We are here to help them, not to be entertained by them.

Our center takes in just over 3,500 animals per year, comprised of over 100 different species.  Staff and volunteers work together to provide comprehensive diagnoses and treatments for our patients.  Everyone works together to accommodate the feeding, cleaning, and medication requirements of each patient. 

What volunteering does for you:

Unique opportunity to work directly with wildlife and make a meaningful impact on their lives. 

Meet new people and make new friends. 

Strengthen your sense of community.

Gain first-hand knowledge of environmental issues.

Learn new and practical skills.

Gain insight into a field of interest.

Strengthen and improve resumes for employment and scholarships.

We always ask potential volunteers to seriously evaluate their schedules and other commitments before they join our volunteer team, because WRCNU is 98% volunteer-driven and the animals depend on the volunteers for their food, caging, and medical needs. 

Volunteers are expected to attend their scheduled shift every week, and missing a scheduled shift can impact our patients’ lives!

Experienced volunteers may be able to build their schedules, but we do expect all Level-one (new) volunteers to commit to a regular assigned shift.  

Working with animals is hard, dirty and exhausting.  We do not cuddle or play with the animals, as this would be cruel to them.  Baby animals can imprint, and this would cost them their freedom.  Adult animals know that humans are predators, and they want to escape.

We are always striving to provide continued training to volunteers, however, please remember cleaning is a never ending task , it comprises about 80% of the duties here. 

Volunteers learn progressively advanced skills.  These skills include diets, caging requirements, identification, medical treatment and animal handling.  Volunteers must demonstrate mastery of skills in one level before progressing to the next level. 

Volunteers are encouraged to ask questions and observe procedures at any level in order to increase their training and experience.

In this field, you never stop training and learning.  The more you learn the more amazing this field is. 

• Volunteer Program is by Application ONLY--Read more below under "Interested in Volunteering with WRCNU?"
• All volunteers must apply during our limited "OPEN SEASONS" which will appear from time to time throughout the Winter and early Spring as openings become available.  
• Students needing Projects for School Credit and people needing Community Service work, please call or visit us for details--you will fall under a different program. 
• Volunteers must commit to one 4-hour shift a week for a period of at least 4 months. 
• Volunteers working "hands-on" with wildlife must be 18 years or older.  
• Our Youth Volunteer Program is currently closed, but we hope to restart this important program in the future.

We hope you will continue to volunteer past this minimum commitment as our experienced volunteers are our most valuable resource!

Volunteers should be prepared to have fun, get dirty, follow instructions for safe and effective animal care, and LEARN A LOT! 

Volunteering with wild animals involves some inherent health risks and WRCNU is extremely committed to minimizing or eliminating these risks. The health and safety of volunteers is our top priority.  It is recommended that people with compromised immune systems DO NOT volunteer in wildlife rehabilitation.

• We recommend that anyone volunteering at WRCNU inform their regular doctor that they are working with wildlife.
• Pregnant women are not allowed to volunteer with the animals at WRCNU.
• Proper safety and hygiene precautions must be followed at all times.
• Safety equipment is available, and it is expected that volunteers use it. 
• It is a safe practice to change out of your volunteer clothing and wash well before going into pet-occupied areas of your house or handling pets. 

Volunteers are required to have a current tetanus vaccine. 

All animals can carry, contract and spread various diseases, and the wildlife we handle is no exception. Although many diseases are species-specific, some may be transferred between species and to us. Diseases we can contract from animals are called zoonotic diseases or zoonoses.

Zoonoses are a concern in wildlife rehabilitation, however proper hygiene (washing hands before and after handling animals, eating, or using the washroom) and proper safety techniques (wearing gloves or masks) greatly minimize risk.