The Mercer County Wildlife Center will be holding orientations for new volunteers at the facility in Hopewell Township. New animals are constantly arriving at the center, which accepted and treated more than 2,500 birds, mammals and reptiles in 2018.
Volunteer orientation sessions for 2019 are scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 16, and 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, March 24. Those who are interested are required to attend only one of the two sessions. No other orientation sessions will be offered this year.
Volunteers must be able to commit to one, four-hour shift, once a week, from May through September. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and have a current tetanus vaccine. Volunteer duties are varied and include enclosure cleaning, diet preparation, laundry and many other behind-the-scenes opportunities.
“This facility is one of a kind, both in terms of quality of care provided by the staff, including seven volunteer veterinarians, and the high volume of animals that are treated,” Mercer County executive Brian M. Hughes said in a statement. “And the many volunteers who assist our Wildlife Center are indispensable. I urge anyone who might be interested to volunteer.”
The Mercer County Wildlife Center is located on Route 29 in Hopewell Township. To register for either orientation session, or for more information, contact volunteer coordinator Jane Rakos-Yates at jrakosyates@mercercounty.org or (609) 303-0552, ext. 103.
For more information about the Mercer County Wildlife Center or other facilities within the Mercer County Park Commission, visit mercercountyparks.org.
A new Wildlife Center guest in a cage prepped by volunteers.,
