menu close open event RSVP required ticketed event
Toggle Search

Volunteer at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Thanks for your interest in volunteering at the Wisconsin Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center! Volunteers play a critical role in making a difference for animals and the people who love them. We are grateful for your interest in forwarding our mission. 

Requirements & Guidelines for Volunteers

  • Due to the amount of training we require for most of our volunteer positions, we prefer at least a 3-month commitment, however, limited opportunities may be available if you are unable to give a 3-month commitment.  Some positions may require a weekly commitment as well.  Please let our volunteer coordinator know of your commitment availability when you apply.  
  • Volunteer opportunities are available for those 16 years and older. Volunteers ages 16-17 do not need to volunteer with an adult, however, a parent or guardian will need to sign a consent form, so we recommended they be present when submitting the application in order to expedite the process. 
  • Volunteers must be able to read and comprehend detailed policy and protocol information as well as remember and follow shelter rules.
  • Volunteers must be able to understand and fulfill all responsibilities of their role independently.  If an individual cannot volunteer on your own, we may encourage or require that someone comes to assist.  
  • Volunteers must be able to physically fulfill the duties of their volunteer role. Most volunteer roles require volunteers to be able to stand and/or walk for up to 3 hours and be able to lift and carry up to 20 lbs.  Some positions are more physical than others and require being able to lift 40 lbs.
  • Volunteers must be able to have regular access to the internet and an email account. 
  • Costs & Supplies – all volunteers need to purchase a volunteer t-shirt and name badge for a total cost of $10+tax.
Back To Top

Important Notes about Volunteering

  • We do not offer group volunteer opportunities for school groups. If a school group is interested in doing a service project, click here for ideas. 
  • Due to limited resources and the required training for each volunteer position, we are not able to offer short-term volunteer experiences.
Back To Top

Volunteer Positions

Below are the positions we may be in need of at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. You will learn more about them during the online Volunteer Information Session.

  • Wildlife Animal Care Volunteer (annual and/or seasonal) - age 18 and up
  • Nursery Support (seasonal) - age 16 and up
  • Wildlife Transport/Rescue Volunteer - age 18 and up
  • Wildlife Artisan Volunteer - age 18 and up
  • Wildlife Volunteer Extern - age 18 and up
  • Become a WIngs Bird Collision Monitor - click here to learn more!
Back To Top

How to Become a Volunteer

Step 1: Watch the Volunteer Information Session video below. It will give information about our organization, our volunteer program and expectations, and our current needs. 

Step 2: Once you have watched the Volunteer Information Session video, contact our volunteer coordinator indicating that you have watched the video and would like to receive the list of current volunteer opportunities and the volunteer application. Contact information will be provided at the end of the video.  

Step 3: Apply! Once we have received and reviewed your volunteer application, we contact you to schedule a phone interview. The interview will be a one-on-one conversation with our volunteer coordinator. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Jackie Kammers at jkammers@wihumane.org.

Back To Top

Frequently Asked Questions

I am under 16 years of age and I am very mature, do you make any exceptions to your minimum age?

For the safety of our volunteers and animals, we do require that all volunteers be at least 16 years of age to volunteer. We have many other ways for youth to support the animals and learn about animal welfare. Please click here to get ideas on how to make toys for the animals, hold your own fundraiser or collect items from our “wish list” from the surrounding community to support the animals.

We also have special youth programs available at our sites for all ages of students. These programs are geared towards youth with a love of animals and a yearning to learn more about how to help the world become a more humane place. To learn more about these programs, please click here.

Will I have training before I start to volunteer?

Yes. Each role has training sessions that cover all aspects of the volunteer role. Training is done with both staff and volunteer mentors. The time it takes to complete training varies, based on volunteer availability, training schedules and the specific training needs of the volunteer role.

I don’t have a computer or email; can I just fill out a paper application?

Due to the high volume of volunteer applicants we receive each year and the costs associated with paper applications, we no longer accept paper applications. The most cost-effective way for us to communicate with volunteer applicants and our current volunteers is with online services and email. For this reason, we have moved our application process online along with all of our volunteer scheduling.

Using email and online scheduling saves money on postage and printing costs and helps to keep our program viable and efficient. Plus, the vast majority of communications between WHS and our volunteers is done via email. For this reason, we require that all volunteers have online access and a current email address. If you do not have reliable access to a computer, please contact jkammers@wihumane.org or 414-ANIMALS to discuss alternative options. 

Can I be a part of the volunteer program if I have a criminal background?  

We support volunteers with a criminal background or who need court-ordered community service if all convictions are:
- Non-violent; and
- Do not include theft or any conviction related to sale or intent to sell controlled substances in the past 7 years. 
In addition, we may not be able to accommodate some weapons, threats of violence, and animal-related charges. We will determine eligibility for our program once pending charges in the mentioned categories are resolved. We may not be able to support requests for fewer than 15 hours of community service. 
We do not provide in-shelter court-ordered service for minors or those whose crimes they are seeking community service for occurred when they were a minor. We may be able to provide limited opportunities for volunteer hours to be completed from home.  Contact the volunteer coordinator at your campus for more info.

Volunteers are scheduled one shift per week, what if I am going on vacation?

We understand that life can be busy and have made our scheduling process as flexible as we are able. To make scheduling easy to manage, volunteers have a set schedule working the same shift time on the same day of the week. Volunteers manage their own schedules online and we allow for regular vacations and pre-arranged shift adjustments. Please let our volunteer coordinator know if you will be unable to volunteer for a scheduled shift so they are able to seek a replacement in your absence. 

Back To Top