Level 3 Animal Care and Management Apprenticeship
Dogs Play Ltd
SWADLINCOTE (DE12 6RL)
Closes on Friday 24 April 2026
Posted on 20 March 2026
Contents
Summary
If you enjoy or have always wanted to work with dogs and people, this is the role for you. You will be responsible for the dogs in our care and planning and organising their day. Ensuring that all the pack leaders are completing their tasks too.
- Wage
-
£15,600 a year
- Training course
- Animal care and welfare manager (level 3)
- Hours
-
Mon-Fri shifts are staggered throughout the day from 7:15 am to 6:15 pm. Shift length from 6 to 9 hours, depending on the needs of the business.
Also, we are open Sat shifts are 7:45 am - 1:15 pm and they are on a rota basis.
30 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 11 May 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Responsible for the plan for the day
- Greet dogs and their owners
- Responsible for the dog's welfare
- Supervise pack leaders in their daily tasks
- Supervise enrichment activities
- Cleaning up after dogs
- Feeding dogs
- Communications with dog owners and senior management
Where you'll work
GRASMERE
SANDY LANE
CALDWELL
SWADLINCOTE
DE12 6RL
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BOTTLE GREEN TRAINING LIMITED
Training course
Animal care and welfare manager (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Provide care for animals to meet their welfare needs and in accordance with company policy, legal and regulatory obligations.
- Monitor and oversee animal care ensuring the five welfare needs are met and in accordance with company policy, legislation and regulations.
- Evaluate animal behavioural characteristics in order to establish animal care requirements.
- Assess and evaluate animal health using the least invasive methods and use this to inform the care plan.
- Deliver medical and preventative treatments in accordance with company policies and following veterinary advice.
- Handle and move animals using the least invasive, minimally aversive methods suitable for the situation.
- Assess animal weight and carry out body condition scoring.
- Produce care plans to meet the welfare needs of the animal.
- Implement animal socialisation strategies to ensure animal health and welfare is maintained.
- Select sustainable accommodation solutions that ensure the welfare, safety and security of animals.
- Manage biosecurity risks by ensuring disinfecting, cleaning and waste disposal in line with company procedures and legislation.
- Complete health and safety risk assessments.
- Monitor compliance with risk assessments and provide feedback to support the development of health and safety policies.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Collaborate with colleagues, supply chains and customers.
- Supervise the day to day running of the business (including the allocation of resources, ordering stock and scheduling workload).
- Keep up to date with advances in animal care working practices and technologies and identify opportunities for these to be applied.
- Monitor the health and safety of animals and people in accordance with company policies and procedures.
- Support and mentor colleagues and provide constructive feedback.
- Seek feedback and identify personal development needs. Undertake and apply learning from relevant continual professional development.
- Provide operational information to inform team goals and objective setting.
- Monitor progress towards the achievement of team goals and objectives.
- Assimilate information to make changes to the animal care provision.
- Provide care for animals to meet their welfare needs and in accordance with company policy, legal and regulatory obligations.
- Monitor and oversee animal care ensuring the five welfare needs are met and in accordance with company policy, legislation and regulations.
- Evaluate animal behavioural characteristics in order to establish animal care requirements.
- Assess and evaluate animal health using the least invasive methods and use this to inform the care plan.
- Deliver medical and preventative treatments in accordance with company policies and following veterinary advice.
- Handle and move animals using the least invasive, minimally aversive methods suitable for the situation.
- Assess animal weight and carry out body condition scoring.
- Produce care plans to meet the welfare needs of the animal.
- Implement animal socialisation strategies to ensure animal health and welfare is maintained.
- Select sustainable accommodation solutions that ensure the welfare, safety and security of animals.
- Manage biosecurity risks by ensuring disinfecting, cleaning and waste disposal in line with company procedures and legislation.
- Complete health and safety risk assessments.
- Monitor compliance with risk assessments and provide feedback to support the development of health and safety policies.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Collaborate with colleagues, supply chains and customers.
- Supervise the day to day running of the business (including the allocation of resources, ordering stock and scheduling workload).
- Keep up to date with advances in animal care working practices and technologies and identify opportunities for these to be applied.
- Monitor the health and safety of animals and people in accordance with company policies and procedures.
- Support and mentor colleagues and provide constructive feedback.
- Seek feedback and identify personal development needs. Undertake and apply learning from relevant continual professional development.
- Provide operational information to inform team goals and objective setting.
- Monitor progress towards the achievement of team goals and objectives.
- Assimilate information to make changes to the animal care provision.
Training schedule
Training is all carried out on-site.
There will be 1-1 sessions with the apprenticeship provider once a month.
Off Job training will be on going throughout
More training information
This is to be confirmed by Bottle Green shortly.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
Other in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
full UK driving license
About this employer
We are a family run business that has been going for over 10 years. We pride ourselves on creating a great supportive team environment to learn and thrive within. We have a five star licence and look after 48+ dogs per day.We have won various apprenticeship provider awards and want to help people reach their true potential
After this apprenticeship
We can not guarantee a full-time position after your apprenticeship. However, if there is a supervisor role available, you may apply for it once the apprenticeship is completed
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Dogs Play Ltd
Fleur Priestley
info@dogsplaydaycare.co.uk
07976724501
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000021599.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 24 April 2026