Animal Rescue Officer

Overview

As an Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) with the RSPCA, you'll respond to reports of cruelty, neglect, or injury and play a vital role in preventing animal suffering through education, advice, and, where necessary, intervention. This work can be physically and emotionally demanding, but it is also deeply meaningful and highly rewarding. You'll see the direct impact of your decisions and actions on animals' lives and the people connected to them.

We recognise the emotional demands of animal rescue work, and as part of our commitment to your wellbeing, you'll have access to mental health resources, inclusive policies, and ongoing development opportunities to support both your personal resilience and long-term career progression.

Much of the role involves working independently and travelling long distances, including frequent motorway driving and visits to remote rural locations. While you'll often be out on your own, you'll remain closely connected to a supportive and experienced team. We provide comprehensive training, equipment, and guidance to help you work safely and confidently.

You will regularly engage with members of the public in emotionally charged situations. People may be distressed, angry, anxious, or defensive, and effective communication is essential. You'll need to ask the right questions quickly, gather accurate information under pressure, and use calm, confident influencing skills to de-escalate heightened emotions while remaining professional and empathetic. These skills are critical in enabling you to make accountable decisions without immediate supervision, often with real consequences for animal welfare and public safety.

As an ARO, you'll help improve animals' lives every day and contribute to the care and welfare of animals and communities.

We recognise that people bring different strengths, backgrounds, and experiences. If you are resilient, reflective, committed to learning, and motivated by making a difference - even if you don't meet every requirement perfectly but share our values - we encourage you to apply. Are you one of our kind?

Important Dates:
Mandatory online awareness sessions (w/c 9 February). Online assessments (23 February – 6 March). Online interviews (16 – 27 March). Officers who live within the M25 boundary are entitled to the London weighting allowance.

Locations:
To be considered, you must live within one of the postcodes specified in the document attached to this advert titled "London West - Postcodes."

Unfortunately, we are not currently considering applications from candidates who wish to relocate.

• Aged 17 or over at application and 18 by the course start date
• Resilience, good judgement, and strong communication skills, with the ability to handle sensitive conversations
• Ability to work independently, with the support of a wider team
• Willingness to work varied shifts between 8am and 9pm, including bank holidays and weekends
• Availability to start on 18 May 2026 and commit to a continuous, intensive 26-week training programme (annual leave cannot be taken during this period)
• Flexibility to travel for training at locations across the country, with occasional overnight stays
• Full manual driving licence, with recent experience and confidence driving long distances (up to 150 miles per day)
• Comfortable with lone working
• Confident swimmer: able to swim 50 metres fully clothed within 2.5 minutes by the point of assessment during training

Working Hours:

Securing animal welfare isn’t a 9 to 5 role. AROs work a range of shifts between 8am and 9pm, including bank holidays and weekends, and may occasionally need to stay later to complete tasks. Rotas are planned in advance wherever possible, with wellbeing and sustainability in mind.

Training and Support:
You'll receive comprehensive training throughout the 26 week programme and continued support once in post. We are committed to helping you succeed and grow in the role.

We recognise that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to achieving our mission. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those from minority ethnic communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those from non-traditional career paths.

If you need any support with your application or interview, please contact:  or

For more information on the recruitment and pre-employment checking process, please refer to the attached document: ARO Recruitment and Pre-Employment Process – Advert

Final note from us: good luck with your application - we look forward to hearing from you.