Wildlife Rescue Internship Project, Canada

My time in Canada was a chapter in my life that has helped me grow confident in caring for wild animals and taking on leadership. It was incredibly rewarding to see the orphaned, injured and sick animals that come in grow big and strong and meet their personalities. The long days were filled with laughter, friendship and beautiful experiences that I will never forget!

I took care of skunks, squirrels, raccoons, bunnies, opossums and black bears. You learn so much from these critters and they give you lots of motivation to keep going, because there’s no better feeling than seeing the animals get released when they’re healthy and strong enough.
I have definitely made forever friendships at this incredible place.

I really loved it, it was hard work at times but the animals were amazing and I made such good friends. It felt so rewarding especially having such a responsibility over all the baby squirrels and racoons!

I had such a fantastic time working at the project, I had the opportunity to work with so many animals that I’ve never even seen before, it was very worthwhile and rewarding despite all the hard work! I even got to co parent my own beaver and a marmot which aren’t to common. It can feel overwhelming when you first start in baby season as everyone is so busy and you need to make a whole new routine but be sure to stick it out as you’ll make so many new close friends, go on releases and rescues, see your babies grow and have a great time. I would have loved to extend my time here if I had more time to spare!

I can easily say volunteering at the wildlife rescue centre in Canada has been one of the best experiences of my life, everyday is so fulfilling and rewarding and to see your animals released after all your hard work are memories that stick with you for life.

This internship was great. I learned a lot about the rehabilitation of mammals, grew more confident in handling wildlife and how to care for wild animals. I also met amazing people and found really close friends and companions during my time there. I miss being there already and its certainly an experience that I will cherish for a while :)!

Now, my experience at the Wildlife Rescue Internship Project, in Canada was amazing!

I learned so much regarding animal care and rehabilitation. I’m not gonna lie, during peak baby season it was very exhausting, mentally and physically. The days were long, our hours of sleep were limited and it’s not always easy being confronted with death, injuries and viruses all day long. But every day we fight for wildlife is worth it. The release of every single animal is the gift we get after putting so much time and effort into the care of the animals that made their way to the centre. I enjoyed taking care of so many animals from different species.

The staff are also wonderful! I’m very grateful that I had the opportunity to work alongside them because besides every knowledge they shared with me regarding the animals, they also showed me how much love and compassion someone can have and give. I’m happy that they entrusted me with the care of so many animals and were there for me, during my whole stay, whenever I needed them.

Furthermore, since I’ve stayed at the project for a couple of months, I was lucky enough to have met a lot of incredible interns. Sharing this experience with other young people that have the same vision of the world and that want to make a difference has simply been incredible. These people have become true friends and will give me the opportunity to travel around the world in order to see them again.

I’m grateful for everything the project gave me! I now have so many nice memories with the animals and people that will stay with me and that I’m gonna cherish.

I also wanted to thank you Vicky and Working Abroad. You made sure that my whole experience went smoothly from the start. Answering all my questions, making sure that my travels and arrival went on without any problems. So thank you! And there is a high chance that I’ll be interested in another WorkingAbroad Project in the future if the opportunity presents itself again.

I couldn’t choose a favourite picture because I have way too many!

The Wildlife Rescue Internship Project, Canada is a wonderful experience for anybody who is interested in wildlife conservation and directly working with the mammals of lowland British Columbia. Set in the remote countryside about 50km from Vancouver and within walking distance of the Canada – U.S border, it is a small oasis for injured or sick animals. It is also a brilliant place to meet people from all over the world and to learn a great deal from the amazing staff who work there on a permanent basis.

Although I only spent a month there, I found that when leaving it felt similar to leaving home, they said that a month would not be long enough and they were right! You must be prepared to work very hard and sometimes up to 12 hours a today but the reward is seeing your animals happy and looked after. A typical day may start at 7 am with feeding your allocated animals; they of course take priority. This is followed by a morning clean and a morning meeting to discuss the rest of the day. You then go on to complete your set daily tasks before doing an evening clean and feeding your animals again. The tasks that you may be doing vary widely on a daily basis so you are kept on your toes! This routine is the standard during the quieter winter months, however, this changes during Spring and Summer as baby season kicks into gear and animal feeds take place throughout the day.

The staff are extremely passionate about wildlife and they actively try to involve interns in the work that they do, as well as holding lessons and demonstrations. Perhaps the most challenging thing for interns is when you are asked to help with new animals that arrive. It is important to be prepared for any outcome as some animals simply cannot be saved. Staff also take interns out on animal rescues which are really valuable experiences. It’s not all work and no play though as you have two days off a week which allow you to go off and explore the local area or just have some downtime.

I really enjoyed my time at the Wildlife Rescue Internship Project, Canada, so much so that I hope to go back for a longer period of time. As long as you have a good work ethic and can get on with people, this really is an unmissable opportunity.

“I have been an intern at this project for almost 4 months now, having extended my stay twice already! It has truly been the best experience. The staff are incredible and the work we do is so gratifying. The work can be stressful and the hours are long and hard, but releasing a baby animal we raised or an injured animal we healed, makes everything so worth it.

This work isn’t for the weak-hearted, we lose a lot of our “clientele” and we have to deal with a lot of gross things (maggots, blood, faeces…). The people I’ve met are friends for life! Living closely with other passionate people and living the same experience forces us to be very close, very quickly.

I would honestly recommend this program for other people passionate about helping wildlife!

The only reason why I won’t give this a 5-star rating is due to the lack of sleep during the baby season!”

“I interned from September 23 to December 20 last fall. During that time, I got to work with some amazing animals and people. When I first arrived, I didn’t know what to expect. What I found was something completely different and better than what I was hoping to find.”

“Some of my fondest memories involve sitting in the racoon nursery and bottle-feeding my racoon kit as they gradually opened their eyes and became lively. Nothing compares to witnessing those tiny racoons grow and gain their own personalities. Throughout my internship, I worked alongside staff members and developed skills in vaccination, animal capture, and enclosure sanitation; skills that will serve me well in future animal-care employment.”

“My experience has been one I will never forget. There have been times of extreme stress and exhaustion during baby season, but it has always been balanced out with fun and laughter. The people at the centre, interns and supervisors included, were friendly and welcoming. The close living situation and kindness of others made me feel as if we were our own family.”