About Us

We have an exciting vacancy within our established award-winning team for an Animal Welfare Officer. 

The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth present a unique opportunity to be part of a team who are working together to create a ground-breaking shared staffing structure across both boroughs.

The Animal Welfare Service (formally known as the Dog Control Service) was established in 1987 and has been at the forefront in the UK for promoting responsible dog ownership and animal welfare, whilst having dog friendly laws and regulations which are regularly enforced.

We are looking for a person who cares passionately about animals, is experienced in law enforcement and the collating of evidence and has a common-sense approach to pet ownership and responsibility.  This person would ideally have a working knowledge and experience in the enforcement of laws, in particular The Animal Welfare act 2006, The Environmental Protection Act 1991 sec 149-151, PSPO Dog Control Orders 2020, ASB Act 2014, and the Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023.  Training will be given to the right candidate who has demonstrated an aptitude towards law enforcement or experience in other areas of law enforcement.  They must also be a good communicator, confident and able to use various computer packages and apps, with a level of grammar to prepare witness statements and prepare cases for court or other agencies, and to write reports, have experience in handling dogs and other animals, and on occasion, dangerous dogs, be customer focused and have an ability for solution focused problem solving.

We offer a generous holiday allowance of 40 paid days (pro rata) including bank holidays and a wide range of learning and development opportunities.

In addition, we offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts with many leisure activities, restaurants, shops, and other establishments.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline

Closing Date: Sunday 19^th November 2023

Shortlisting Date: W/C 27^th November 2023

Interview Date: W/C 04^th December 2023

Useful Information

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Important Information

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

Important Information

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils