Become a Volunteer

We are looking for Husbandry Volunteers to assist in the Hospital and Rehabilitation Enclosures doing animal husbandry one day each week, on Mondays or Fridays, 9am to 5pm, on a regular basis, for a minimum of 6 months.

Tiggywinkles is a very busy, working veterinary Hospital, so volunteers need to be able to work independently, at speed, as we get extremely busy through most of the year. There will be regular periods when you will be working on your own in our smaller wards or outside areas.

Husbandry work involves cleaning cages and enclosures in our very busy Hospital; preparing and providing food for the animals; along with cleaning, tidying and seasonal enclosure maintenance across the rest of the Hospital areas – working inside and outside, in all weathers. Bedding needs to be washed and dried every day. Food bowls and utensils are washed and sterilised every day.

We work with wild animals, who are likely to try and escape, and volunteers need to be able to work quickly and efficiently to minimise the stress levels on our wild patients. Our goal is to release animals back into the wild at the end of their treatment, so minimal handling of animals is essential to keep them wild. We also do not talk to our animals, as they find this very stressful.

As we are caring for sick and injured animals, biosecurity and infection control are an essential part of the cleaning regime for our husbandry volunteers, as we need to ensure all animals undergoing their treatments are kept in very clean enclosures at all times, so attention to detail is a key part of our volunteers’ role, as you are responsible for the welfare of the animals that you are working with.

As our Hospital gets extremely busy through the Spring and Summer months, our volunteers play a key part in assisting the efficient running of the Hospital husbandry routines and need to adhere to all health and safety, and biosecurity policies and procedures at all times.

Volunteers need to be over 18, with current tetanus cover, and able to provide two employment-based referees, as all positions are subject to acceptable references.

All volunteers are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, as we work with young people and vulnerable adults.

Volunteers are also required to complete and pass free online safeguarding training.

If this role is of interest to you, please send in your completed form that you can download below: