Volunteering with animals

Whether you're seeking hands-on experience in animal care, or are passionate about giving back to the community, there are countless opportunities across the UK to get involved

Why should I volunteer with animals?

Many animal charities and shelters rely heavily on volunteers to continue their vital work. By dedicating your time, you can significantly improve the lives of animals, support conservation efforts, and contribute to rescue operations.

If you're considering a career in animal care, volunteering is an excellent way to gain valuable experience. You'll learn about animal behaviour, first aid, and the daily operations of animal care facilities. This experience can open doors to a variety of rewarding careers, including:

Spending time with animals can be therapeutic and rewarding - it provides a sense of purpose, reduces stress, and promotes emotional wellbeing. Volunteering also offers a chance to meet like-minded people and become part of a supportive community.

Volunteering with animals can help you develop various skills, such as:

teamwork
communication
problem solving
time management.

These skills are transferable to many other areas of life and work. For more information, see

what skills do employers want?

Where can I volunteer with animals?

Animal charities in the UK

Blue Cross - As a volunteer you can become a pet foster carer, help deliver pet education programmes to young people, work in a Blue Cross charity shop, take part in fundraising activities, provide emotional support to bereaved pet owners and help with walking, grooming and feeding animals and cleaning kennels.
Dogs Trust - With the UK’s number one rehoming charity you can volunteer as a foster carer, dog walker, canine assistant, and home visitor. You can also dedicate your time to assisting with media support and volunteering at events and at dog training schools.
The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) - The UK's leading vet charity has 48 dedicated pet hospitals across the country. Volunteer placements are available in PDSA charity shops, offices and hospitals. At their head office you can volunteer in finance, marketing, education and fundraising roles. In the hospitals you can help to care for sick and injured pets and work on reception. Voluntary opportunities also exist for qualified vets and nurses.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) - Volunteering opportunities include fostering animals, assisting the re-homing service, photographing animals and fundraising. You can also volunteer in RSPCA branches as an administrator.
The Wildlife Trusts - Cares for 2,300 nature reserves and has 35,000 volunteers, who help to secure the future of precious habitats and species. As a volunteer you can survey species, care for nature reserves and get involved in community gardening.

Assistance therapies and specialist charities

Assistance Dogs UK - Volunteers are needed to help educate puppies aged between six weeks and one year. Tasks include socialising, emergency and short-term fostering, and dog-walking to familiarise the puppy with public places.
Pets as Therapy - The charity relies on volunteers to share their time and their pets with people in need. Volunteers provide a visiting service in hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes, special needs schools and a variety of other venues across the UK.
Riding for the Disabled Association - Arranges horse and pony-based activities such as riding, vaulting, show jumping, hippotherapy and carriage driving for around 25,000 disabled people every year. It is run by 18,000 volunteers and opportunities include mucking out, grooming, tacking-up, and leading and side-walking.
The Cinnamon Trust - Helps elderly and terminally ill people to care for their pets. Around 15,000 volunteers perform dog-walking and other tasks including short-term fostering when the pet's owner is in hospital.

What qualifications do I need to volunteer with animals?

Many volunteering roles in animal welfare don't require formal qualifications, but specific training might be necessary for direct animal care. These qualifications might include:

animal care - Level 2 or Level 3
animal management - Level 3
British wildlife rehabilitation - Level 3
veterinary nursing - Level 2

Some organisations provide training, while others prefer previous experience. For example, as an RSCPA animal rescue volunteer, you'll undergo a training programme that includes online learning and hands-on training. You'll have opportunities to complete specialised training in animal handling and risk assessment. To effectively carry out your duties, you'll also need to have access to your own vehicle and a valid driving license.

It's crucial to consider your time commitment when choosing a role. Some positions require regular weekly shifts, while others offer more flexibility or are suitable for short-term commitments. For instance, volunteers at Manchester Animal Shelter are expected to dedicate one day a week to the organisation, while at the Dogs Trust, volunteer canine assistants are needed for as many shifts as possible per week.

What are the challenges when volunteering with animals?

Volunteering with animals can be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. The work is often physically demanding and emotionally tough, especially in rescue and rehabilitation settings.

You may also encounter difficult situations, such as dealing with injured or traumatised animals. It's important to consider these factors and ensure that you're mentally and physically prepared for the role.

Find out more

Discover our tips on getting a graduate charity job.
Explore jobs working with animals.