Volunteer Opportunities

Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering. The Sanctuary can utilize long-term volunteers, given that we operate three facilities (encompassing more than 40,000 acres) with over 1,000 rescued animals in residence, but it does require an extensive training process. The Wild Animal Sanctuary is one of the only facilities in the country that focuses on, and routinely provides, large acreage habitats where animals can live on a permanent basis.

- Volunteers must be at least 16 years old

- We require a 6-month commitment

- We require that you volunteer for 16 hours (2 full days or 4 half days) a month

All volunteers must be active supporters

The Sanctuary does not provide housing, transportation or compensation for volunteers, so all candidates must be able to arrange their own housing, transportation, food and other support resources with family, friends or on an independent basis. Daily transportation will require an automobile, as no trains, buses or light-rail services come anywhere near the Sanctuary.

Please note we operate hands-off facilities; there is no interacting with the animals.

Once the Sanctuary has received your application, I will contact you as soon as possible for our next Orientation.

To be an Active Supporter there is a minimum donation of $120 annually. To better support the animals we suggest a minimum of a $250 annual donation which is the same as the Active Supporter requirement for the general public. If choosing the $120 option, this must be paid in full prior to your first volunteer shift. The $250 Active Supporter option can be achieved through a one-time donation, a medium or large animal adoption, or by starting a quarterly or annual pledge equivalent or exceeding $250.

Background Check Statement:

Approval for Volunteering is contingent upon successfully passing a background check prior to your Volunteer Orientation/Acceptance. This background check does not report to any credit bureau and no impact will be seen on the volunteer applicant's side. This process helps the Company screen for any past background experiences that pose a threat or a discrepancy to the Organization. By applying you are authorizing The Wild Animal Sanctuary to perform this background check.