Veterinary Assistant

Dogs Trust Company Limited; Basildon; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

An animal welfare charity is seeking a part-time Veterinary Assistant in Basildon. The role involves providing excellent care to dogs, supporting veterinary staff, and ensuring a clean clinical environment. Candidates should be reliable, flexible, and possess strong communication skills. A qualification in animal care is desirable but not essential. This position offers an annual compensation of £19,925 plus benefits, contributing to the welfare of dogs awaiting adoption.

Qualifications

• Ability to work independently or in a team.
• Passionate about animal welfare and care.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide care to dogs in the veterinary suite, including cleaning and food preparation.
• Support the Veterinary Nurse with the smooth running of the suite.
• Transfer dogs to and from veterinary practices for surgery.
• Occasionally support teams in kennels.

Skills

Reliable

Flexible

Excellent communication

Education

Qualification in animal care (desirable)

Job description

Veterinary Assistant

Application Deadline: 31 December 2025

Department: Rehoming

Employment Type: Permanent - Part Time

Location: Basildon

Compensation: £19,925 per year + benefits

Description

Are you an efficient, pro‑active dog‑lover who is passionate about ensuring dogs in our care receive excellent veterinary care?

We’re looking for a Veterinary Assistant (30 hours per week) to assist in the efficient running of our veterinary suite at our rehoming centre.

What does this role do?

As Veterinary Assistant, you’ll:

• provide excellent care to dogs staying in the veterinary suite, including cleaning, food preparation and monitoring recovery kennels,
• support the Veterinary Nurse with the smooth running of the suite, from maintaining a clean clinical environment and scheduling appointments, to supporting with consultations and meetings with adopters,
• transfer dogs to and from local veterinary practices for surgery,
• support our teams in kennels occasionally.

Could this be you?

To be successful in this role, you’ll need to be reliable and flexible, with the ability to work on your own initiative or in a team to ensure that our dogs receive an excellent standard of care. You’ll also need excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and be able to empathise with colleagues and adopters, handling the potentially emotionally demanding elements of the role. While a qualification in animal care is desirable, we welcome applications from enthusiastic candidates who are passionate about our work and have a commitment to our aims and objectives.

What does this team do?

Our rehoming centres house thousands of dogs each year until they are able to find a loving new home, and the success of our centres wouldn't be possible without our dedicated team of staff and volunteers; there is a real family‑community within each of our centres. Come rain or shine, our team are out in all weathers to make sure the dogs have the best possible life. Dealing with thousands of visitors each month, our rehoming centres are the face of Dogs Trust and we pride ourselves on our staff providing the very best in customer service.