Volunteer and Academic Opportunities
The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is dependent on committed, enthusiastic volunteers and interns from the Lees-McRae Wildlife Biology program. You can assist in a variety of ways, from cage cleaning and animal care to transporting animals. Each volunteer plays an important part in environmental stewardship and caring for our native animals.
Volunteer Program
Individuals and community groups may volunteer at the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and assist students and faculty with an array of activities, including animal care, facility management and public relations.
Summer Clinical Program
The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center offers summer clinical experience to Lees-McRae students interested in Wildlife Rehabilitation. The two course 12-credit hour sequence begins in May and ends in mid-August.
Students get hands-on experience working with a diverse group of birds and small mammals (mostly reptiles). At the Center everyone works as a team. Interns rotate through the various positions that support the daily operations of a rehabilitation center, including facility management, animal care and educational activities.
What you can expect to learn:
- Exam and diagnosis
- Fluid therapy
- Tube feeding
- Wildlife and animal restraint
- Orphan care
- Treatment of illnesses and injuries
- Drug calculations
- How to give injections
- Assist in surgeries
- Captive animal care and handling
- Diets and feeding
- Working with volunteers
- Lab work
- Zoonoses
- Euthanasia
- Ethical issues
- Networking techniques
- Patient keeping
- How to do educational presentations
- The natural history of wildlife
- Animal anatomy
- Housing, equipment and disinfecting