Bristol Animal Rescue Centre cares for thousands of sick, injured and stray animals every year – and we couldn’t do this vital work without the help of our dedicated volunteers. When you volunteer with us, not only are you helping to give more animals a second chance at a happy life, but you’ll also pick up valuable skills and experience.
Our volunteers come to us for many different reasons, but are united in their enthusiasm and commitment to great animal welfare. Volunteering is a very rewarding experience – when you give your time, you get to see the real difference you are making to the animals in our care. It’s also a great way to develop your skills and make lots of new friends, both human and animal!
All the information you need to get started is on this page. For corporate volunteering, please visit our corporate fundraising page.
Volunteer vacancies
Frequently asked volunteering questions
How do I volunteer at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre?
Check out our volunteer vacancies page for details of the latest vacancies and apply online.
Who can volunteer?
Bristol Animal Rescue Centre is an inclusive organisation and we have volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds. All of our volunteers must be aged 18+ as our insurance doesn’t cover younger volunteers. If you’re under 18 and would like to help, why not start by raising money to help our animals? Find out how you can raise money here.
How much time do I need to volunteer?
Most volunteer roles will require a minimum time commitment, which varies depending on the nature of the volunteer role. Check the volunteer vacancies page for vacancies. If you can’t commit to a regular volunteer position, there are some roles that offer ad hoc opportunities to be involved; these are typically with our fundraising team doing things such as supermarket bucket collections or events.
Can I volunteer with the animals?
Animal care volunteering roles are among the most popular and we receive a huge volume of applications every week. To allow us to handle the number of applications we receive, and to ensure that our staff are able to provide the necessary training and support for these roles, we only operate specific recruitment drives as and when we have space. Please keep an eye on our volunteer vacancies page for the roles to appear. There are many other ways to get involved and we do try to ensure that all our volunteers get to spend at least some time with animals where possible if that’s what they’re keen on – so even office based volunteers get a chance to cuddle cats occasionally!
Do I need specific skills to volunteer?
Some volunteer roles require specific skills or experience, but there are plenty of other roles that anyone can do. Do check the volunteer vacancies page to see which roles we have available and the requirements for these.
What do volunteers get in return?
Volunteering is a great way to gain new skills or develop your existing ones, and meet like-minded people who share the same enthusiasm for animal welfare. All our volunteers receive role specific training, out of pocket expenses and a volunteer T- shirt. You’ll also be invited to join any volunteer meet ups and events we may have throughout the year.
Do you offer work experience?
Unfortunately Bristol Animal Rescue Centre is unable to offer work experience placements to under 18s for insurance reasons. If you’re at university and are looking for a long-term work placement as part of your course, we may be able to facilitate that, but this is decided on a case- by- case basis, depending on the kind of placement you’re looking for and our availability. Please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator on volunteering@bristolarc.org.uk for more information.
Do you offer corporate volunteering?
Yes, we do! Whether your staff want to fundraise for us, donate time to help out for a day, or use their skills to support us, there are plenty of ways to get involved and help make a difference. As we’re a small team, our capacity for corporate volunteer days is limited and demand is high. Visit our corporate volunteering page for more information.
