Volunteer Application Contact Us Volunteer Application State*To work with the Wildlife Hotline you must reside in Missouri or Illinois. Please select the state you currently reside in.MissouriIllinoisOtherDate of Birth*You must be AT LEAST 18 years of age to work with the Wildlife Hotline. Due to the potential dangers of working with wildlife, children under the age of 18 cannot come with you when volunteering with us. Please enter your date of birth. Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY Name*Please enter your first and last name. First Last Your Email Address* Your Home Address* Street Address Address Line 2 City State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces EuropeArmed Forces Pacific ZIP Code Your Phone Number*You will need a smartphone to use our apps and chat room. Please enter a phone number where you can receive text messages (cell phone). Please enter the phone number with (Area Code) in parentheses, then the phone number with a dash and no spaces.Alternate PhoneIf you have another phone number you would like to also use please enter it here. Please enter the phone number with (Area Code) in parentheses, then the phone number with a dash and no spaces.Interests*Bi-State Wildlife Hotline has opportunities for volunteers in many areas. Please indicate the areas for which you are willing to volunteer: (Some tasks require previous experience, or certain physical abilities, while others do not.) *All volunteers will be required to assist with incoming Hotline calls because that is our main function as an organization. However, answering calls can be done from home according to your schedule. Answering Incoming Hotline Calls Animal Rescues: Can be physical, climbing fences, wading in creeks, cutting nets, etc. Animal Pickup: not rescue, just transport. Animal Care at someone else's home/clinic Animal Care at YOUR home Medical Care: Tubing, Injections, Bloody Wounds, etc. Releases: Road trips to release animals Building: Release boxes, cages, enclosures Fundraising Events Social Media Fundraising: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. Administrative Work: recordkeeping, purchasing, email fundraising, etc. Web Administration: website maintenance and updates Education: Must love kids. Prepare presentations for schools and camps. Disabilities & LimitationsAfter the appropriate time, training and mentoring Wildlife Hotline volunteers who work with wildlife should understand that they may need the following capabilities: A. Quick reflexes and ability to use both hands simultaneously (example: open cage door while handling animal) with levels of manual dexterity to prevent animals from escape. B. Have average vision to move safely around and in order to be able to observe animal body language without difficulty. C. Must have the ability to hear if animal is growling or making sounds indicating fear or pain. D. Must have the ability to speak (and effectively communicate verbally as well as in written form.) E. Must have the ability to handle and restrain animals of varying sizes. (Up to 15lb) with extreme caution and care. (This requires average vision, hearing, steadiness of hands and body, quick reflexes, physical strength, and mental alertness.) F. Must be healthy enough to handle wildlife animals (that can’t be managed by medication) and to tolerate chemicals used in triage or cleaning. G. Must possess an immune system strong enough to tolerate exposure to zoonotic diseases such as ringworm and mange. H. Must have the ability to follow instructions and procedures. I. Must have the ability to be aware of potentially dangerous situations when working with the animals. J. Must be able to remain calm with animals who are upset and behave sensitively and confidently. K. Must have the ability to learn and retain training to show good judgment and act appropriately with animals in all settings and situations. The Wildlife Hotline has many volunteers with varying degrees of disabilities and physical limitations. We also have volunteers going through chemotherapy, pregnancy, and other medical conditions. These issues do not automatically prevent you from working with us. However, because we inherently expose ourselves to zoonotic diseases, parasites, and other potential health risks we like to be aware of each volunteers' limitations and capabilities. If you have health concerns, immune compromises, physical limitations, disabilities, or any other medical issues that may be a concern while working here, please let us know. We will make accommodations as best as we can to ensure your health and safety. Covid-19 Vaccination*Because the SARS-COVID-19 virus is a zoonotic disease transmissible to animals, specifically feline and mustelid species of wildlife, we must ask our volunteers for their vaccination status. Fully VaccinatedGot 1st shot, scheduled for 2ndScheduled to get vaccinated soon (in next 60 days)Do not plan to get vaccinated.In Case of Emergency*Please enter the name of someone we can contact in case of emergency. Working with wildlife can be dangerous. We do our best to provide training and equipment to ensure your safety when working with dangerous animals. We also never leave you alone with dangerous species. However, accidents can and do happen. Never forget that these are WILD animals and we cannot trust them 100% in any situation or circumstance, even when they are young. First Last Emergency Contact Telephone Number*Please enter the phone number with (Area Code) in parentheses, then the phone number with a dash and no spaces.Relation*How are you related to your