Oaken Acres seeks interns, volunteers

Oaken Acres Wildlife Center, a wildlife rehabilitation center founded in 1984, takes in about 600 patients a year primarily from DeKalb County. These patients come to the center injured or orphaned and can take countless hours of care for the days, weeks or even months they reside at the center.

The busiest season for Oaken Acres Wildlife Center is the time referred to as “baby season.” The majority of wild animals give birth to and raise young in the spring and early summer.

From the months of May through July, Oaken Acres is teeming with infant and juvenile wildlife. Besides the direct care of these animals, staff also is busy answering hundreds of phone calls from the public.

Volunteers and interns are welcome into Oaken Acres for the approximately three-month baby season. They generally begin in early May, and conclude their work in late July, pending the amount of patients received. Volunteers and interns work hands-on with wildlife and are able to expand their skills and knowledge while helping to save lives. All volunteers and interns are required to be 18 years or older, have health insurance and a current tetanus vaccination by their start date.

All positions are unpaid and individuals must provide their own transportation and housing.

A limited number of internships are allotted annually and recipients are chosen based on resume, references, interview and availability. Interns are required to commit to three to four shifts a week at six hours a shift.

Each intern documents their education through a weekly journal and individual project to explore their greatest interests in the field of wildlife rehabilitation. Priority is given to interns that submit their application materials by March 15.

Anyone interested in volunteering can receive information on orientation and scheduling. Volunteer time slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Volunteers are required to commit to a four-hour shift weekly for the duration of the season.

Those interested in a volunteer or intern position should email carly@oakenacres.org to receive their materials.