Animal Care Auxiliary

About the Role

This is a night-shift animal care role supporting PDSA’s mission to provide veterinary care for pets whose owners face financial hardship. You’ll work 12-hour overnight shifts (8pm–8am) on a 2 shifts on, 4 shifts off rota, giving you genuine work-life balance alongside purposeful work. Based at PDSA Liverpool Huyton, you’ll be part of a collaborative team in a modern, well-equipped hospital with separate dog and cat facilities, radiography, ultrasound, and endoscopy equipment.

You’ll maintain clean, safe and hygienic environments for inpatient animals, assist with careful handling, support the clinical team with practical tasks, and provide calm, sympathetic reception cover when needed. Depending on hospital needs, you may work as part of a small team or use your own initiative independently—but you’ll always know when to escalate concerns to colleagues.

This temporary 3-month position suits someone with genuine passion for animal welfare, practical skills, and a caring approach who wants to make a real difference in the local community.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain clean, safe and hygienic environments for overnight inpatient animals
• Assist with animal handling under clinical guidance
• Support the clinical team with practical tasks during night shifts
• Provide reception cover when needed, communicating calmly and sympathetically with clients
• Encourage appropriate financial contributions to support PDSA’s work
• Work independently or as part of a small team, using initiative while knowing when to escalate concerns
• Promote pet wellbeing and high standards of clinical care

Requirements

• Genuine passion for animal welfare and keen to learn and grow
• Strong customer service skills and caring, practical approach
• Reliable, resilient and confident using your own initiative
• Ability to work independently at times and as part of a team
• Good communication skills, both with colleagues and clients
• Ability to work nights (12-hour shifts, 8pm–8am)
• Commitment to high standards of clinical care and pet wellbeing

Benefits

• Salary: £13.45 per hour
• Hours: 28 hours per week on flexible 2 shifts on, 4 shifts off rota
• Holiday: 25 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Special Days: Three paid special days off annually (Volunteering Day, Celebration Day, Wellbeing Day)
• Pension: Generous scheme with PDSA contributions starting at 5% and rising to 10%
• Life Assurance: Four times annual salary
• Wellbeing Support: AXA Health Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 access
• Staff Discounts: 15% discount on PDSA Pet Insurance, plus access to staff veterinary services and Fetch benefits platform (retail, holiday, lifestyle discounts)
• Family-Friendly: Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Flexible Working: Options available to support work–life balance and individual circumstances

About the Practice

PDSA Liverpool, Huyton is a modern, collaborative pet hospital serving the Liverpool community. For over a century, PDSA has provided vital veterinary care for pets of people in financial hardship. The hospital is well-equipped with separate dog and cat kennelling facilities, in-house radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, piped gases and extensive orthopaedic equipment. Teams are highly collaborative with varied clinical interests, creating a culture of case discussion and shared learning.

PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity, committed to embedding diversity, inclusion and accessible working practices. The organisation is undergoing ambitious growth to support even more people and their pets across the country.