Volunteer with us!
Your role as a Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Volunteer is vital to the success of the organization’s programs in education, rehabilitation, and conservation. You will interact with an incredibly diverse range of animals and people, whether at the Sanctuary or out in the community. You will learn the fundamentals of working at a sanctuary and further develop your knowledge of a diverse range of animals and the laws we abide by to protect Florida’s resources, habitats, and inhabitants.
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Sanctuary volunteer. We have paused our new volunteer orientations but expect to resume taking applications in May 2025.
The purpose of the volunteer program is to offer a wide variety of opportunities to interested people and to provide useful and meaningful service. This will assist Sanctuary staff in furthering the goals of The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, and provide support that would otherwise be impossible due to budget limitations. Not only will you be helping Florida’s wildlife, you’ll enjoy meeting new friends who share similar environmental concerns and gain personal satisfaction that comes from preserving Florida’s native animals.
Volunteer Requirements
Please carefully read the below list of requirements to be a volunteer at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. We love all our volunteers and without them we couldn’t care for our animals. However we ask that our volunteers be serious in their commitment and honestly to evaluate availability before applying to our volunteer program, thank you!
All volunteers must be 15 years or older.
All applicants must go through an interview process and attend a New Volunteer Orientation prior to volunteering.
All volunteers must fill out, sign, and turn in all required documents.
All volunteers must commit to one 3-4hr. shift per week for a period of 3 months (We hope you will continue to volunteer past this minimum commitment as our experienced volunteers are our most valuable resource!)
All volunteers must wear a Busch Wildlife Sanctuary volunteer shirt, comfortable (non-revealing) pants/shorts, and closed toed shoes when conducting volunteer activities. Safety equipment must be worn in designated enclosures. (i.e. safety glasses, gloves, or hardhat)
Fees: $35 (onetime, non-refundable), includes one volunteer t-shirt.
We ask all applicants please give serious consideration to their availability prior to submitting an application. Our patients and residents depend on volunteers in addition to our staff for their well-being. Missing a scheduled shift can negatively impact our patients’ and interfere with the training needed for volunteers.
Please understand that volunteering with us does not guarantee or entitle volunteers to handle hospital patients or our animal ambassadors. A list of typical volunteer roles, their responsibilities and typical shifts is listed on this page.
How to Become a Volunteer
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. If you have questions about your application, please DO NOT CALL please email volunteers@buschwildlife.org to reach the Volunteer Coordinator.
The volunteer selection and onboarding process can take up to 60 days to complete and is done to fill only the volunteer roles that are available.
Read the Volunteer Requirements on this page.
Submit the appropriate application below;
New Volunteer Application
Intern application
Email completed application (intern only) to volunteers@buschwildlife.org
Be prepared to pay the $35 application fee if and when requested
Await a response from our volunteer coordinator. This may take up to several weeks to respond because we have a high volume of interest and limited availability.
If selected you will be required to attend a New Volunteer Orientation and sign the necessary waivers and documents.
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary is an equal opportunity organization and will not allow discrimination based upon age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or any other status prohibited by applicable law.
Volunteer Roles
Animal Care
Shifts: Monday through Sunday 8:00am to 12:00pm and 1:00pm to 5:00pm
Volunteers assist with the daily feeding, cleaning, and enrichment of the Sanctuary's permanent animals. Volunteers are tasked with household-type chores including washing dishes, sweeping, mopping, diet preparation, and laundry. You should expect to work outside in all Florida weather cleaning enclosures. This role often requires lifting heavy objects, working in and around animal fecal matter and bodily fluids.
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Shifts: Monday through Sunday: 8:00am to 12:00pm and 1:00pm to 5:00pm
Volunteers assist with household-type chores including washing dishes, sweeping, mopping, and laundry. Volunteers will often be tasked with duties that require working in and around animal fecal matter and bodily fluids. They also assist with the care of our injured and orphaned wildlife by helping with diet preparation, general clean-up, and deep cleaning enclosures. Applicants should keep in mind that our goal is always to rehabilitate and hospital patients. These animals are not pets and must be cared for accordingly. Minimal human contact is essential to ensure they remain wild.
Education
Shifts: Monday through Sunday 9:30am to 1:00pm and 1:00pm to 4:30p.
Volunteers assist the Education Department with programs, lectures, and tours. You may also be asked to help with school field trips or offsite programs. Education volunteers are expected to learn about Florida wildlife and their habitats. Experienced volunteers may occasionally be trained in animal handling procedures. Volunteers will be trained to educate visitors on Florida wildlife, conservation, and environmental stewardship. Bilingual in English & Spanish is a plus!
Welcome Center
Shift: Monday through Sunday : 9:45am – 1:30pm and Afternoon: 1:30pm – 4:30pm
Volunteers in this position are the first impression of BWS. They greet guests, provide general Sanctuary information, and answer questions to enhance visitor experiences. During slow times, this position may be asked to help with other tasks including pricing and stocking gift shop merchandise, labeling and stuffing envelopes, and other administrative duties. The ideal volunteer for this position is outgoing, reliable, friendly, and enthusiastic about Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and its mission. Bilingual in English & Spanish is a plus! Welcome desk volunteers must be at least 16 years old.
Rescue and Release
Shifts: Monday through Sunday 8:00am - 4:30pm
When the Sanctuary receives a call about a sick, injured or orphaned animal but is not able to transport it themselves, Rescue and Release volunteers respond to these calls. Rescue and Release volunteers are not required to respond to all reports. Rather, they accept assignments based on their level of experience, comfort level, and availability. Volunteers receive training on safe animal handling procedures and protocols and are never expected to conduct any response efforts they are not trained for or comfortable with. Transporters use their own vehicle and must have a valid driver’s license, car insurance, and be willing to drive contained wild animals to and from BWS during business hours. Occasionally volunteers may be asked to keep a rescued animal overnight. This position is also asked to assist with the release of rehabilitated wildlife. Volunteers will be provided instructions on release protocols and locations.
Grounds Keeping
Shifts: Monday through Sunday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Volunteers who help in this department often do a great deal of physical work and spend most of their time outdoors. They should possess knowledge of native and exotic plants, landscaping, and gardening. The volunteer will be tending to/or performing various grounds-keeping activities such as trimming, pruning, mulching, raking, and weeding. You may also be asked to do some maintenance tasks.
