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Found a Critter: What to do?

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Jana's Other Sites

Local Clubs
CSUS Bio Sci Animal Club
.
CSUS Pre-health Profession Student Organization (PPSO)

Sacramento Turtle and Tortoise Club

Volunteer Opportunities*
Northern California Herpetological Society
.
Sacramento SPCA

Sacramento Zoo
.
Wildlife Care Association (has new RESCUES number: 916-965-WILD (9453)

*Remember you may be able to earn college credit for volunteering at any of the above organizations. Contact Jana Shober, via phone at 278-7677 or e-mail janashob@csus.edu, or call the Department of Biological Sciences at 278-6535 and ask for information about Bio 195.

Other Sites of Interest

www.anapsid.org
This is a good site for herpers with good information on iguanas.

www.kingsnake.com
This is a large site with care sheets, pictures, dealers and more.

The following information was provided by the Sacramento Wildlife Care Association (S.W.C.A)

Many people think that because they don't have the time or the space to take care of the animals they can't volunteer -- not true!! We have many different areas where we could use your help:

Phones:
This is our greatest need (next to rehabilitating the animals). We have various shifts available to fit your schedule and offer training. We have an answering system. You can call in from your own home to retrieve messages during your shift. You can also answer the phones at our intake facility when we are open (March through September). This includes greeting the public as they come in with animals and assisting them in filling out paperwork.
Prerequisites: We require you to take the basic bird class and telephone training prior to taking a phone shift. You are also encouraged to take other training classes as they become available to increase your knowledge about local wildlife.

Facility:
If you can't take animals home with you, but still want to care for them, then working at our intake facility is the place for you! Duties include feeding baby birds, learning intake procedures, cleaning kennels and cages, and assisting the Day Captain with animals that need urgent care. We are open from March through September each year. We try to be open Sunday through Saturday for about 4 to 6 hours a day depending on what days or hours we can fill. We plan each year's schedule in February or March.
Prerequisites: We require you to take the basic bird class prior to working at the intake facility and then the first aid and euthanasia class. (NOTE: the euthanasia class does not allow you to euthanize animals. It teaches you why we euthanize animals and how to deal with the loss.) You are also encouraged to take other training classes as they become available in order to work more effectively with animals with special requirements such as mammals, reptiles, bats, and raptors.

Fund Raising:
If you're creative or good at raising money and donations -- we want you!!! Wildlife Care depends totally on donations from the public. We are always looking for new ideas to raise money in order to purchase food and medical supplies for the animals.

Public Relations:
If you have access to media such as TV, radio, or newspapers -- we can use you! Getting the word out about who we are and what we do is very important so if you have experience in this field, sign-up today!!
Prerequisite: You are encouraged to take training courses as they become available to gain knowledge about the organization and what we do.

Transportation:
If driving is your thing -- then give us a call! From March through September, we need people to transport animals to rehabilitators.
Prerequisites: A good sense of direction. We also require that you take the basic bird class, first aid, and euthanasia class so you can legally transport the animals.

Education/Outreach:
If you are knowledgeable about wildlife and the environment, and love public speaking, we encourage you to become a member of our education committee. We speak to many schools and organizations about who we are, what we do, and about the animals that live around us.
Prerequisites: We require that you take the basic bird class, first aid class, and euthanasia class to gain knowledge about our organization and how we operate. You are encouraged to take other training classes as they become available to increase your knowledge about the other types of animals we rehabilitate.

Newsletter/ Editing:
If your skills include desk-top publishing, editing, or printing we are always looking for assistance with our newsletters. We have two different publications; one publication that goes out monthly to rehabilitators and one that goes out quarterly to the general membership and other organizations.
Prerequisites: A good knowledge of proper English grammar and editing techniques

SPCA Pick-up:
Throughout the year, volunteers are needed to pick-up animals daily from the SPCA on Florin-Perkins Road. When we are closed for the season, the public will usually drop the animal off at the SPCA. SPCA is kind enough to take the animal in and notify us of its arrival. It is vital that we have people to pick these animals up and take them to a rehabilitator.
Prerequisites: You are required to take the basic bird class, the first aid class, and euthanasia class prior to picking animals up from the SPCA. You are also strongly encouraged to take the other training classes as they become available to familiarize yourself with the different types of animals you may be picking up from the SPCA.

Rehabilitator :
This is our greatest need. Being a rehabilitator is a full-time away from your real full-time job. It is demanding, and at times tough, but it is always very rewarding. Not everyone is suited to being a rehabilitator. It requires commitment of time, money, and space in your home; many hours of training; the ability to keep yourself detached from the animal in order to keep it wild; and to be able to accept the fact that not all of the animals are going to be saved. It is a continuous learning experience. It is a great feeling releasing an animal back into the wild to enable it to lead a normal life that it would otherwise not have had.
Prerequisites: You are required to take the basic bird class, the first aid class, and euthanasia class prior to rehabilitating any animals. The euthanasia class does not allow you to euthanize animals. It teaches you why we euthanize animals and how to deal with the loss. In order to rehabilitate specialized animals, such as mammals, reptiles, raptors, and bats, you must take the appropraite training classes.

For more information please visit the Wild Life Care Association's website at http://www.wildlifecareassociation.net/. If you would like to volunteer or if you find a sick or injured animal please call 916-865-WILD(9453)

Your questions, comments and suggestions are welcome. E-mail Jana