Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah
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    • Home
    • Donate
      • Donate
      • Become a Sustainer
      • Sponsor Recognition
    • Volunteer
    • Events & News
      • Events
      • Newsletters
    • Resources for Wildlife
    • Education
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Documents
    • Photo/Video Gallery
      • Photo Gallery
      • Video Gallery

  • Home
  • Donate
    • Donate
    • Become a Sustainer
    • Sponsor Recognition
  • Volunteer
  • Events & News
    • Events
    • Newsletters
  • Resources for Wildlife
  • Education
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Documents
  • Photo/Video Gallery
    • Photo Gallery
    • Video Gallery

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

Volunteering with WRCNU

Benefits of Volunteering

Benefits of Volunteering

Benefits of Volunteering

Mikaela pointing out name on Volunteer Awards Plaques

Our center takes in just over 2,500 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 to 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 



Serious Commitment

Benefits of Volunteering

Benefits of Volunteering

Bottle feeding baby weasle

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!

You can build your own schedule, but we do encourage all incoming volunteers to make a commitment to a regular volunteer 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.

Volunteer Training

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteer Requirements

Suture training class

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 Requirements

Volunteer Requirements

Volunteer Requirements

Anthony signing up for hours

  • 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.  Youth opportunities are available in support areas.
  • Youth volunteers must be 16 years or older.

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! 



Health and Safety

Volunteer Requirements

Health and Safety

Safety equipment: Gloves, eye protection and mask

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. 


Zoonotic Diseases

Volunteer Requirements

Health and Safety

Washing hands

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.

Are You Interested in Volunteering?

DUE TO THE HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA HERE IN UTAH this year (2022), WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING NEW VOLUNTEERS THE REMAINDER OF 2022.

Volunteer Openings:  Our Volunteer Program is currently CLOSED for applications . Check back beginning in February 2023 as we hope to be accepting Applications again around that time.


We hope to have OPEN periods in early 2023 -- if truly interested, we highly suggest you check back here once a week, as our "open periods" are posted and filled very quickly and we do not hold old applications.


WRCNU continues to take COVID-19 very seriously and we require all of our staff and volunteers to be fully vaccinated including boosters.  If WRCNU must close its doors due to this virus, there is no place left for sick, injured or orphaned wildlife to receive care and treatment.


To view the application process and to download the Application and Instructions, please click on each of the three links that follow:


- Job Profile

- Position Guide & Requirements

- Volunteer Web Application


Return your Application by emailing to info@wrcnu.org or hand deliver to front desk at the Center before the end of the Application Period.


If you choose to mail your application, know that we are not responsible for late deliveries that may remove your application from consideration.


After WRCNU Staff/Officers review the Applications, we will contact a select few from our group of applicants for a short interview and then make our final selections for the open positions.  Those selected for interviews will be notified shortly after review.


We will NOT be contacting applicants that are not selected; we ask that you understand our already heavy administrative and patient workload.


If you missed this Open Season or were not selected in this round, do not be discouraged, we anticipate a large volume of applicants.  PLEASE keep coming back here to check for new Level-1 Volunteer openings.  We always have many openings prior to each busy Spring Baby Season!


While you wait, please read over our "Position Guide and Requirements" and our "Web Volunteer Application" to ensure this is something you are truly interested in and are able to do.


We may have openings throughout the year for Community Service projects (Minimum Age 16), limited School Intern opportunities, and college classes requiring volunteer hours for school credit.  Inquire by email at info@wrcnu.org 


All Community Service individuals MUST show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  You are considered "fully vaccinated" two weeks after your final vaccination.


Thank you,


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:


- Our Junior Volunteer program starts at age 16+.


- Closing times vary seasonally and the "season" is determined by animal intakes, but typically Winter months are between Oct - Mar, while Summer months are between May - Sep. 


Winter schedule we open at 10:00am and we typically try to leave between 5:00- 6:00pm.  


Summer schedule our hours begin at 10:00am and while we may close at 6pm, we typically finish our work at 8:00pm, but we may find ourselves working until 11:00pm or later.

Do You Need Community Service Hours?

School and Court Directed Hour Requirements

Community Service (CS):  


We will happily "scratch your back if you scratch ours!"  


Age Limit for Court Directed Community Service applicants is 16.


 

All Community Service individuals MUST show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  You are considered "fully vaccinated" two weeks after your final vaccination. 


Please understand t

Community Service (CS):  


We will happily "scratch your back if you scratch ours!"  


Age Limit for Court Directed Community Service applicants is 16.


 

All Community Service individuals MUST show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  You are considered "fully vaccinated" two weeks after your final vaccination. 


Please understand that the availability of open positions for CS varies from week to week.  We have limited positions for CS Projects for School and/or to fulfill Court Directed hour requirements; please give us a call (801-814-7888) to understand the type of tasks you will be assigned and to setup your orientation for available positions.


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Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah

1490 Park Boulevard, Ogden, UT 84401 USA

(801) 814-7888 volunteer@wrcnu.org

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