Animal Care Assistant

About the Role

Vets Now is the UK's leading provider of emergency pet care, operating over 60 dedicated out-of-hours clinics and two 24/7 pet emergency hospitals serving more than 1700 veterinary practices. This weekend overnight role at the Sidcup clinic offers the chance to work within a high-energy emergency and critical care setting, supporting our clinical teams in delivering vital care during critical hours.

You'll work Saturday overnight shifts from 23:00 to 09:00, plus a fair share of bank holidays, in a role that combines patient handling, theatre support, and in-patient care. This is hands-on work in a fast-paced environment where your contribution directly impacts animal welfare.

Key Responsibilities

• Work under the guidance of Vet Nurses and Vet Surgeons in the emergency clinic
• Handle patients for basic procedures and assist with running diagnostic tests
• Set up and clear down theatres for surgical procedures
• Attend to in-patient husbandry needs and basic care requirements

Requirements

• No specific qualifications or prior experience required
• Willingness to work overnight Saturday shifts (23:00-09:00)
• Ability to work in a busy, demanding emergency environment
• Physical capability to handle animals and assist with clinical tasks

Benefits

• Competitive hourly rate of £15.46 per hour
• 7 weeks paid annual leave, pro rata
• Birthday paid day off
• Cash Health Plan provided by Simply Health
• Vets Now For You reward gateway with discounts and cashback from hundreds of retailers
• £780 CPD allowance, pro rata
• 10 hours paid CPD time annually, pro rata
• Family-friendly policies including sick pay, maternity, paternity and adoption pay schemes
• UK Standard Pension: 5% employee and 3% employer contributions
• Up to 50% discounted staff pet care
• Paid volunteering days
• Death in service benefit of two times annual salary

About the Practice

Vets Now is the UK's leading emergency pet care provider, with a network of 60 plus dedicated out-of-hours clinics and two 24/7 pet emergency hospitals supporting over 1700 veterinary practices nationwide. The organisation is committed to providing accessible emergency and critical care to pets across the UK.

As a Disability Confident Employer, Vets Now welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including those from diverse and minority groups, and is committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.