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.