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Become a Volunteer at Cottontail Cottage

Volunteers who would like to work hands-on with wildlife must be able to consistently volunteer for a minimum of three 1-2 hour morning or evening shifts per week. The animals we work with are often injured and scared, we handle them minimally so they are not stressed unnecessarily. In order to gain an understanding of how we operate and the confidence to independently handle wildlife you need to do so on a consistent basis. Prospective volunteers should understand that wildlife are different from domesticated pets, they often do not enjoy being cuddled or played with. Our mission in wildlife rehabilitation is to raise wildlife to be independent so they can be released into the wild, not habituate them to humans or make them into pets. Volunteers who would like to do hands-on work with wildlife should plan to take the NY State Wildlife Rehabbers exam and consider getting both your rabies and tetanus vaccines as wildlife can bite and scratch when in distress. 

Minimum Requirements for Prospective Volunteers:

  • Age: Must be at least 16 years old.

  • Health: Current tetanus vaccination.

  • Commitment: Ability to commit to at least two 2-hour shifts per week for a minimum of six months.

  • Training: Completion of a video training course and shadow our licensed rehabbers.

  • Location: Must live within commuting distance of Rye Brook, NY.

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Expectations for All Volunteers:

  • Wildlife Exposure: Volunteers will work with injured wildlife and should be prepared for occasional exposure to injuries and death.

  • Cleaning Duty: Volunteers must participate in cleaning during every shift, regardless of other tasks.

  • Privacy Policy: Volunteers are not permitted to take photos, videos, or post online without express permission.

  • Experience Requirements: A minimum of 12 cleaning shifts is required before eligibility to bottle feed.

  • Wildlife Handling: Volunteers must understand that we do not tame, pick up, cuddle, or habituate wildlife to humans.

  • Safety: Volunteers should be aware that bites and scratches from wildlife are likely at some point.

  • Mission: Our facility is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing wildlife back into the wild.

Which mornings are you available?
Which evenings are you available?
What volunteer opportunities are you intersted in?

Thanks for applying to volunteer with us! We'll get back to you soon.

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