successful rehoming.

Once everything is in place, the animal center will guide you through the fostering process and ensure that you have all the necessary equipment, food, and veterinary care for your foster. The RSPCA is also happy to reimburse any other pre-agreed expenses that you may incur through volunteering for us.

Whilst our animals are in your foster care, you will:

• Provide them with care, suitable housing, and a safe environment as per our policies and guidelines.
• Feed, water, and groom them in line with our advice.
• Transport them to any veterinary appointments if required.
• Provide them with your time and patience.
• Help us spread the word about the animals in your care so they might find their forever home quicker.
• Playing and cuddles are also a must!

What we are looking for in a volunteer Fosterer

• Volunteers aged 18 or over who have had plenty of experience caring for animals.
• Fostering experience is beneficial but not essential as training is provided.
• For their wellbeing, the whole family should be on board with fostering an animal.
• Any existing pets or animals need to have been spayed/neutered (some medical reasons may mean they cannot be so, please let us know if this is the case).
• You will need to live in our branches area.
• You will need to be able to pick up supplies from our office in Eastcote and transport animals to the vets for routine and emergency appointments.

What we can offer you as a volunteer Fosterer

• You will be making a massive difference to the welfare of the animals in your care.
• Join a community which will enable you to meet new people and make new friends.
• Learning new skills through our comprehensive induction and fostering training programme.
• Enhance your CV by adding your volunteering experience and newly acquired skills.

It is worth mentioning that our animals do have different needs as whilst some are ready for rehoming others may require rehabilitation or ongoing medication. Therefore, we also aim to understand your situation and circumstances to ensure that we match you with your perfect foster animal.

Join us in making a real difference to the lives of animals in need

Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees, and dependent on the position, you may need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats and kittens each year thanks to our dedicated and passionate volunteer groups. We have branches across the UK, all of which help our cats in different ways. Branches take in stray and abandoned cats and ensure they receive the veterinary care and attention they deserve; help raise funds, promote neutering and help spread cat welfare messages. Our branch team leader volunteers lead their local team by supporting and managing volunteers within their group, maintaining communications with both volunteers and employees, and helping promote a positive and professional image of Cats Protection.

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

• Supporting your team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure volunteers are happy and confident
• Making sure the team observes charity best practice and compliance
• Collaborating with your Branch Development Manager (BDM) to plan volunteer activity
• Leading the team to follow Cats Protection policies, procedures and guidelines
• Monitoring expenditure and helping ensure long term financial stability of the volunteer group
• Organising and chairing team meetings
• Acting as an ambassador for Cats Protection

About the Organisation
The Hawk and Owl Trust is a national UK charity (registration no. 1058565), established in 1969, dedicated to the conservation of owls and birds of prey in the wild. The charity’s mission is to enhance public understanding and appreciation of these species and their habitats.

The Trust creates and manages nesting and roosting sites, advises on feeding habitats, undertakes practical research, and provides educational opportunities through its wildlife reserves in Norfolk and Somerset, as well as through outreach and learning programmes.

Chair of Trustees

Purpose of the Role
The Chair will provide inclusive and strategic leadership to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Operating Director, staff, and volunteers, ensuring alignment with the charity’s mission, vision, and values. The Chair plays a pivotal role in building a cohesive and effective Board, supporting individual trustees to fulfil their duties confidently and effectively.

Working in close partnership with the Chief Operating Director, the Chair will help foster a culture of collaboration, trust, and accountability across the organisation. They will also act as a key ambassador for the Trust, representing the charity publicly and with stakeholders.

