Rehabilitation Volunteer Opportunities
MARS is built upon the hard work of our dedicated volunteers. If you have some time to give or expertise to share, we would love to hear from you!
To get started, take a look at the volunteer job descriptions on this page to learn more about the duties and requirements for each role. All volunteers are required to be MARS members in good standing.
Ready to apply?
Fill out the form below with your name, contact info, and a sentence or two about your reasons for volunteering. One of the rehabilitators will be in touch with you within the week. If you haven’t received a response, please check your junk or spam email folder.
***Please note: due to the pandemic, we have limited spots available for on-site volunteer roles.
Hospital Cleaner
Assist with hospital maintenance and cleaning, including tending laundry, washing dishes, scrubbing kennels, sweeping, mopping, and disinfecting surfaces. Hospital cleaners may also help with food preparation and enrichment for the animals if desired. This position is ideal for people who enjoy cleaning and organizing, but would prefer no direct contact with wildlife.
Requirements:
- At least 19 years of age
- Proof of current tetanus immunization
Commitment:
- Minimum 16 hours per month
Wildlife Caregiver
Provide care to wildlife patients, including preparing food, administering medications, and treating injuries. Wildlife Caregivers must also perform hospital maintenance and cleaning tasks. This position is ideal for people who care about animals and have an interest in wildlife biology or veterinary medicine. Please keep in mind that while this role can be very rewarding, it can also be physically and emotionally challenging as we sometimes deal with animals in sad and distressing situations.
Requirements:
- At least 19 years of age
- Proof of current tetanus immunization
Commitment:
- Minimum 16 hours per month, in 4-8 hour shifts
Seasonal Forage Harvester
Harvest live vegetation clippings for the deer fawns to eat as they are weaned off of bottle feedings. This position is vital to the successful rehabilitation of the fawns. A list of appropriate vegetation and collection sites is provided. Volunteers may be asked to use their own vehicles, but there is a MARS vehicle that can sometimes be utilized for deliveries. This position is ideal for people who care about animals and want to spend time with their family outdoors. There is no direct contact with the fawns, but they may be viewed when the forage is dropped off.
Commitment:
- Minimum 4 hours per week
Transport
Respond to requests to pick up and retrieve wildlife and supplies in the Comox Valley or other island communities and remote areas. Transport volunteers can specify the regions in which they can travel. They may be asked to use their own vehicles. This position is ideal for people who care about animals, but can’t commit to a full shift in the hospital.
Requirements:
- Valid driver’s license
Commitment:
- Minimum 2 transports a month
Ambassador Handler
Care for and handle ambassador birds (birds kept in captivity who are unable to be released back into the wild) while educating the public about wildlife and our work at MARS. Ambassador Bird Handlers speak to the public at schools, community events, fundraisers, and the MARS Visitor Centre.
Requirements:
- At least 19 years of age
- Proof of current tetanus immunization
- Criminal record check
Commitment:
- 10-12 weeks of training, concluding with a competency assessment
- Minimum 20 hours per month
Ambassador Caregiver
Assist the Wildlife Caregivers and Ambassador Handlers with the feeding, cleaning, maintenance, and enrichment of our ambassador birds (birds kept in captivity who are unable to be released back into the wild). Ambassador Caregivers ensure that our ambassador birds lead comfortable and interesting lives. This position is ideal for people who care about animals, but would prefer not to work with wildlife in recovery.
Requirements:
- At least 19 years of age
- Proof of current tetanus immunization
Commitment:
- Minimum 16 hours per month, in 4-8 hour shifts