Hope for Wildlife rehabilitation and education centre is seeking more volunteers in Cape Breton to support their newest facility.
The drop-off and triage centre in Lexington opened around three years ago as a place hurt and unwell wild animals found in Cape Breton can be taken anytime that they are found.
“We need a bigger team up there. We’re always looking for extra hands, and there’s ways to help on site, and there’s ways to help anywhere in Cape Breton,” expressed Founder and Director, Hope Swinimer.
Currently, she says they need volunteers as drivers to help transport injured wildlife, work-from-home accounting and fundraising positions, and other opportunities.
They use an app for volunteers to choose their availability to help out and gas may be able to be covered for drivers if they need it, said Swinimer.
She explained the importance of having the facility in Cape Breton rather than driving animals in distress for the long haul from Cape Breton to the Hope for Wildlife hospital in Seaforth, Nova Scotia.
“It’s a medically approved facility through the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association, so it is an accredited veterinary clinic,” shared Swinimer.
“Our job there is basically to triage, to warm the animal up, to give him fluids, give him oxygen if he needs and give him pain meds. Whatever it takes to stabilize that animal so that he’s able to make the rest of the trip up to Hope for Wildlife hospital.”
Some filming of the Hope for Wildlife television series also happened at the Cape Breton facility.
She says their mission is connecting people to wildlife in a positive way through knowledge and understanding and to reconnect our natural world with the people that live in it and learning to live well together.
“We’re out there trying to fix some of the problems that humans have caused in living with nature and trying to educate along the way,” expressed Swinimer.
“I couldn’t be happier with the results and how many people are involved [and] how many wonderful volunteers we have that step up to help out.”
She reminds people that time is important when an animal needs help and the trick is to call them as quickly as possible.
“Sometimes people will hold on to an animal for a day or two and sadly that can be life-threatening if we don’t get them in right away. Something as simple as brain swelling from a window strike, [so] the quicker we can get that animal in to give him the medication he needs, the more likely we’ll succeed in getting him back out to the wild.”
If you find an animal that needs help, you can bring them to a Hope for Wildlife facility or text or call 902-407-9453 (WILD).
Anyone interested in volunteering for the organization can complete their online application form.
