Outside Volunteer Duties

Making sure our wildlife friends have fresh food, water and a clean comfortable place to recover are our top priorities as their care takers.

Prior to starting your volunteering, you will need to fill out our Volunteer Release Form and do at least one training day. Volunteer shifts for outside are from 8am to 12pm and 12pm to 4pm only.

The outside area is for animals that have been inside and are now healed or grown and are preparing for release. At this important time, they are being acclimated to the outside elements and need to be observed. The youngsters need to learn things that their parents would have taught them. Caring for our educational animals is also the duty for the outside volunteers.

Each area is marked on a board inside so you know who is in which pen and what kind of food to prepare. At the kitchen area, there is an easy to follow guide for making the food and the amounts needed. There is always someone who will gladly answer your questions while you're learning the routine.

Preparing meats, fruits and vegetables is most of the work. Some animals require special foods for nutritional reasons. Any special diets are clearly marked on the board inside.

Cleaning of all the pens is a daily duty. The animals are in the pens when you enter. The animal will want to hide and be as far away from you as possible. You need to move slow, keep the edges of the enclosure and give the animal enough time to move away from you. Do not talk to or approach the animals, this will agitate them and it is more likely that someone will get hurt.

Picking up any old food and scrubbing any dirty areas and then raking the gravel is the outside cleaning procedure. Then you will set them up with fresh food and water.

There are check lists to mark off as you finish each area. We always encourage asking questions, this is the best way to learn.

You will be taught how to enter each pen in a safe manner and will never be asked to do anything you are not comfortable with.

We ask that you are consistent with your weekly volunteer time and please always let us know, in advance, if you cannot make your scheduled shift.

We are willing to teach you as much as you are willing to learn. We could not operate without the help of our volunteers and we appreciate them very much!