There are a variety of ways for volunteers to serve in the Center's veterinary department, depending on interests, availability, and the needs of the Center. Interested applicants can find a description of each area below, as well as requirements and availability. Due to shift restrictions in some areas, volunteer positions will not always be available.
How to become a volunteer
Once you have looked at the general requirements and the various volunteer opportunities to identify your interest, submit your completed application (below) to wildlife@wildlifecenter.org. Please understand that we receive a high volume of inquiries and we will respond as soon as possible.
Volunteers work with their team during a specific shift; there are two shifts (3-4 hrs) a day, seven days a week to choose from. The morning shift starts at 8:00 am and the evening shift at 3:00 pm.
Volunteer orientations take place throughout the year. As vacancies occur, we contact applicants for a phone and/or in-person interview.
Minimal requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Have health insurance and be up-to-date on the tetanus vaccination
- Able to commit to a minimum of one shift weekly for at least six months
- Pay a volunteer T-shirt fee
Hospital Volunteers
Hospital Volunteers assist staff and veterinarians with the care of wildlife patients. Hospital volunteers prepare meals, clean cages, wash dishes, wash floors, and disinfect counters. Responsibilities increase with experience and demonstrated commitment. No prior veterinary or animal handling experience is needed.
Additional requirement: All Hospital Volunteers must obtain and annually renew a Category IV wildlife rehabilitation permit through the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries after the initial volunteer orientation.
Rehabilitation Volunteers (mammals and birds):
Volunteers will work closely with the rehabilitation staff as they perform daily tasks including:
- Meal preparation and daily feeding/watering
- Cleaning, hosing, and scrubbing pens of all animals housed indoors and outdoors
- Assisting staff with capture and restraint of patients
- Record weights and food intake
- Cage set-up and maintaining proper environment
- Monitoring progress of patients
- Help hand-feeding orphaned birds and mammals
- Help in the daily exercise of raptors
- Assisting with maintaining a clean and organized facility
Additional Requirements for bird and mammal Rehabilitation Volunteers: A pre-exposure rabies vaccination and a titer check every two years. This will be discussed at the volunteer orientation.
Status: Not currently accepting applications -- check again in Spring 2019!
Rehabilitation Volunteers (reptiles):
Volunteers will work closely with the rehabilitation staff as they perform daily tasks including:
- Meal preparation and daily feeding/watering
- Cleaning, hosing, and scrubbing enclosures of all reptiles housed indoors and outdoors
- Disinfection of enclosures and counters
- Assist staff with capture and restraint of reptile patients
- Record weights and food intake
- Cage set-up and maintaining proper environment
- Monitoring progress of reptile patients
- Help in the care of our education reptiles
- Assist with maintaining a clean and organized facility
Status: Not currently accepting applications -- check again in Spring 2019!
Treatment Volunteers:
Volunteers will work closely with the veterinary staff as they perform daily tasks including:
- Cleaning, hosing, and scrubbing enclosures of all animals housed indoors and outdoors
- Assist staff with capture and restraint of patients
- Assist veterinary staff with daily medical treatments
- Assist veterinary staff with medications and supplies inventory
- Assist veterinary staff with medical record-keeping
- Assist with maintaining a clean and organized facility
- Perform basic diagnostic tests
Additional Requirements for Treatment Team volunteers: A pre-exposure rabies vaccination and a titer check every two years. This will be discussed at the volunteer orientation.
Status: Not currently accepting applications -- check again in Spring 2019!
Kitchen Volunteers
Kitchen volunteers assist staff in the preparation of meals and nutrition of patients. Daily tasks include:
- Washing dishes
- Washing floors and disinfecting counters
- Meal preparation for reptiles, mammals, and birds
- Help harvest wild foods (browse, acorns, nuts, berries, etc)
- Keep food inventory
- Sorting and packing food
- Picking up donated products
- Assist with maintaining a clean and organized facility
Status: Not currently accepting applications -- check again in Spring 2019!
Administration Volunteers
Administration volunteers help with medical record-keeping and updating important information of our patients in an online database. Daily tasks include:
- Medical record-keeping
- Organization of medical records and diagnostic tests
- Organizing data for research projects
- Help implementing protocols and procedures
- Assist staff with supply inventory
- Copying, scanning, and organizing documents
- Assist with maintaining a clean and organized facility
Status: Not currently accepting applications -- check again in Spring 2019!
Carpentry-Maintenance Volunteers
Carpentry-maintenance volunteers will help with the maintenance, repairing, and building of animal crates, boxes, enclosures, and perches. Construction of some materials [boxes, perches, etc] can be done from home or from the Center! Materials will be provided, though the staff welcome the donation of materials as well. Tasks include:
- Assist with maintaining a clean and organized facility
- Building wood boxes for squirrels, owls, woodpeckers, and other wildlife patients
- Help in the repairs of the building and patient enclosures
- Help in the repair and maintenance of roofs, floors, doors, plumbing, etc.
- Help in the building and design of new patient enclosures
- Help implement the preventive maintenance protocol for the hospital building and animal enclosures
- Help remove debris, leaves, and snow from roofs and floors of enclosures
Status: Not currently accepting applications -- check again in Spring 2019!
Ready to apply? Download this application form, fill out, and email to wildlife@wildlifecenter.org.
Learn more about our outreach and transport volunteer opportunities.
Thanks for your interest in volunteering with the Wildlife Center of Virginia!