Key Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated senior leadership and governance experience

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

• Sound knowledge of charity governance and trustee responsibilities

• A genuine passion for wildlife and conservation

Principal Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to the Board to ensure the charity achieves its objectives

• Guide and support effective governance, risk management, and financial oversight

• Facilitate an inclusive and productive Board culture, promoting accountability and reflective practice

• Lead Board performance reviews and support trustee development

• Ensure the Board maintains the appropriate balance of skills and experience

• Work closely with the Chief Operating Director, offering support and constructive challenge

• Act as an external representative and advocate for the charity, when appropriate

Location

• Administrative base: Sculthorpe, Fakenham, Norfolk

• Flexible, remote-friendly role

• Some in-person attendance required at locations including London, Sculthorpe, and Shapwick (Somerset)

Remuneration

• Voluntary role

• All reasonable travel and out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed

Time Commitment

• Approximately 1–2 days per month

• 4–5 full Board meetings annually (combination of virtual and in-person)

• Optional attendance at up to 2 subcommittees (meeting quarterly)

• Occasional attendance at events, media opportunities, or stakeholder meetings

Term of Appointment

• The Chair is appointed for a three-year term, renewable for one further consecutive term

The difference you will make to cats and people

Our social media volunteers use their passion and knowledge of social media to promote the activities of local volunteer teams though various channels. They directly help cats by raising awareness of Cats Protection. A higher profile can help us raise the funds we need for our work, ensure people know they can adopt a cat from us, help promote neutering and help as many people as possible learn more about feline welfare.
 

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You'll be:

• Promoting the work of Cats Protection through various social media channels, for example, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• Gathering information from across the organisation and locally within your team or volunteer group
• Writing and creating social media content, ensuring it complies with policies and guidelines
• Scheduling and posting social media content
• Monitoring activity and responding to comments on social media channels

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

Our cat admissions volunteers ensure the smooth running of our admissions process, helping our volunteer groups and teams admit cats into our care in the most effective and stress-free way possible for both people and cats. This role is undertaken from your own home. This could be the perfect volunteer role if you have administration experience, a passion for cats, or both!

Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection, we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help.

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

• Responding to email and telephone enquiries regarding cats coming into care
• Managing the cat waiting list and prioritising accordingly
• Liaising with other volunteers, employees, local vets and members of the public
• Using our administrative systems to record cats coming into care

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

From elderly moggies to energic kittens, every day across the UK cats and kittens are in need of a temporary place to stay, and lots of love and TLC! We need more fosterers like you to provide a safe, temporary haven for cats and kittens and provide them with everything they need before they get their chance to land on their four paws and make a house a home.

You can expect us to 

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Ensure you have all you need in place to foster the cat(s) in your care, for example equipment and food
• Cover all your foster cats’ expenses and agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

A bit more information about this role and the team

The branch are looking for indoor fosterers so applicants would need to have a suitable spare room.

What we need from you 

• A stable, safe and compassionate environment in your home
• Enrich the cats’ experience in care including play, exercise and appropriate handling/interaction
• A willingness to complete some training in order to provide high standards of cat welfare
• Introduce cats to prospective adopters so they can find their forever home
• You can find out more about being a Fosterer on our website

We have the opportunity for volunteers who have a passion for retail and animals to join the team at our brand new charity shop on George Street in the city centre. This is an exciting time for us and we are looking forward to growing a friendly team in this new retail hub for the charity. There are plenty of roles available to suit your interests and availability. 

The George Street shop is our retail hub as it is also home to our E-Commerce operation. The friendly team working at George Street are happy for potential volunteers to explore the areas that are of interest to them, so if you love researching books or obscure bands, possibly discovering that a donation could raise hundreds for us by being sold online, then perhaps you'd enjoy working within our E-Commerce team!

We are seeking more volunteers to join our bustling George Street team on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday afternoons and would love to hear from people who are happy to serve customers on the till.

About the Role

Our shop volunteers play an integral role in the day-to-day running of our charity shops and the maximising of sales to support Bath Cats & Dogs Home. Whether you prefer working behind the scenes or on the shop floor in a customer facing role there are plenty of tasks to get involved with.

