After finishing school I volunteered at Wild ARC as I wanted to do something very different and because of my love for animals. I thought that I would be able to do any work for animals and in secret I hoped that they would not only let me clean cages. The first week was overwhelming because everything was new for me and there was so much to learn like using the washing machine, the dryer and preparing diets furthermore knowing where all the tools, cages, toys were stored. So all the small things which may not all be really hard to do on their own - but all together at once they took me some time to learn.

I learned a lot about Canadian wildlife, how to examine animals, to treat their wounds and more. Additionally I learned how to do sutures with the help of an orange! I learned much more than expected! I enjoyed the work a lot and it was amazing to see wildlife like otters, deer, hawks, squirrels, raccoons, hummingbirds and many more so close up and to nurse to health. There is nothing better than to be able to release a bird or a mammal after its rehabilitation back into the wild.

There was always a lot to do (and I was not there in the busiest time of the year) and the work can be physically exhausting so it is important that you are eager to work for the animals to have such a great time like I had! Till now the two months internship at Wild ARC was the best experience in my life and I loved it to work for the animals and with so many great people - and by the way I had not only to clean cages! I want to thank everyone for that awesome experience again.

Things I Learned at WildARC
1. There will always be laundry to do... so do it.
2. There will always be dishes to do... so do them.
3. Tracy has the answer to everything. Learn as much as you can from her!
4. Poop quickly becomes an accessory... dress accordingly.
5. MAC makes the world go 'round
6. Don't get gulls close to your face... they will bite it.
7. Smell things before you feed it to anyone!
8. Never assume anything.
9. You may not be paying attention but the animals always are... so PAY ATTENTION!

My experience as an intern at WildARC was an amazing experience. I shadowed Tracy (rehaber extraordinaire!) and was able to learn so much in the two months I was there. It gave me an opportunity to work hands on and learn from a number of great individuals who were willing to answer the numerous questions I had. Working with the animals was what drew me to the opportunity but I gained so much from everything and everyone there. It wasn't always easy or fun but that was an important part of it too. It's not supposed to be easy to euthanize an animal but it was always done with kindness and respect.
For me the whole experience re-affirmed my dedication to working with animals and continuing my education focusing on animals. I left everyday feeling like I had given everything I could and was eager to wake up the next morning and do it again. It is hard work physically and emotionally sometimes but I haven't found anything more rewarding. Sometimes I would get discouraged at my difficulty in identifying a fracture but it takes patience and practice. I particularly enjoyed enriching enclosures and making diets. On the medical side I loved drawing up meds and administering them and learning all the different techniques for wound management and setting fractures. I hope to be back at WildARC in the very near future to continue learning and rehabilitating.

UPDATE: Catherine completed her Bachleors degree in December 2007 and returned to Wild ARC in February 2008 to work part-time.

I started volunteering at Wild ARC because I love animals. Watching the amazing work the rehabilitators do inspired me to do the internship. To be able to help wildlife on an individual level, aiding in their release into the wild, sometimes relieving animals from injuries that are causing intense stress and pain is an amazing feeling and something I found in the internship. Two months of long hours and a lot of information was what I expected. I was right! But it was a lot more than just that. Coming in and not knowing what was going to happen each day and what you were going to learn kept things very interesting each day! Feeding baby deer became one of my tasks that no matter how long it took, or how many fawns there were (17!!!!) it was one of the best parts of my day! A young heron that needed to be fed throughout the day with a taxidermy heron head was also an awesome experience. I became very attached to him (which is easy to do with the animals) and got to release him when he was ready to go! The action never stops, there is always a learning opportunity waiting with each step of the day. I learned how to examine animals when they first arrive at the clinic, medication dosages, stabilizing techniques, the use of homeopathics, handling methods, diet preparation, release criteria, and so much more on a daily basis. With the help of the rehabilitators I feel I learned a lot and got to experience things that some people don’t even know about, let alone get to experience hands on! I now feel very proud of the work I did this summer, and share my story with anyone interested, to spread the word about Wild ARC. With the experience I gained during my internship I hope to someday become a Wildlife Rehabilitator, and possibly run a center of my own. In preparation for that I am considering doing a Vet Tech program to increase my medical knowledge to better help the animals! Also, I am going to continue taking IWRC courses to further my wildlife knowledge as well.

UPDATE: After her internship Ashley got a job at as a vet assistant (and was told that her experience with wildlife was visible through her manner with the patients and her hands on attitude!)

I decided to apply for the internship because I enjoyed working as a volunteer. I also hoped that it might lead to a future position working with animals or with a charitable organization. At the time I was studying animals as part of my art practice. An internship at Wild ARC seemed like an excellent opportunity to study these animals more closely and understand their lives and habits. What I gained from the experience was more than I expected. Not only did I acquire information about the biology and habits of the wild patients, I also learned about the issues that affect them. My experiences helped me to fully form opinions about the treatment of wildlife in our society. I now feel that I can talk about these issues from a place of experience and knowledge. There was never a boring shift during the internship. At the end of the day, even if I was exhausted I always felt good about having contributed to a great cause. Completing the internship has made it possible to really help out the center so that the animals can have the best possible care. I continue to volunteer at Wild ARC and I have applied for several different animal-related jobs. The most valuable aspect of the internship though was not the great work references (although that's a definite bonus) but the great, memorable experiences. Feeding fawns and seeing so many beautiful wild birds up close was amazing. I feel really fortunate to have worked with so many interesting people and animals.

