The Wild Animal Sanctuary is not a zoo… and therefore we do not have a large paid staff, or an army of personnel to take care of every task that needs to be done. Our facility is primarily operated by a very dedicated group of volunteers.
Are you interested in volunteering? If so, then you need to know a few details about how involved our volunteer program is before you apply.
First, we have over 600 large exotic animals currently living here at the sanctuary - and that number is constantly growing due to our dedicated efforts to save the lives of what seems like a never ending stream of animals needing to be rescued.
Second, you need to know caring for this many large carnivores on a weekly basis is a mind boggling task. We feed over 40,000 pounds of a specially blended USDA quality meat diet to our large cats per week - and over 45,000 pounds of specially blended Bear food too!
And cleaning the facility is an incredible task - as thousands of square feet in building space has to be hosed down, scrubbed, and steam cleaned, as we follow a rigorous schedule that keeps our facility amazingly clean - which provides a healthy home for the animals to live in.
But it doesn’t stop there, as we have a myriad of other tasks to complete each day — ranging from office work and educational duties, to fence building, to habitat construction, to fundraising, to working with animals, and always going on - or managing our cross-country rescue schedule.
“No one ever said running a Wild Animal Sanctuary was going to be easy… and after 41 years of back breaking work - I can testify to how committed you will have to be to succeed”.
Pat Craig
Executive Director & Founder
It all boils down to one thing… we need dedicated people who really care, and want to help animals - especially these kinds of magnificent creatures!
However, this is not a part time, fun filled, once in a while thing to do. We require our volunteers to commit heart and soul to the Sanctuary, as the animals here need people they can trust and depend on. If you want to come out once in a while, and stay just a few hours - then this isn’t the place for you.
We need people who will make the Sanctuary a true part of their everyday lives. You will need to come a minimum of two days a month - and we expect you to integrate the animals and their welfare into your daily life. You will need to think, talk, and do everything you can to help the animals. And if this is too much to ask of you… then you really need to rethink whether volunteering at a wildlife sanctuary is what you really want to do!
Now comes the part where you cross that line, change your life, and join one of the finest Sanctuaries in America! All you have to do is click on this link, and it will take you to our online Volunteer Application where you can apply and submit your application. Our Volunteer Coordinator will then contact you to come to a volunteer orientation & training.
One last word of caution though! This is a serious volunteer opportunity, and we don’t accept anyone who isn’t ready to make a total life changing commitment, so be ready to truly dedicate your life to the animals!
If you are ready to apply, please click on the Volunteer Form and download and send it in today...
*NOTES: Minimum Age For Volunteering is 16
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Meet some of our amazing volunteers who won awards last year...