Facility

Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary

Closing Date

Description

Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary is a non-profit facility dedicated to Rescue, Sanctuary, and Education. We are currently home to nearly 60 rescues including wolves, wolfdogs, coyotes, foxes, New Guinea singing dogs, Australian dingoes, red foxes, and more.

Wild Spirit’s Internship Program was developed and implemented in September of 2020 with the goal of providing interns with the knowledge and skills required to obtain a career in the field of exotic animal care. As such, interns will be responsible for all aspects of Animal Care including daily husbandry, diet preparation and feeding, enclosure maintenance, grounds-keeping, operant conditioning, enrichment, assisting with medical needs, and more.

Interns will also participate in twice weekly hands-on learning labs including, but not limited to, the following:
• Animal Pairing (introducing new rescues for companionship)
• Humane Capture and Restraint of Large and Small Carnivores
• Chemical Immobilization (use of a dart gun, blow gun, and syringe pole)
• Human and Animal First Aid & CPR
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Quality of Life Assessment and/or Humane Euthanasia Procedures
• USDA Rules & Regulations
• Whole Prey Processing (specifically of elk or deer)

Please note: All Interns will also be required to learn to interact with members of the public through guided educational tours and/or Keeper Chats.

Our ideal candidate will have an outstanding work ethic, good communication and conflict-resolution skills, and the ability to strictly follow safety protocols. Being self-motivated and showing initiative while working in a team environment is also important.

Education and Pre-requisites

• Candidates pursuing or having completed a degree in Biology, Zoology, or related field are preferred, but experience working with exotics may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Six months experience working with large carnivores preferred but not required.
• Must be in good physical condition with the ability to kneel, bend, twist, lift, reach, push, pull, and stand for long periods of time
• Must be able to consistently lift 50 pounds or greater
• Must be comfortable on ladders and willing to operate tools and machinery
• Must be able to work in inclement weather and extreme heat
• Must present yourself in a professional manner when interacting with the public
• Must possess a valid Driver’s License
• Must provide proof of current Tetanus
• May be required to work weekends and holidays

Compensation and benefits

We are currently offering up to 2 full-time positions for the duration of 3-6 months. All internships start as 3 month commitments and may be extended to 6 months on an invitational basis. Interns receive a $125 per two week stipend ($250/month). Housing, utilities, and wi-fi are also provided.

Application instructions

Interested candidates should use the following link to apply for a position: https://form.jotform.com/wildspiritws/wsws-volunteer-application

Placement is available for one (1) person at the end of March, and one (1) mid-April.

Qualifying candidates for the first open position will be contacted for a Zoom interview no later than February 15, 2022.

Qualifying candidates for the second open position will be contacted no later than March 15, 2022.

Those selected for the position(s) will be notified no later than March 1st and April 1st, respectively.