Animal Welfare Assistant

Animal Welfare Assistant

Position Objectives:

To learn the art of minor veterinary services and community engagement before pursuing the full-time responsibility of an animal welfare assistant

To learn community intervention principles and basic clinical skills through close observations and practice

To improve the welfare of working bullocks in the areas of greatest need.

Term of Employment:

Full-time

Reports To:

Veterinary Field Officer cum Team Leader

Location:

The Animal Rahat district office in Kolkata with regular travel to selected or assigned operational areas (This position requires 90% field time and only 10% office time.)

Primary Responsibilities and Duties:

Learn the basic principles of applied animal welfare

Learn Animal Rahats standards of minor veterinary services

Learn basic skills of community engagement

Scout assigned areas, look for suffering animals, provide first aid and primary care, and seek help from veterinary officers in major cases

Make scheduled visits to villages, markets, and sugarcane mill congregation sites to build rapport with bullock owners and family members

Improve animal owners awareness of the Five Freedoms of animal welfare through appropriate methods to get them to improve their practices

Develop good rapport with important stakeholders such as farriers, sugarcane factory management, feed sellers, and government and private paravets to improve facilities and practices

Record and report community engagement activities and results of actions to the supervisor

Update veterinary officers on minor and follow-up veterinary services that were provided

Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor

Qualifications:

Diploma in livestock management and dairy production from a recognised college

Minimum of two years of experience in a paravet role

Basic knowledge of community development work

Good communication skills in Hindi and Marathi preferred

Commitment to the objectives of the organisation