Sleeping shift co-driver/driver

Who are we

Dierenambulance Nederrijn responds to more than 3,600 calls annually to help animals in need in the municipalities of Ede, Renkum, Rhenen, Veenendaal, and Wageningen. Our volunteers are ready for this task 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year!

The main task of the animal ambulance is transporting animals in distress. These can be animals from the wild, as well as domesticated animals. In addition, we provide paid taxi rides by appointment to, for example, a veterinarian, boarding kennel, groomer, or shelter.

Function-specific information

In this role, you are at the forefront of carrying out our mission: helping animals in need.

Every shift is different, and at night the rule is: We only respond to emergencies. So who knows, you might be assisting the fire department at a fire, transporting a dog with gastric torsion to the vet, or your help might be called upon by the police. You never know what you'll be doing in an hour; that's what makes it so varied.

You act calmly and decisively, thereby reassuring people and animals. You are in good physical condition, making catching animals no problem. You are also emotionally strong, as not every story has a happy ending. You do not give up easily in difficult situations and do everything to help an animal in distress!

New ambulance volunteers are first trained as co-drivers with us. After the induction period, it is possible to receive further training to become a driver.

What does a night shift look like?

The shift runs from 10:00 PM to 9:00 AM. You keep the phone with you, even when you go to bed. So you don't have to stay awake all night or drive around. You can just sleep.

You will only be called and head out with your driver in case of an emergency. Think, for example, of a cat that has been hit by a car and is lying injured by the side of the road that cannot wait until the next morning. We save non-urgent calls for the morning team.

Briefly summarized:

• You work a night shift from 22:00 to 09:00.
• You (as the driver) take the animal ambulance home.
• As a passenger, you keep the phone next to your bed.
• You can just sleep
• You only drive out in emergencies.
• Non-urgent calls are for the morning team.
• The night shift operates all year round.
• You receive a compensation of €11 per night shift.

Is it always busy at night?

No. Our busiest period runs from about mid-April to October, and even then you simply sleep for most of the night. Most of the trips occur between 10:00 PM and midnight and between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Around that time, it is usually quiet. Of course, we can never predict when an emergency will come in at night, but we explicitly only respond at night for situations that cannot wait.

Doing

• Helping animals in need
• Handling the administration for every trip
• Keeping work equipment clean

To get

• Contribute to animal emergency relief in our service area
• Pleasant workplace with committed colleagues
• Insurance and travel and overnight duty allowance
• Internal training
• Clothing on loan
• Lectures, courses and training
• Social activities

Be able to

• Good command of the Dutch language
• Minimum age of twenty years
• Proficient with smartphone and computer
• Physically and mentally capable of doing this work

Extra for the driver

• Driving the ambulance
• Driving license B

Spending of time

The service hours are as follows: 22:00-09:00

We will be present fifteen minutes before the shift begins for the handover. Please bear in mind that a shift can run significantly over time.

Minimum time commitment: Three shifts per four weeks.

We invest a lot of time in training new co-drivers / drivers, so we are looking for people who really want to commit to us for the long term (at least one year).