We couldn't do our vital work without the help of our volunteers
Bristol Animal Rescue Centre cares for thousands of sick, injured, and stray animals each year, relying on dedicated volunteers to make this vital work possible. By volunteering, you not only help give animals a second chance at a happy life but also gain valuable skills and experience. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, united by their passion for animal welfare, and find the experience highly rewarding. Giving your time allows you to see the real impact you make while also building friendships, both human and animal!
We offer a variety of volunteer roles to suit all abilities and backgrounds, including those with health conditions, learning differences, or disabilities. From physically active positions to office-based or flexible roles, we strive to adapt opportunities to individual needs. Our commitment to inclusivity means we support volunteers throughout their journey, making adjustments during training and induction to ensure everyone feels comfortable and confident in their role.
Amber's volunteering experience
‘I have really enjoyed volunteering in the Cattery for the last three years as each cat or kitten you meet has its own unique personality. It’s such a rewarding experience to have played a part in seeing a shy cat come out of its shell as part of its journey to finding its forever home. I have also undertaken several bucket collections at events and supermarkets amongst others for Bristol A.R.C. which has given me the opportunity to fundraise at grass roots level and to inform people of the amazing work of Bristol A.R.C.’
Louise's volunteering experience
‘I have been volunteering at the Bristol A.R.C. for around 10 plus years and I absolutely love it! I am mainly a dog walking volunteer but I do help out at various events the rescue puts on. My passion is encouraging to adopt don’t shop, as so many animals need homes. I love seeing the transformation of the animals that come into the home… the staff go above and beyond to care for the animals. We adopted our beautiful Roxy in 2016 from Bristol A.R.C., and I’ve fundraised through events like the Bristol 10K and a curry quiz night. This is a charity close to my heart and I will continue spreading the word of their wonderful work!’
All the information you need to get started is on this page. For corporate volunteering, please visit this page.
New volunteering vacancies are advertised regularly below, so be sure to check for a role that matches your interests. If internet access is a barrier, please contact us at volunteering@bristolarc.org.uk, and we’ll gladly arrange a phone call or provide alternative resources to assist you with your application.
Volunteer vacancies
Frequently asked volunteering questions
Who can volunteer?
We welcome applications from anyone over the age of 18 who has the right to work/remain in the UK. We have a wide variety of roles to suit different interests and skill sets and these become available to apply for periodically. When there are vacancies you can see their full role descriptions and register your interest via the Volunteering section of our website. 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 help us raise money here.
How much time do I need to volunteer?
Due to the levels of training and support we provide we encourage our volunteers to make a minimum commitment of six months. However, for those who are unable to offer that length of time you could consider volunteering within our fundraising events team. Please keep an eye out for vacancies here.
Do I need specific skills to volunteer?
Volunteering with us is a fantastic way to gain further experience or develop new skills – and we welcome applications from anyone. We know that skills can come from many areas in life and we consider every application to volunteer with this in mind. When we have a volunteering vacancy available to apply for, the role description will tell you more about the qualities that we would feel would make a good match. We read through every application individually, and since some of our roles can be quite popular, hearing about your most relevant experience is particularly useful.
How can we support you as a volunteer?
There are lots of ways to volunteer with Bristol A.R.C., including if you have a health or learning difference, or a disability. Everyone is different, and depending what you are looking for and what you might prefer, we hope to help you find your match. We offer a range of opportunities; some of our volunteer roles involve regular physical activity, whereas other roles can be undertaken on an ad-hoc basis, or are less active (for example, our office roles). We warmly welcome hearing about ways we can try to suit our volunteers’ individual needs, and we seek to make adaptations to roles where practical and possible. This includes through the training process, if a volunteer feels that a particular adjustment could be beneficial to support them on their induction journey into the role.
When new volunteering vacancies become available we advertise these on our website, so please check regularly for a role that seems like the match you are looking for, and we will look forward to your application. For anyone experiencing barriers around internet access, please contact us at volunteering@bristolarc.org.uk and we will be happy to arrange a phone call or alternative resource to help you make your submission.
Do you offer work experience/Veterinary placements?
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer work experience or educational placements at our centre. As of January 2023 our veterinary clinic is no longer able to accept veterinary or nursing placements short or long term.
We do offer a range of volunteering roles to apply for at different times, and you are warmly welcome to apply, including if you are a student. We hope you could learn valuable and rewarding skills as part of volunteering with us, yet please note we would not be able to consider volunteering as a work placement.
Do you offer corporate volunteering?
We have plenty of exciting opportunities for corporate volunteering and would love for your team to get involved! Explore the many ways your business can support our cause by visiting our corporate volunteering page.
I want to volunteer directly with animals, can I do this?
We do have some animal-facing roles that we recruit for at different times. Please note that these particular roles can require a series of training sessions, and availability over a period of time is required to be able to attend these. As such, these roles tend to be well-suited for those who can offer a longer-term commitment.
Because of this we are not able to offer short-term or ad-hoc volunteering with our animals. If you are interested in short-term volunteering, please look out for vacancies for our Fundraising roles. For employer-related volunteering days you can visit our corporate fundraising page for details.
