Policy Statement for Volunteering

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that volunteers can effectively and safely support WildCare’s mission. Volunteers are important partners in our commitment to wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education, and community advocacy. This statement establishes a framework to support a mutually beneficial, productive, and safe experience for volunteers, patients, staff, visitors and the organization.

2. Core Qualification Standard

It is WildCare’s policy that the primary qualification for any volunteer role is: Possessing the necessary skills, disposition, and reliability to perform assigned tasks to the level of quality required to advance WildCare’s mission.

3. Key Policy Directives

• Objective Selection: Volunteers will be selected primarily for their ability to safely, effectively, and consistently perform tasks that contribute to high-quality wildlife rehabilitation, public education, and support.
• Safety & Compliance: Because working with or around wildlife includes inherent risks, all volunteers must strictly adhere to WildCare’s safety procedures, federal/state wildlife regulations, and management guidelines.
• Training & Advancement: To maintain our high standards of care and education, volunteers must successfully complete all required training modules within the required period of time. Ongoing training is typically required to maintain an active volunteer status.
• Mission Alignment: Volunteers serve as ambassadors for WildCare. All actions and communications performed by a volunteer  must reflect the organization’s core ideals of compassion, environmental stewardship, and professional integrity.