This is a great volunteer opportunity for anyone who makes frequent trips between Duluth and Minneapolis/St. Paul, or who has a flexible schedule and can drive to more remote parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

We generally rely on the finders of animals in need to bring them, but sometimes that is not possible. In those cases, we call on a network of transportation volunteers who can drive to where the animal is and bring it to us. Sometimes when we have an animal that is beyond our ability to help we need to get them to a specialized facility like The Raptor Center in St. Paul or Wild And Free in Garrison, MN.

If you volunteer to be a transporter you will be required to transport the animal in a pet-free and quiet vehicle. That means no radio/music playing. Wild animals experience high levels of stress when they are around humans. Increasing that stress with noise and other animals can be detrimental to their health.

Vaccinations

Required: Proof of an up-to-date tetanus vaccination is required for all staff and volunteers.

Optional: For the safety of our volunteers, a pre-exposure vaccination is required to work with foxes, bats, raccoons, bears, bobcats and mustelids, but is not required for other animals. If you wish to work with rabies-vector species, proof of a rabies vaccination and titre test within the last 2 years is required.

Physical Requirements

Transportation volunteers are responsible for driving long distances and transporting vulnerable wildlife that have all had a very bad day. Therefore, we need transportation volunteers who

• Can lift up to 50 lbs into and out of their vehicles
• Can sit for several hours
• Can make long car trips with minimal stops

Duties

• Safely transport a variety of wild animals directly to the destination with minimal stops for fuel only (no visits to friends on the way)
• Represent Wildwoods professionally and politely when interacting with other agencies (destination/origin facilities, the DNR, other authorities)

Responsibilities

• Follow policies and procedures, including providing a clean, pet-free and quiet vehicle for transportation
• Maintain a quiet and calm demeanor around wildlife, keeping handling, talking, and loud noises to a minimum
• Communicate any schedule changes with the appropriate supervisor
• Professionally address any concerns with a staff member
• Maintain a positive and respectful attitude
• Follow proper sanitation procedures

Qualifications

• Have a reliable, clean vehicle
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Proof of tetanus vaccination within last 10 years is required.
• Proof of rabies titer within last 2 years is required if working with rabies vector species.

How to volunteer

First, fill out an online Application. Download and sign a Release form, and bring it with to your interview (which we’ll call to schedule with you after we’ve reviewed your application). After your interview, you’ll schedule your training session and begin volunteering!