Before applying, please view “Working at a wildlife rehabilitation Center: things you should know.“
Wildlife rehabilitation work is multifaceted and demanding. Many permit holders burn out, and their centers close after just a few years.
Red Creek has been serving Southeastern Pennsylvania continuously since 1991, and we attribute much of that success to our volunteers. Red Creek treats all species of Pennsylvania wildlife and admits over 1000 wild patients each year. One person can not do the work alone, but together we can make a huge difference.
Whether you are comfortable working with the animals or not, YOU have special talents we can use. If you love what we are doing and want to be a part, please check out what we have to offer:
NOTE – Requirements for many positions have changed. Please read all requirements before applying!
Overview:
Animal care volunteers assist with the direct care of wildlife patients, ambassadors, and foster animals. The daily tasks of an animal care volunteer include cleaning cages, weighing animals, diet preparation, feeding, washing dishes, organizing supplies, and assisting with enrichment. Volunteers who are able may also assist rehabilitation staff with first aid, treatment, medications, and releases. Baby season is typically March to October. During this time, volunteers may be able to assist with syringe feeding, bottle feeding, and tube-feeding a variety of baby bird and mammal species.
Additional Opportunity:
If you would like to consider also providing wildlife capture and transport services, this can be discussed during orientation. It does require a higher level of commitment, as well as a certification process.
Requirements:
- Be over 18 years old
- Commit to a minimum of one 4 hour long shift, between 9 am and 3 pm, either every week or every other week
- Ability to bend and kneel easily, lift at least 40 lbs, stand for at least 4 hours, and be able to walk unaided and on uneven terrain
- Be reliably able to attend scheduled shifts
- Be able to follow animal handling and safety guidelines, biosecurity protocols, and animal health plans
- MUST attend an orientation and training day.
Overview:
Baby songbird care volunteers assist our facility with a tedious, but important task - feeding and cleaning baby songbirds. During baby season, we receive hundreds of baby songbirds, many of which require feeding every 15 minutes to every 30 minutes from early morning to evening. Baby songbird care volunteers who come in for a shift get to hang out in the center and feed baby songbirds. Volunteers may also be asked to clean baby songbird enclosures and/or refill fledgling songbirds' food and water dishes.
Requirements:
- Be over 18 years old
- Commit to a minimum of one 2-hour shift between 9 am and 8 pm, either once per week or once every other week.
- Be reliably able to attend scheduled shifts
- Be able to follow animal handling and safety guidelines, biosecurity protocols, and animal health plans
- MUST attend an orientation and training day
- Be able to be around bird dander for an extended period of time without adverse health impacts
Overview:
Community Event Volunteers sign up to be called on when needed to assist with community, fundraising, and/or educational events. These may be either on Red Creek’s property or an off-site event. Volunteers may be asked to check in attendees, handle merchandise sales, guide tours of our educational facilities, run game and/or craft stations, or handle ambassador animals.
Requirements:
- Be over 18 years old
- Be reliably able to attend scheduled events
- Be able to follow animal handling and safety guidelines, biosecurity protocols, and animal health plans
- Ability to bend and kneel easily, lift at least 40 lbs, stand for at least 4 hours, and be able to walk unaided and on uneven terrain if interested in anything other than handling sales
- MUST attend an orientation and training day prior to attending your first event
Overview:
General Maintenance Volunteers come in to complete facility and grounds maintenance tasks. This may include weeding, collecting vegetation for patient diets, sweeping, mopping, cleaning/changing air filters, washing dishes, wiping windows, maintaining our vegetable garden, keeping the parking lot clear, and other tasks as needed.
Requirements:
- Be over 18 years old
- Commit to a minimum of one 2 hour shift between 9 am and 8 pm either once per week or once every other week.
- Be reliably able to attend scheduled shifts
- Be able to follow animal handling and safety guidelines, biosecurity protocols, and animal health plans as necessary to complete tasks
- Ability to bend and kneel easily, lift at least 40 lbs, stand for at least 4 hours, and be able to walk unaided and on uneven terrain, including up and down stairs while carrying a load
- MUST attend an orientation and training day
Overview:
Special Skills Volunteers sign up to be called on when needed to assist with facility projects that may require special skills and/or materials. If you are a business or a skilled professional who would like to contribute on a case-by-case basis, please submit an application and we will reach out if and when we have a need for those skills.
Requirements:
- Be over 18 years old
- Be reliably able to attend scheduled events
- Be able to follow animal handling and safety guidelines, biosecurity protocols, and animal health plans
- Ability to bend and kneel easily, lift at least 40 lbs, stand for at least 4 hours, and be able to walk unaided and on uneven terrain.
Overview:
Inventory Volunteers commit to coming in once per month to help staff members put away donations. This may include carrying boxes to attic storage, sorting newspaper donations to remove ads, carrying dog/cat food bags, sorting medical supplies under staff direction, labelling boxes, and folding laundry.
Requirements:
- Be over 18 years old
- Be reliably able to attend scheduled shifts
- Be able to follow animal handling and safety guidelines, biosecurity protocols, and animal health plans as necessary
- Ability to bend and kneel easily, lift at least 40 lbs, stand for at least 4 hours, and be able to walk unaided and on uneven terrain, including up and down stairs while carrying a load
- MUST attend an orientation and training day
Overview:
Administrative volunteers help complete public relation and office tasks. This may include stuffing thank you letter envelopes, printing and sorting education materials, putting together enrichment kits, handling small mailing tasks, categorizing books for our book sales, greeting and doing sales in our education building, and other administrative tasks that staff may need assistance with. There may be some opportunities to complete tasks remotely.
Requirements:
- Be over 18 years old
- Be reliably able to complete assigned tasks
- Be able to follow animal handling and safety guidelines, biosecurity protocols, and animal health plans as necessary
- MUST attend an orientation/training day
Application
An application can be filled out online or downloaded to print. Applicants must also read and sign our volunteer agreement and liability release form and provide a criminal background check.
Although our application requirements may seem strict, working with wildlife is both a great responsibility and a great privilege. Wildlife rehabilitation is strictly regulated by state and federal laws and Red Creek Wildlife Center does not take that responsibility lightly.
