Volunteering
LSWR is run by dedicated volunteers and grant-funded students during the busy summer months when we are run off our feet caring for animals. We are always looking for people interested in working with animals or willing to assist with cage building, administration, and the many other activities associated with running a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
As we grow, our busy season expands, and now tends to run from April until the end of October, when most of the migrating birds have finally passed through, heading south for the winter. Some animals must be kept through the winter and are released the following spring, so there is always some daily animal care to do, even in the colder months. Winter helpers come in the evening to clean, feed, and medicate the animals that are stuck with us for the winter.
In summer when staff are working from 7 am to 11 pm, volunteers use an online sign up system and can come in as often as they like. We can always use helpful hands in the summer to assist in feeding, cleaning, and transporting wildlife. In 2025, we admitted over 2500 animals, and this wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our many wonderful volunteers.
Opportunities
-
Animal Care
From helping with laundry and dishes to assisting with animal care, including cleaning and feeding, our animal care volunteers are vital to our success. This work is incredibly rewarding, but also exceedingly demanding and is a great opportunity to gain practical hands-on experience with wildlife.
-
Animal Transport
We are always available to assist with rescues and pickups when called. By leveraging our network of volunteers across the province, we can bring wildlife to care as soon as possible.
-
Fundraising
As an organization funded solely by donations and grants, fundraising is critical to our operations. Whether you’re selling crafts at a booth, helping with setup and teardown at events, or bartending at special events, we are always looking for more volunteers!
-
Outreach
Education goes hand in hand with wildlife rehabilitation, and our education & outreach program is growing! If you have experience presenting, teaching, or developing programs, we would love to hear from you!
-
Construction & Handy Work
With exponential growth comes new projects, expansions, and opportunities, and we are always in need of experienced volunteers to assist with the dirty (and very essential!) work.
Getting Started
Everyone must attend an in-person orientation and complete assigned paperwork before attending their first shift. All new volunteers are under supervision of a trained volunteer, or staff member until they are deemed competent, are comfortable completing tasks, and have demonstrated proficiency. Safety, both yours and that of the animals, is of paramount importance to us.
OUR VISION:
“A balanced relationship with our wild neighbours based upon respect and appreciation.”
OUR WORK
We cannot do this vital work without volunteers – in summer, baby birds are fed every 15 minutes, ducklings are taken for a swim and cleaned four times per day, infant mammals require bottle feeding every four hours. The work we do is both incredibly rewarding and exceedingly demanding. Summer animal care is provided from 7 am until 11 pm in addition to answering inquiries from the public, while also triaging and assessing incoming animals for illness, injury, or other needs.
CONTACT US
Interested in joining our team, but have questions about the process? Interested in signing up on behalf of a group or organization? Send us an email to LSWR.Volunteering@gmail.com and we will help you get started.