Wildlife Care Volunteer
Purpose
During the busy spring and summer seasons, there can be upwards
of 300 wild animals in care at Toronto Wildlife Centre, with
additional emergency cases arriving each day. Wildlife Care
Volunteers play an integral part in the rehabilitation of
patients by providing general care to the animals and assisting
with facility maintenance.
How
Volunteers Help
With Toronto Wildlife Centre now receiving close to 6000 animals
a year, the role and responsibilities of Wildlife Care
Volunteers have never been larger. Volunteers are principally
involved with meeting the daily needs of the animal patients we
admit. As a result of their efforts, more than 2000 animals
were successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild
last year.
Example of Activities
1) Monitor,
feed and weigh juvenile and adult wild animals
2) Clean
animal cages and laundry, wash equipment involved in the daily
care of the animals
3) Maintain
the upkeep of the facility
4) Hand
feed wild orphaned animals
Qualifications/Requirements
-
At least 18 years of age – * Note: As it stands at the
moment, we will not be accepting High School Students
looking to fulfill the minimum requirements of 40 hours
community service. The amount of training necessary to work
in our animal care department makes short term volunteering
ineffective.
-
Interest in and respect for the unique needs of wild animals
-
Strong comprehension of English – both written and spoken
-
Updated tetanus vaccination
-
Rabies vaccination not required but volunteers with the
vaccine will have the opportunity to handle rabies vector
species
-
All applicants are invited for a phone interview and will be
notified after of the following steps
Timeframe
Wildlife Care Volunteers are asked to commit to one scheduled
shift of four hours a week over a minimum 10 month period. The
shift schedule is as follows:
|
|
Morning |
Afternoon |
|
Monday through Friday |
8:30am – 12:30pm |
1:30pm to 5:30pm |
|
Saturday and Sunday |
9am – 1pm |
2pm to 6pm |
Due
to the popularity of the position and the relatively limited
number of spaces available, please note that new Wildlife Care
Volunteers may not be accepted or be placed on a waiting list.
Training
Wildlife Care Volunteers are required to attend 2 hour Basic
Skills Training session before starting their first shift.
Volunteers will then be paired with a staff member or a more
experienced volunteer for their initial few shifts.
Location
Toronto Wildlife Centre located in Downsview Park (Sheppard and
Keele)
Benefits
-
Receive in depth training on the proper handling and care of
a broad range of wild species
-
Gain unique hands-on experience with wild animals
-
Earn the opportunity to receive advance training on rare and
more difficult to handle species
-
Receive a reference letter based on your efforts
-
Observe and assist in various rehabilitation procedures
-
Expand knowledge of native species in regards to natural
history, diet and behaviour
