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The main focus of this project is to provide rescue, rehabilitation, and release of orphaned, injured, and displaced wildlife, and to provide sanctuary with dignity for non-releasable and non-native wild animals. It is ideally suited to volunteers with special skills such as landscaping, mechanics, carpentry or maintenance but volunteers without experience are welcome and will play an important role in volunteering at the sanctuary.
The Volunteer Project
The Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre is dependent on volunteers to support the centre and help care for the orphaned, injured and rescued animals currently at the centre. You may be involved in basic animal care, cleaning cages and feeding, landscaping, data entry, laundry, animal diet preparation, enrichment etc. The centre needs volunteers to carry out duties wherever needed. If you have a certain skill such as mechanics, landscaping, carpentry or maintenance you will have the opportunity to work using these skills during your time at the sanctuary. Occasionally you may have the chance to visit schools or businesses to help educate the public about urban wildlife issues. You also may have the chance to help with the release of rehabilitated animals.
On the 4 week programme you may have the chance to work with:
- fawns (bottle feeding)
- care of baby squirrels
- baby songbirds
- baby opossums, armadillos, domestic animals, etc.
If you choose to join the project for 2 months or longer you will have the opportunity to also work with the following animals:
- Exotic birds and reptiles
- Juvenile opposums
- Water birds
- Baby raccoons
- Baby skunks
- Baby raptors
- Baby cottontails or jackrabbits
By joining for 2 months or longer you will also receiving additional training on admittance guidelines, procedures and emergency arrivals.
If you choose to join the programme for 8-12 weeks you may have the opportunity to receive further training to work with:
- Raptors
- Raccoons
- Skunks
- Foxes
- Bats
- Snakes
- Primates
Please note: The animals you will work with will depend on the time of year as animals have young at different times of the year. Also the variety of animals you may have a chance to work with depends on opportunities available at the time you are on the project and the skills and progress you have made whilst there.
Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health
Project Support
Throughout your stay in Texas you will have the support and guidance of the staff onsite. They will provide you with competent assistance and help you with any questions or advice you may need during your stay.
In addition, you will receive an emergency contact for onsite staff when you arrive and we will provide you with a 24 hour emergency contact number before you depart, so that you can contact one of our UK staff at any time should you need to.
Project Orientation
When you arrive at the project you will have a few days to settle in and you will be given a detailed orientation.
New volunteers will receive an orientation including:
- Basic animal care techniques
- Formula & diet preparation
- Proper bedding and housing
- Enrichment
- Cleaning
- Clinic maintenance
- Safety procedures and regulations
- Training on the area you will be working within whilst on the project
Accommodation & Meals
You will stay in one of three volunteer homes based on the property (mobile homes). Rooms are double occupancy. Each home can be mixed but rooms will be single sex.
All basic furniture is provided such as sofas, tables, chairs, beds, and dressers as well as dishes, pots, pans and cooking utensils. There are two shared bathrooms in each home. The kitchen and living areas are common rooms used by all members of the household. You are responsible to bring or buy your own sheets and towels.
Meals are not included in the price of the programme. We recommend that you budget £25-£30 for food shopping each week. You will have ample opportunity to catch a ride to the local town for shopping throughout each week. You are responsible for cooking your own meals and tidying the kitchen after you are finished cooking. Many volunteers like to shop and cook meals together.
Visa
You will simply need a tourist visa to volunteer. You will be given a 90-day tourist visa when you enter the USA.
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