Information about the role of a dog kennel assistant, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
A dog kennel assistant is a specialist operations position within the operational support sector of policing. It's a service deliverer role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
Dog kennel assistants care for dogs boarding at police dog units by providing exercise, food, enrichment, and grooming. They ensure that high standards of welfare to dogs is maintained at all times.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Maintaining kennel cleanliness and high standards of hygiene to ensure the welfare of dogs.
- Applying national and local dog welfare standards when caring for dogs in order to meet their physical and psychological needs and ensure that any issues are identified and addressed immediately.
- Identifying any threats of risk or harm during the care of police dogs by applying health and safety policies and guidelines and completing necessary risk assessments to minimise the impact and risk of harm to police officers, staff and members of the public.
- Keeping and maintaining all records relevant to the care of dogs to ensure that information regarding the dogs is accurate and current and informs their ongoing care appropriately.
- Providing advice and guidance on kennel hygiene and the safe handling of police dogs to visitors or dog handlers within the kennel environment to ensure the safety of all.
- Responding accordingly to dog health concerns, including transporting to veterinary surgeries in line with local transportation policies in order to ensure the welfare of the dog.
- Assisting in the co-ordination of re-homing, including assessment of potential candidates, to safeguard the onward welfare of dogs once they leave the service.
- Assisting in the co-ordination of the raising of police puppies (if applicable) in line with local policy and practices in order to support the ongoing provision of police dogs.
Competencies, values and core skills
The competency and values framework (CVF) provides clear expectations for everyone working in policing. It describes the behaviours required by police officers and staff to be effective in their roles and uphold the Code of Ethics for policing.
Competencies
The CVF has six competencies, which are split into levels. These levels can be used flexibly to allow for a better fit with frontline and non-frontline policing roles, and at different levels of seniority. This ensures that there is consistency throughout all the policing professional profiles. Some roles may contain different CVF levels due to the specialist nature of the role. Those working at higher levels should also fulfil the requirements of the lower levels.
This role should be operating at or working towards the following competencies.
- We are emotionally aware – Level 1: practitioner
- We take ownership – Level 1: practitioner
- We collaborate – Level 1: practitioner
- We support and inspire – Level 1: practitioner
- We analyse critically – Level 1: practitioner
- We are innovative and open-minded – Level 1: practitioner
Values
The CVF has three values that apply to everyone in policing, regardless of their role or seniority.
Core skills
All roles in policing have nine core skills in common. These are split into levels that represent the different levels of policing. This role should be operating at or working towards the following core skills.
- Communicating and influencing – Level 1
- Problem solving – Level 1
- Performance management – Level 1
- Relationship management – Level 1
- Change management – Level 1
- Managing people – Level 1
- Managing resources – Level 1
- Planning – Level 1
- Use of IT – Level 1
Education, qualifications and experience
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following standards, training and qualifications should be met.
Previous education, qualifications and experience
- All staff must have a documented continuing professional development (CPD) portfolio to ensure they are adequately trained or within the process of being trained to promote the welfare of police dogs.
- Successfully completed dog first aid training.
- Experience or knowledge of:
- dog kennel environments
- working dogs and their training
- dog mental enrichment techniques
- dog kennel hygiene and cleaning methods
In-role education, qualifications and experience
- Successfully complete National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) specific risk assessment training requirements for role.
- Successfully complete NPCC specific health and safety training requirements for role.
Continuing professional development
Continuing professional development (CPD) enables everyone in policing to develop and gain recognition for their professional skills, knowledge and competence. CPD ensures that we continue to provide high-quality policing to keep the public safe and help to drive career aspirations. Discussion of CPD is usually included as part of professional development review (PDR) conversations.
Learning and accreditation
- Complete all core training and learning required by the force.
- Complete annual training on risk assessments in relation to all areas of police dog care.
- Any exemptions to learning and accreditation requirements are at chief constable discretion, in line with the local force policy.
Professional development
This role should consider the following CPD:
- maintain and update key knowledge, understanding and skills relating to legislation policy and practice in relation to the kennel assist function and animal welfare
- maintain knowledge and understanding of new approaches identified by evidence-based animal welfare research relating to the kennel assistant function, including problem solving and team working, and synthesise these into working practice(s)
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