Animal rescuers attend to and handle animals that are sick, injured or need to be relocated. They are also called animal care industry inspectors, snake/animal catchers and wildlife rescuers.

Animal rescuers typically engage in the following duties:

• responding to calls from the general public about injured animals
• handling animals, including attending to and relocating them
• investigating reports of animal cruelty and providing care and protection.

Industry award coverage

Animal and Veterinary Services Award

Animal rescuers are covered by the Animal and Veterinary Services Award if:

• they work for a community-based charity organisation who are working to prevent cruelty to animals by actively promoting their care and protection (for example, RSPCA)
• there's a classification that matches their qualifications, duties and responsibilities.

Example

John is an animal care industry inspector who works for a charity organisation.

He responds to complaints about abandoned animals.

John is covered by the Animal and Veterinary Services Award. He's classified as an Inspector Level 2.

Local Government Award

Animal rescuers can be covered by the Local Government Award if:

• they're employed by a local government entity or corporation
• there's a classification that matches their qualifications, duties and responsibilities.

Miscellaneous Award

Animal rescuers employed by a business that isn’t covered by an industry award may be covered by the Miscellaneous Award.

They’ll be classified based on their job duties and qualifications.

Example

Steve is a snake catcher working for a reptile relocation business.

He attends call outs for people who have found snakes and needs them relocated.

Steve is covered by the Miscellaneous Award.

Pest Control Award

Animal rescuers aren't covered by the Pest Control Award. This is because animals subject to rescues are generally not considered pests.

If an employee working for a pest control business in the pest control industry occasionally does animal rescue work as part of their employment they may still be covered by the Pest Control Industry Award.

This will depend on:

• the balance of the employee’s duties and responsibilities
• how much of their work is animal rescue.