Wait!
This Mourning Dove wants to make sure you've read the previous page in its entirety, and that you understand what WWCC is looking for in our volunteers before continuing. If so, please click below to fill out an application.

Babies  here, there, everywhere!
WWCC works with thousands of baby animals every year, and nursery volunteers are — essentially — the ones who raise them!  The nursery role is similar to our more general "Animal Care" role in that it will still involve mostly husbandry tasks like cleaning enclosures, doing dishes, and washing laundry — but differs in that there is an increased emphasis in hand-feeding baby birds and mammals (and working with other small adult animals, hence the pictures on this page that are of adult animals).

This sounds cute (and it is!), but know that nursery is far from being all play and no work. Please read all the information on this page about our nursery role before filling out an application at the bottom of this page.

General  volunteering  information 

(Same across all volunteering pages on this website; nursery specific information below. Please read everything.)
What do you get for being a part of the WWCC team?
At the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center, you get to be part of a diverse group of people who share one core value: the desire to help wildlife. We work with thousands of animals and hundreds of unique species each year, so no two days are ever the same! As a WWCC volunteer, you get to help care for these animals from the the time they come in the door, until the moment they are released.
What do we look for in a volunteer?
An ideal volunteer at WWCC will have the following traits:
  • The ability to commit to at least one shift at the same time each week for a minimum of one year. Consistency in care for animals is of the utmost importance, and we need volunteers who are reliable above all else. If you foresee having to miss shifts regularly for any reason, please reconsider applying at this time
  • Excellent time management skills
  • The ability to follow directions from WWCC staff or any of our regulating agencies, which include:
    • ​The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
    • The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)
    • The California Veterinary Medical Board (CVMB)
    • ​The Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN)
  • The ability to ask questions if a task or procedure is unclear
  • Excellent collaboration and communication skills
  • The ability to adapt and to keep a level head when a situation may be stressful or sad​
When can you volunteer at WWCC?

At this time, WWCC has applications open to volunteer with us on any shift, but some times of the week will need volunteers more than others. In your application, please select all times when you could make a shift. No matter how much availability you indicate, you'd still only be assigned one shift.

WWCC has the following orientation classes scheduled. One of these classes, which always run from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, must be attended prior to beginning a volunteer position. If the dates below do not reflect your own availability, please check back in the future!
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  • Saturday, April 4th, 2026
  • ​Sunday, April 26th, 2026
  • Sunday, May 17th
  • Saturday, June 6th
  • Sunday, June 21st
  • Sunday, July 19th
  • Saturday, August 29th
What should you know about WWCC before signing up to volunteer?

It  is  not  a  petting  zoo  or  shelter.

We care for wildlife that will hopefully be returned to a safe location as soon they are able. The animal’s survival depends upon them not becoming imprinted by/or attached to the humans caring for them. We don't talk to, cuddle with, or pet our animals. 

It  is  not  glamorous.

We are a wildlife hospital. Therefore, many of our tasks revolve around the daily care and maintenance of the facility, which can often be dirty, smelly, mucky, and slippery. However dirty you are imagining the center in your head, it's probably worse!

It  is  a  commitment.

Volunteers need to be willing to commit to at least one shift at the same time each week for a minimum of one year. While our requirement is that volunteers only commit for one year, we are more likely to accept your application if you're in it for the long run!

It  is  emotional,  but  rewarding.

Despite WWCC's best efforts, there are times when animals don't survive. Throughout the course of your volunteer journey, you will experience many cases where an animal doesn't make it through care, but also many cases when they do! You must be able to recognize that working in wildlife rehab can be an emotional rollercoaster. However, at the end of the day, getting to hold a cage door open for a rehabilitated bird going back to the wild is a special feeling, and that is what we always strive for.

Nursery  specific  volunteering  information 
Our nursery volunteers work one of three shifts:
  • an AM shift from 6:30 am - 11:00 am
  • a MID shift from 11:00 am - 3:30 pm
  • a PM shift from 3:30 pm - close*
Nursery volunteers need to be able to commit to a shift in this timeframe on a consistent day of the duration of our nursery season (March through October), or whatever is left of our nursery season by the time they apply.
*Closing time at WWCC can be unpredictable, and so we ask that volunteers taking on a closing shift be able to be flexible with when they leave the center. During our busiest parts of the year (in Summer), closing can often be rather late, sometimes even 9:00 or 9:30 pm.
Working in nursery involves cleaning up messes left behind by animals, so nursery volunteers should be plenty comfortable getting dirty. 

There is a huge emphasis in nursery of staying on top of feeding schedules. Some baby birds might need to be fed every hour, some might need to be fed every 45 minutes, and some birds need feeding as frequently as every 20-30 minutes. Excellent time management skills and the ability to stay on top of these feeding schedules is a high priority.
Additionally, as cute as our babies are, the most important thing that nursery volunteers need to know is that we are not here to make friends with our animals, ever. If you think you'd have a hard time not talking to or not petting animals, nursery would not be a strong fit for you. 

​And lastly, we stress for volunteers interested in nursery that regularity in scheduling is dire. Young animals need consistent care. If they don't — they can really struggle, and can rapidly decline in health. If you foresee having a hard time meeting a consistent schedule for any reason, nursery might not be the best fit for you.

If you've read all that and are still interested in nursery, then you might just be an awesome addition to WWCC. Click below to fill out an application — our babies will be glad you did!

​Please keep in mind before starting the application below that:
  • the application may take up to 30 minutes to complete
  • WWCC requests a $25 donation from each applicant (more info in the application itself). If you are unable to make this donation, please reach out and let us know
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