Volunteer

  • Are you an animal-lover? Do you love them enough to clean up after them for hours at a time? If you said yes to both then keep reading! 
  • If you are willing to put in the work, then we would love for you to join our crew of volunteers!
  • Safari's Sanctuary is dedicated to the care and maintenance of displaced, exotic pets and entertainers. As such, we care for over 200 rescue animals, including barn animals, birds, reptiles, primates, wolves, and big cats.
  • The minimum age to volunteer is 14 years old.
  • We begin working everyday at 8 AM and typically wrap up around 2 PM, regardless of weather conditions or holidays. The animals still need fed even if it is snowing on Christmas day.

A TYPICAL DAY
A typical day at the sanctuary involves lots of rewarding manual labor that must be done before we can play with the animals. Such tasks include:
  • Making and delivering food bowls
  • Scrubbing water bowls
  • Cleaning out enclosures with a hose, rake, broom, or shovel
  • Sweeping and mopping in the winter house
  • Hand washing dishes
  • Sorting food donations
  • Preparing enrichment items
  • Bonding with animals
  • Scooping poop!!!

 GETTING STARTED
  • Arrive by 8 AM to fill out some paperwork.
  • You will immediately start by shadowing and working alongside a lead volunteer. 
  • Once you have an understanding of our daily operations, you can join us whenever you want.
  • The more frequently you come, the more you will be trained and trusted to do. 
  • If you have an idea of your availability, let us know so we can add you to the schedule.​
  • Scroll down for dress code and expectations

VOLUNTEER LEVELS
Volunteers will be trained by lead volunteers to learn how to care for and interact with the animals. Volunteers must work their way up levels to work with certain animals. Lead volunteers will determine levels based on experience, work ethic, maturity, and trust. If a volunteer focuses on one area, their level may not be consistent throughout.

Level 1
  • ​​Barnyard animals
  • Tortoises and small lizards
  • Rats
Level 2
  • ​​Small snakes and big lizards
  • Birds
  • Foxes and raccoons
  • Lemur
Level 3
  • ​Wolves and wolf-dogs
  • Porcupine
  • Coatimundi
Level 4
  • Bears*
  • Tigers*
  • Big snakes
Level 5
  • Bobcats and Serval*
  • Monkeys
​*Age restrictions and no direct contact. You will learn diets and delivery is left to the pros

Note:
  • Any potentially aggressive animals are always left to the lead staff
  • Many animals take a lot of time to build trust... so you must be patient





What to wear:

  • Clothes that are functional and can get dirty.
    • There is a high chance of poop and meat juices getting on your clothes. Keep this in mind when choosing what you will wear.
    • Do you have a full range of motion in them? Can you squat or bend over without a clothing mishap?
    • Are they weather compatible? We work both inside and outside. In the winter wear layers that can come off while inside, keep you warm outside. In the summer, you will be sweaty 
    • Pockets are recommended
  • Clothes that are appropriate
    • If you couldn't wear it to high school or in front of your grandparents, you probably shouldn't wear it to the park.
    • Private parts should be kept private.
    • The animals do not care if you look cute.
    • Keep in mind that we often work with minors.
  • Closed toe shoes
    • You must be able to walk in them all day.
    • Your shoes will get muddy!
    • Work boots, running shoes or rain boots are recommended.
  • Minimal jewelry - birds and monkeys like shiny things!
  • No perfumes - the animals are more sensitive to odors than humans are.

Internship

Part of our mission is to allow others the opportunity to advance their understanding of the daily duties of a sanctuary through shadowing lead staff in all areas of animal care—such as learning preparation of diets, watering, cleanup, safety lock out systems, and more.  Safety is priority.   Interns may only interact with the non-aggressive, smaller exotics and assist lead staff on all others from outside the cage.

INTERN SCHEDULE
Daily hours of basic duties are 8 AM till 2 PM (unless doing produce pickups, where we share/rotate in doing, leaving at 6 AM). After those hours, some activities may require extra work, such as repair and maintenance, miscellaneous projects, the outreach programs, ZOO 2 You's, and unfinished basic duties, etc.

Week One: Hoof stock

Week Two: Basic primates
(interaction with lemurs only) and small exotics

Week Three: Exotic birds, basic reptiles, basic wolves

Week Four & Five: Big cats and bears
(there will be NO direct interaction with big cats and bears)

Please note that during the internship, you must comply with the hours of operation and you must be able to perform basic duties, which include: feeding the animals, scrubbing waters, walking on rocky terrain, raking pens, shoveling feces, basic lifting (grain bags, produce boxes, etc), working in potentially hazardous weather, building and repairing habitats, mowing, organizing, and cleaning. All volunteers and staff share the same basic responsibilities that are mentioned above. Additionally, interns will help with our outreach educational program.

HOUSING
Housing is available: we have a 4 person bunk room, full bathroom, kitchen, and living area. Interns interested in staying in the house must be approved and accepted by application in advance. In-house animal care and house cleaning are the daily responsibility of interns and must be kept at all times. Intern must have their own cell phone and transportation for their personal affairs. International interns must speak fluent English.

All others interns must provide their own housing, communication, and transportation.

​Expectations

Internship Checklist

  • Attach a resume and photo to application.
  • Copy of driver’s license, passport, or gov-issued photo ID.
  • List of all medications.
  • List of all medical issues—including injuries, surgeries.
  • Tetanus shots are required—proof required.

CLICK HERE for the Internship Program application

Day of service

Is your company, club, or troop looking to donate their time? Or maybe you are part of a club or organization? We have a lot of projects that we would love your help with! Call or email to schedule a day for this and together we can choose a project that would best fit your group. If you have people that specialize in a trade (welding, fencing, etc.), let us know!

Expectations:

  • ​​Show up at 8 AM ready to work.
  • If you plan on coming certain days. tell us so we can plan for who we have.
  • Come with a positive attitude.
  • You may have to do a job you really don't want to do. That's just part of it. 
  • Do not go pawning off jobs on community service. Just because you are a volunteer, it does not mean you are above certain jobs.
  • Every level of volunteer or community service has to clean up poop, it just comes out of different animals. 
  • Be prepared to work; animal care is not always easy. You will be asked to clean up poop and work with raw meats.
  • If you are just sitting there watching others work, we will have a problem. There are always jobs to be done. If you cannot think of one, then ask a lead volunteer.
  • Work must be completed before we can 'play' with the animals. These interactions are a reward for the work done each day, not a right. If others are still working, then help them finish before going to play.
  • Do not go into any enclosures or interact with an animal until you have been trained AND approved to do so.  This is for the safety of both you AND the animal.
  • Listen to your lead volunteers!
  • If you are not deemed a good fit, you will be asked to discontinue volunteering (i.e. disrespectful, refuse to work, only there to play, creating more work for others).

Rules For Internship & Volunteering

  • No drinking and/or non-prescribed drugs allowed on sanctuary property.  No smoking in houses, or near animals. 
  • Any damages to Safari’s property by you must be reported to Management in order to discuss repairs.  Damages other than regular daily wear and tear are the responsibility of the volunteer.
  • No entering animal pens and areas that are above your volunteer level. For instance, level one volunteers can not enter any primate area unless under the supervision of management.