How can I describe my experience at Wild ARC other than just amazing? It really was an opportunity I will never forget. The center is beautiful and the staff as well as the volunteers involved made it an extremely warming environment. Having spent two months as an intern rehabilitator I must say that I fell in love with the job. It is so gratifying to help wildlife recuperate from unimaginable injuries and be reintroduced into the wild. Being so involved in the process and coming into contact with animals you normally never get a chance to see was a dream-come-true for me. Getting to administer medication as well as handling the animals and learning so much about all the species admitted at the center was impressive. Besides, what other internship would allow you to state that you wrestled with a Bald Eagle, trapped a marmot, and bathed an oiled gull, as well as being a foster parent for some orphaned baby squirrels all within a few unforgettable months!! I have to say that I feel privileged to have taken part in the Wild ARC’s internship; it’s the kind of experience that takes a while to sink in but that will never fade away.

My internship experience at the Wild ARC was a great starting point for me and my future career goals. I learned a great deal about animal care including assessing injured wildlife and treating them accordingly. I had a number of first time experiences like feeding a baby deer. I appreciate the hard work and long hours that the staff and volunteers put in there to provide our community with such a much needed facility. It feels very rewarding at the end of the day to be making a difference.

UPDATE: Martin is now studying to be a Conservation and Fisheries Officer.

Time flies! First day of internship was just like yesterday. The last two months were the most valuable and unforgettable animal handling experience I ever had. As I grew up in a concrete jungle (Hong Kong), I never had a chance to see a lot of wildlife. I still remembered I felt a bit overwhelmed by the fascinating things happened around me for the first week of internship. During these two months, I learned a lot of wildlife handling, medical diagnosis and treatment, and species identification skills. There were "sweet and sour" moments in the past two months at WildARC. I still remembered the moment I was catching a rat, an escapee, in the exam room and screaming to my master "He bites me!!!! He bites me!!!” I also felt a bit sad about the sudden lost of a fawn who we all have taken care of for quite a while. Apart from those skills and precious moments, I realized how much damage human can cause towards wildlife habitat and how far we can do to protect wildlife. If I never worked at WildARC, I would never know how challenging and difficult this job can be. I appreciate the hardwork and effort every rehabilitator has put to save those critters in need. Wild ARC helped me to prepare for my future career and allowed me to further explore the area of interest in veterinary medicine. The staff and volunteers (Marly and Dave) helped me to soak up and utilize all the skills that is essential for future career.

My time spent at Wild ARC as an intern in the summer of 2005 was an immensely valuable learning experience. I was exposed to the intense and unique environment of a wildlife rehabilitation facility. I saw and participated first hand in the rehabilitation of a wide variety of wild animals. It was a positive awakening to the reality that human beings can help the survival of wild animals and give back to them in some way. Many of the animals I saw and helped were rare and I felt lucky that I was able to observe them. The animal husbandry duties and clinical duties that I have learned about will allow me to move forward in my search for a rewarding career working with animals. I hope to one day successfully complete a Veterinary program. Some skills that I developed included learning to handle wild animals. They often behave very differently in stressful situations compared to domesticated animals. I learnt about their diets, medications and how different injuries are dealt with in a variety of animals. It was very interesting to learn where most wildlife is injured and why. I found that I was also able to learn about both animal and human behaviour in different situations and the interactions between the two. For example, what motivates people to help an injured animal or to choose not to. My favourite times were observing and feeding the animals. I will always remember the morning feedings they were very special to me. Overall, my internship was personally rewarding and it will hopefully help me move forward in my search for a rewarding career. At the same time, it was very enjoyable spending time with some very special animals and people.

UPDATE: Veronika is now in Veterinary School in Hungary.

Wild ARC is truly a memorable experience that will last a lifetime for me. Being from Ontario, I was familiar with local humane societies and the SPCA but wild animal rehabilitation was a new concept to me. Habitat loss and human related activities cause substantial aversive effects on wildlife populations. Immersed in the Wild ARC atmosphere my eyes were awakened to the tremendous suffering of such human related impacts on wildlife and I believe that we, as humans, have both a social and ethical responsibility to prevent pain and suffering as well as promote health and well being to our wildlife. My presence at Wild ARC was not mistaken and I am blessed to have had the opportunity to volunteer my time here. I have never seen such passionate animal health advocates as seen in Wild ARC’s devoted staff and volunteers. Shadowing the rehabbers introduced me to an enormous wealth of ‘hands on’ animal experience that is not available in the domestic veterinary or university settings. To date, I am pursuing a career in exotic or wildlife veterinary medicine and have applied to veterinary schools both internationally and in Ontario. Wild ARC definitely has the substance to which passionate animal health advocates are made of and I am so thankful to the staff who have expanded my potential to become an effective animal caregiver. I would recommend the Wild ARC volunteer internship program to individuals that are extremely passionate about animal welfare and that are not consumed by tangible means.

UPDATE: Jessica is now in vet school.

UPDATE: Christine has been working part-time at Wild ARC since 2006, while finishing her studies at UVic.