Six ways to help wildlife close to home
Part time travel leaves an elephant sized void in my life begging to be filled with furry critters in need. And while you may not envision the squirrels in my backyard as the most exciting type of wildlife, they are exactly what lead me down this career path in the first place. So for whatever the reason your airplane wings are clipped at the moment, there are still plenty of ways to help wildlife in your own backyard.
I am incredibly lucky to have an amazing wildlife rehabilitation center basically in my backyard. I started volunteering once a week for a few hours last summer and it may have been the best thing that has ever happened to me. This is my second summer and I am hoping to become a supervisor within the next few months giving me an extra day in the clinic. So this can be considered a half a tip. If you have a wildlife rescue near you, DO IT. Do not hesitate. Call them today. Show up at their front door. Quit your job so you can work there (I did)!
PARTICIPATE IN A CLEAN UP EVENT- No matter where you live I can almost guarantee that there is litter ripe for the picking. While not the most glamorous of options, it is maybe one of the most impactful. With the amount of plastic debris found to be floating in our oceans, picking up garbage is the first line of defense. And I hear you landlocked animal lovers! Remember, the ocean is the end game for all plastic and garbage. It starts inland somewhere. So beat it to the punch and pick it up while its far from entangling and trapping sea life.
SWITCH TO DOMESTICS- Now don't go yelling at me for getting off topic with this suggestion! I'm an animal lover to the core and my true passion is to help any and all animals in need. So consider domestic animals better than no animals. Regardless it is valuable experience. Look to see if there are any non-profit/no-kill animal shelters in your area. Some times you can even volunteer to just play with cats and dogs all day. Or for more practical experience see if there are any spay/neuter events coming up that could use an extra set of hands. Organizations like Special Equestrians, which provide riding lessons to humans with disabilities, also need volunteers to help care for their horses. This is a great way to combine other interests you may have. Maybe reading is something else you love, read to the cats in the shelter. Or knitting is what fills your evenings. Make sweaters for the rescued guinea pigs.
RUN/WALK FOR A CAUSE- Running and I have always had a love/hate relationship, but if you love it, or want to love it, see if there are any upcoming running events that support wildlife. This could even be a great way to take a mini-vacation and get away for just a weekend. For me here on the East Coast, I know the Bronx Zoo hosts a annual race that supports their wildlife. Or ask family and friends to sponsor you for each mile you run. It is a good way to stay motivated through training.
BE PREPARED- This is something I learned during my orientation at my wildlife rehab facility I volunteer at. Always keep a box in your trunk filled with anything you may need to rescue an injured animal. Ratty towels or bed sheets, thick (leather) gloves, and disposable doctors gloves all come in handy when assisting an injured animal. I keep dog and cat treats and leashes in my box as well in case of a run away pet. I also have the phone number for the local Animal Control Offices saved in my phone. But if all else fails, call 911 or your local PD (which I have had to do before for a calf on the loose and a runaway potbelly pig!)
Bonus tip: Some areas may have a response team. A friend of mine was trained to assist with stranded marine mammals. Or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association trains volunteers to guard protected and endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals when they haul out onto beaches.
CLEAN YOUR HOUSE- Not only do I love a good spring cleaning session (I am a Virgo after all) there are plenty of things in your house that can be put to good use other than sitting unused in your closet. Animal shelters are always in need of CLEAN towels, blankets, baby blankets, dog beds and sometimes pillows or gently used toys (because let's face it, my cat would rather play with bottle caps than the expensive toys I buy him). Have a yard sale and donate the proceeds to somewhere local or to buy items off of their Amazon Wishlist.. Stuffed animals can sometimes be used by wildlife rescues for orphaned animals in need of a surrogate sibling.
BE A VOICE FOR AN ANIMAL- One of my small local zoos recruits volunteers to be tour guides for their visitors. You pick an animal, study up, and answer questions and give informal lectures on whatever animal you choose. While this isn't exactly hands on interaction, it is a pretty good opportunity to make connections with zoo staff, learn about a species that you may have interest in working with in the future, and nothing really beats having some good personal skills- because face it, vet techs do a lot of talking to people, not just animals.
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