Join the dedicated team of SPCA staff and volunteers
Working with the SPCA, you'll face the heartache of seeing first-hand the cruelty inflicted on some animals. Equally, you'll experience the joy of witnessing their recovery to good health; you'll share in the satisfaction of knowing that families you've been in contact with are treating their animals better; and you'll feel a sense of achievement when individual cases are completed.
SPCA Inspectors play an integral role in the SPCA's work throughout New Zealand. They provide:
- Hands-on treatment of animals
- Information and advice
- Management of emergency cases
- Advice to local councils
- Records and data for prosecution cases
SPCA Inspectors contribute significantly to the SPCA's primary motivations of:
- Preventing cruelty to animals
- Alleviating suffering of animals
- Education and advocacy
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If you really want to make a difference to the lives of animals throughout New Zealand, If you can work independently and responsibly, |
- What's the first step?
- What attributes should I have?
- What does the SPCA Inspector's job involve?
- What does Inspector training involve?
- Does an Inspector get paid?
- Career path
- For more information...
What's the First Step?
Your local SPCA is a great place to start. Each SPCA has a team of staff and volunteers who work together in various ways to advance the welfare of all animals in New Zealand. By volunteering at your local SPCA, you'll become familiar with how the organisation works, who is responsible for what, how the various areas function, how individual cases are handled, and so on.
Becoming involved in your local SPCA also gives the people there the opportunity to get to know you. After all, it's your local SPCA that nominates people they consider suitable for the role of SPCA Inspector. They make the decision to recommend a person for inspector training. A formal application is then processed by the national executive at SPCA National Office.
Click here to find contact details for your local SPCA.
What Attributes Should I Have?
Your work ethic, attitude and commitment are by far the most important factors when considering your suitability to become an SPCA Inspector.
Other qualities include:
- Mature temperament, confident and emotionally stable
- Experience and/or basic knowledge of animals and their welfare needs
- Physically fit
- Ability to make decisions and judgement calls
- Excellent information-gathering skills
- Methodical and organised
- Capable of keeping good notes and records
What Does the SPCA Inspector's Job Involve?
An Inspector's primary role is to respond to complaints about the ill-treatment or neglect of a range of animals in the community.
A significant part of an Inspector's duties is education. Often, animals are unintentionally neglected and those responsible are genuinely upset by the incident. In these cases, the Inspector can initiate change immediately through the provision of information and positive education.
There may be calls to emergency situations where animals require immediate assistance or rescue. Some instances may necessitate court action, so the Inspector is required to gather evidence and prepare a prosecution file.
Some SPCA branches have only one Inspector, but other experienced SPCA Inspectors are always just a phone call away for advice and assistance.
What Does Inspector Training Involve?
SPCA Inspector training is provided through Unitec's Certificate in Animal Welfare Investigations. It takes approximately 12 months to complete the national certificate, with the majority of study undertaken by distance learning, as well as three 5-day block courses.
Trainee Inspectors put through the course by the SPCA are sponsored by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), so all their course fees and associated costs are covered. Private students will have to pay for their own course fees and other associated costs.
Does an Inspector get Paid?
Remuneration is dependent on the financial status of each SPCA branch/member society. A significant proportion of SPCA Inspectors are volunteers, and are only available on-call or outside the working hours of their other positions of employment. A vehicle is usually available for transporting animals, and some allowances may be offered.
Career Path
The qualification, skills and experience of SPCA Inspectors can also contribute to a career path in other animal welfare-related areas, including:
- Zoos
- City councils
- MPI
- Animal Welfare Group Biosecurity
- Local government animal control
For More Information...
To find out more about becoming an SPCA Inspector, please contact:
Barbara Daw
RNZSPCA National Office
PO Box 15349
New Lynn
Waitakere 0640
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(09) 827 6094 ext 202