Your activities could include:

• Assisting and serving customers on the till
• Providing excellent customer service on the shop floor
• Creating attractive displays and assisting with the visual merchandising of the shop
• Receiving donations from the public and promoting our Gift Aid scheme
• Assisting with the processing of donated stock, including sorting, steaming and hanging of items
• Other daily tasks including cleaning, tidying, dusting and hoovering 

About You

You will be a motivated and enthusiastic individual with a love for animals. Good communication and customer care skills are key to a successful charity shop so the ability to work as part of a team and with the general public is desirable. There is a manual handling element to the role so this should be considered on application. The hours are flexible although we ask for a regular commitment of a few hours each week.

Full in person training will be provided for donation sorting and retail guidelines, as well as our waste management and recycling processes.

Are you a people-person looking for a way to use your skills to support your local rescue and rehoming centre? We are looking for friendly faces to add to our brilliant reception team, greeting supporters, handling enquiries and making all visitors to Bath Cats & Dogs Home feel welcome.

This is an exciting new volunteer role for the charity and having taken on two fantastic Volunteer Receptionists earlier this year, we are keen to grow our small but mighty team!

Our volunteer requirement for this role is Tuesdays-Sundays 10am-1pm or 1pm-4pm. We require volunteers to make a weekly commitment of at least 6 months.

About the Role:

Volunteer Receptionists are the first point of contact to all visitors to BCDH. This could be members of the public looking to hand over their pet, add to their family or hoping to pop in to have a look at the animals. They also handle general enquiries via telephone and email. Your tasks may include:

• Greeting volunteers and supporters upon arrival for appointments; handling walk-in enquiries and organising external contractors in a friendly and efficient manner.
• To assist the Customer & Facilities team with any general administration.  
• Processing payments for adoptions, stray dog claims and vet visits.
• Processing donation payments, ensuring to follow Gift Aid processes.
• Receiving and sending post.

About You:

You will be an outgoing and approachable animal lover ideally with experience of front-of-house roles. However, full training will be provided, so an organised people-person would also be an ideal candidate. An interest in how animal welfare charities operate is key as you will often be the first point of contact for supporters who have lots of questions about the rehoming process!

Ability to communicate effectively in person, on the telephone and via email is crucial, as well as being able to manage your emotions and remain calm during difficult situations. 

You will be answering queries from external contacts via email as well as managing post, so it is important that you understand the need for privacy and confidentiality.

We are looking for outgoing and confident volunteers to support our busy Rehoming Team with admin tasks, telephone and email enquiries and keeping our website updated with cats and dogs awaiting their forever homes. An experience of customer-service is a must, as is an ability to navigate various software including Microsoft Outlook, Teams and Excel.

About the Role:

Rehoming Volunteers will be key to delivering a positive experience for supporters who are applying to adopt our cats and dogs. By taking on office admin tasks and handling enquiries, they will streamline the rehoming process and help to reduce the length of stay for our animals. Your tasks may include:

• Answering calls to the Rehoming Office and engaging with supporters interested in adopting or awaiting response from their application
• Dealing with varied email enquiries – every day is different!
• Logging these interactions with supporters on our database Anilog 
• Uploading applications and home visit photos to Anilog 
• Uploading animal profiles to our website and making updates to existing profiles as we learn more about our animals
• Navigating software including Microsoft Excel, Teams and Outlook

Rehoming Office Volunteers will likely be lone working for a period of their shift as the Rehoming Team are busy with multiple appointments per day. Full in-role training of our database Anilog and CMS for the website will be provided.

Due to the training required for this role, we ask volunteers to commit to a weekly 3-hour shift on a set day for a period of at least 6 months.

About You:

You will be an outgoing and tech-savvy individual who thrives on delivering excellent customer service and has a love for animals. You’ll be a fast learner keen to develop your understanding of the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming process, and confident in explaining this to hopeful adopters.

The Rehoming Team work on a hybrid rota basis, meaning you may work with a different member of the team at each shift. Therefore, Rehoming Office Volunteers will need to be confident self-starters who can get on with anyone but are also able to crack on when alone in the office.