Volunteer

 PHS Volunteer Mission Statement

Support the PHS Mission while providing care for PHS animals by learning, serving, and contributing to PHS rescue and conservation efforts.

Volunteering at PHS provides an opportunity to learn about all reptiles, meet people with common interests and play a role in the success of our mission statement.

Volunteering For PHS

                Since PHS provides a home to so many animals and is continuously taking in new animals from individuals that cannot provide homes for them any longer, things are constantly changing. With this in mind, we require all new volunteers to commit to 4 hours a week for their first 3 months of volunteering. After that we just ask that you volunteer a minimum of 16 hours per month. Think of the first 3 months of volunteering as an extended training program. The tasks you will learn at PHS are very technical and you will require time to get good at them. You will be asked to work with potential fast and/or dangerous animals, and you will need to feel comfortable working with those animals. You will never be asked to work with animals that you are not comfortable working with, but you still need to understand their care requirements and be able to provide optimal care for PHS’ animals. Volunteering at PHS is not for everyone. We do a lot of hard work and have to clean up after these animals, but it can be very rewarding to get to work with these animals up close. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age to be accepted into the program.

What Volunteering at PHS Can Do for You

                PHS can offer you great resume building experiences. Volunteering at a non-profit 501C3 organization always looks good on a resume no matter where you go. If you are looking for a career in animal care PHS offers unique experiences that you cannot get at most other places. You can learn proper diet preparation for all types of reptiles (carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, and insectivores) and even minor reptile medicine experience (wound cleaning, injections, tube feedings, ect.). These are all valuable skills to put on a resume when applying for a job in the field. The animal care field is very competitive, and you will need some experience to get your foot in the door. No one is hiring anyone with just educational experience, and no one is hiring anyone with just experience. You will need both to be taken seriously as an applicant in most animal fields. PHS also provides opportunities to build connections in the reptile community.