Animal Warden

Animal Warden

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic individual to join the Animal Warden Team to help promote responsible dog ownership in the borough. We're looking for someone with proven dog handling expertise, good communication skills and a ‘can do’ attitude.

Working within a small team, the successful candidate will assist with the delivery of the Council’s stray dog service, including collection, care and transport of animals as well as liaison with finders and owners. They will patrol the borough and enforce dog fouling legislation as well as deal with a variety of animal-related complaints.

The Animal Warden will be an experienced dog handler who is confident to handle all other pets. They will recognise dog body language signals and apply safe handling techniques to minimise risk. They will have a thorough knowledge of animal husbandry and maintain the Council’s Animal Pound in a safe and hygienic condition. The successful candidate will be responsible for the health and welfare of impounded animals and will be expected to work flexibly if unexpected situations arise.

The postholder will carry a caseload of complaints relating to animal nuisance or dog-related anti-social behaviour and will need to prioritise and programme work and make day-to-day decisions on cases as required. They will be expected to undertake investigations and use advisory, educative or enforcement tools to resolve problems, and will be keen to work in partnership with other Council teams and external organisations to achieve this.

The successful candidate will be committed to responsible pet ownership and seek to spread this message during the execution of duties. They will participate in community events and assist with campaigns designed to drive behaviour change in some dog owners. They will recognise and celebrate responsible dog ownership and support the community with information and advice. The successful candidate will take pride in help to keep London Borough of Tower Hamlets public spaces safe and clean for everyone to enjoy.

In this role, you will:

• Collect stray dogs, liaise with owners and manage the reclaim process.

• Clean the animal pound and look after the dogs and any other animals in it, including weekends on a rota basis.

• Investigate complaints of animal nuisance or dog-related ASB and use enforcement or other interventions to achieve positive outcomes.

About You
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Previous workplace experience of handling dogs of various sizes/breeds/temperaments.

• Experience of kennel cleaning and animal care.

• Problem solving skills and knowledge of good pet ownership practice.

• Strong communication and collaborative skills, with the ability to work effectively in a diverse community.

Our Benefits

• Competitive salary £39,807-£41,637

• Local Government Pension Scheme membership.

• Generous annual leave: 29 days, rising to 33 with 5+ years’ service, plus bank holidays and 3 additional days at Christmas.

• Flexible and agile working to support work–life balance.

• Staff money-saving schemes (e.g., rent deposit loans, season ticket loans).

• Learning and development opportunities through our Learning Academy, with clear career development and leadership pathways.