emergency contact? About YouPlease tell us a little about yourself and your interest in working with wildlife. Questions?Do you have any questions for us? Consent*It is a privilege to share in the rehabilitation and care of wild animals; it also entails some responsibilities and commitment. A Bi-State Wildlife Hotline volunteer should always be knowledgeable, compassionate, and humane in dealing with the wildlife in our care. While the animal’s safety is important, a volunteer must always consider his/her own safety first. Volunteers agree to follow safety protocols taught by the Wildlife Hotline. Volunteer must properly use nets, gloves, poles, chemical control drugs, and other safety equipment provided to you. Volunteers should also maintain current tetanus, rabies, and any other related vaccinations, if applicable. Volunteers agree to immediately notify senior staff of any bite or scratch by rabies vector species, especially when the skin is broken. The Wildlife Hotline is not responsible for medical care costs related to on-the-job injuries. It is your responsibility to report injuries, get proper medical care when needed, and assume all risks associated. Wildlife care in your home is not legal without a license or permit from your state wildlife authority. Volunteers are responsible for applying and obtaining the proper Rehabilitation Permit and keep said permit(s) current and renewed as required. (Please send a copy to the Wildlife Hotline to keep in our files.) Volunteers agree to follow Wildlife Hotline protocols in the care, feeding, caging, handling, and treatment of all wildlife patients. Volunteers are required to log each patient picked up or admitted, and any subsequent changes in disposition such as release, death, etc. No patient should be admitted or released without approval by senior staff or permit holder. All staff must abide by recommendations and restrictions mandated by the Wildlife Code of their state and United States Fish and Wildlife guidelines. All volunteers will actively participate in telephone duties of Wildlife Hotline, at a minimum of 15 hours per week. Volunteers must refrain from allowing the general public, children, domestic animals/pets interacting with Wildlife Hotline patients. Transported patients must be transported directly to agreed-upon center/permit holder within agreed-upon timeframe, without unscheduled stops or layovers. Staff must also carry a copy of current permit holders' written licenses when transporting patients. Volunteers will immediately surrender any and all patients and/or property to a senior staff member or member of the Board of Directors if requested to do so for any reason. While the Bi-State Wildlife Hotline, Inc. recognizes the significant contributions that each volunteer makes, the organization does not reimburse for unbudgeted expenses such as personally purchased supplies, foods, veterinary expenses, cellular or another phone service, long-distance calls, mileage, gasoline or operational expenses. The Hotline can be used to make outgoing calls to help defray unbudgeted expenses for airtime or long-distance calls. In addition, the organization does not reimburse for ANY unbudgeted wildlife supplies such as food and medicine without pre-approval from the Director. Many supplies, carriers, medications, caging, enrichment items, formulas, foods, supplements, rescue, and safety equipment items are pre-ordered directly from suppliers and distributed through our headquarters, helping to defray out-of-pocket expenses. Veterinary expenses are covered at 100% through our network of veterinarians, as needed and determined by senior staff members. All veterinary expenses must be pre-approved by senior staff. You recognize that participating as a volunteer with Bi-State Wildlife may carry a risk of personal injury, agree to perform all volunteer responsibilities entirely at your own risk, and assume all responsibility for the condition of supplies and equipment used in the performance of your responsibilities. You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Bi-State Wildlife and its respective officers, directors, and members from and against any and all liability, damages, losses or costs arising in any way out of the performance of your volunteer responsibilities. It is important to realize that a volunteer will be exposed to many zoonotic diseases (those transmissible from animals to humans). While ordinary common sense hygiene will prevent most infections, if a volunteer becomes sick or injured at any time while volunteering with the Wildlife Hotline, please inform your doctor that you work with wildlife and offer to provide them with zoonotic disease information if needed. You agree that any disparaging remarks regarding members and volunteers are inappropriate and may cause damage and that any concerns you have will be addressed to senior staff or the Board of Directors. You agree that you shall not disclose any information regarding systems, procedures, techniques, or other proprietary information and that all information not otherwise in the public domain received by you in connection with your volunteer responsibilities shall remain confidential and shall not be shared with any third party, unless required in the performance of your volunteer responsibilities, without the prior express written consent of Bi-State Wildlife. Volunteers agree to return the Bi-State Wildlife Hotline's personal property and supplies, if/when you stop volunteering with our organization. I have read the above policies and procedures, and agree to abide by its terms.