Volunteer

Volunteering in animal care can look very different at different points throughout the year, based on the animals we have. During the spring and summer, we feed orphaned and injured wildlife, primarily infant and juvenile animals, three times a day, seven days a week. In the Fall and Winter, we feed once a day, seven days a week. No matter the season, we take this job very seriously. If you volunteer with the animals, you will be expected to:

• Take all necessary safety precautions
• Come in clothes to get dirty in, and closed-toed shoes
• Prepare food according to guides
• Hand-feed infant animals
• Fill out feeding sheets accurately
• Clean enclosures, dishes, and supplies
• Keep common facility areas clean

These animals are wild, and they are only here as a transition back into their natural environment. We are fortunate to be involved in that process. We ask that our volunteers DO NOT pet, play with, or talk to the patients in our care. 

Often times, animals in need of treatment are called in by concerned community members. In these instances, our transport volunteers are a critical part of our team. When we receive a call about an injured or orphaned animal, we pass the information along to our transport volunteers, who then pick up the animal and bring it to Garrison Animal Hospital for assessment.

If neither feeding or transporting appeal to you (or you just have that much extra energy) you should try coordinating one of our events! We provide a how-to manual with details from previous years, and a board member will be assigned to assist you. 

Being in charge isn't for everyone, though, so if coordinating is not for you, we also need volunteers to man our booths at these events! We sell merchandise, answer questions, and make connections! 

View our EVENTS page to learn more!

We are always looking for submissions to our newsletters! If we do not use them right away, we will stash them for future use! 

Members receive our Trumpeter publication quarterly (March, June, September, December).

Everyone can access our E-newsletter on our website, HERE. (January, February, April, May, July, August, October, November).

Part of Wild and Free’s mission is to educate the public. We are glad to make arrangements to come out to your organization to give programs, within reasonable distance.  

Currently, our Wildlife Program Coordinator has been giving programs, but we would love to onboard individuals with a passion for wildlife to join us in giving these presentations. We will provide content and training to ensure you feel comfortable. 

Being on the board of directors for Wild and Free is one of the biggest needs that we have. Nothing can happen without a board of directors. Some of the board responsibilities include:

• Short term economic and strategic planning
• Financial oversight
• Program oversight (rehabilitation and education)
• Fundraising
• Marketing
• Developing policies and procedures
• Creating annual goals and monitoring progress