In 2007, I made one of the best decisions of my life... to volunteer at my local zoo. I had been spending a lot of time there and wanted to get to know the zoo, animals, and people on another level. Some of the current employees and volunteers encouraged me to sign up EVERY time they saw me... I guess it finally sunk in!
I became an animal care volunteer at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, MI. This position allowed me to work with a keeper and attend to some of the same tasks as he did. I chose this type of position because I wanted to DO something for the animals/zoo (even if it was scoop poop!) rather than work as a docent which is primarily an educator.
In future posts, I will relate experiences I have had volunteering at the zoo, things I have learned, and try to express the lasting impact this service position has had on my life outside the zoo.
If you are interested in a change from the everyday grind, I highly recommend volunteering at your local zoo!
Welcome to the world of Zoo Volunteers - aint it grand?
ReplyDeleteI'm a volunteer at The Alaska Zoo - been here for over 10 years - working in the education department as well as helping to take care of the orphans that come in.
We have one of your snow leopards here!
I second that. I have volunteered at Bristol in the UK for nearly 15 years now and have learned a lot - I look forward to your posts and discussing tips and experiences
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