Volunteer !
Join this magical place and spend a Saturday getting back to nature,
loving animals, and getting to meet new people
We are open to volunteers on Saturdays 9 am - 1pm got an hour or 2 that's fine will find a job for you.
How to Volunteer at 2nd Hand Ranch & Rescue
Volunteers are the backbone of 2nd Hand Ranch. As a volunteer, your contribution helps give wildlife a second chance. 2nd Hand Ranch is a great place for people who are passionate about wildlife conservation. Even if you don’t work directly with the animals, volunteering at 2nd Hand Ranch is a powerful and extremely satisfying experience.
To be a 2nd Hand Ranch volunteer, you must:
*Children who are under 10-17 can volunteer if they are accompanied by an adult, but please don't leave any child unattended
Volunteer Opportunities Many types of volunteer activities are available, but some of them are seasonal and only available in the spring and/or summer. After looking over the following brief descriptions of current volunteer activities, please complete the online volunteer application form.
Animal care shifts. Feed animals, clean cages, and groom animals at our home location
Cleaning. Do various cleaning jobs including scrubbing and hosing out plastic kennels, helping with the laundry, sweeping, and mopping. We’ll instruct you on the job.
Data Entry. Enter the information from the animal intake sheets into a specialized computer program. Each shift is two to three hours long, on the same day each week. We will teach you on the job.
Assist at events or open houses. You will be representing us so polite excellent people skills are a must
Animal home rehabilitation. Rehabilitate orphaned native animals at your home. Your home needs to be a safe environment for the animals, and you need to have an adequate amount of time available in your schedule for their care. We will provide hands-on training and all the materials necessary. When the animals are young, they need to be fed every three to four hours. As they mature, they need to be fed twice a day. Animal rehabilitation can take from two to four months, generally between March and August. You will need to be part of our volunteer team for at least 6 months before this is an option.
Building enclosures. Regularly, our animal enclosures need to be repaired or rebuilt, and sometimes a new one needs to be built. 2nd Hand Ranch provides all the materials and follows the Fish and Wildlife guidelines for enclosure construction.
Crafting. We have a gift shop that supports the rescue - we often of projects that we need assistance with. We will show you how to help us and find your creative side.
Rescuing injured and orphaned animals. According to your stated availability, we will ask you to rescue an injured or orphaned animal that has been reported to our hotline. We provide training and give you a net, a transport kennel, towels, etc. You must provide Proof of Insurance as evidence you meet Illinois requirements for car insurance.
Grounds-keeping - since we are starting up our amazing open houses we need assistance with keep up the gardens with mulching, weeding, planting. Stain and paint buildings and fences
Volunteers are the backbone of 2nd Hand Ranch. As a volunteer, your contribution helps give wildlife a second chance. 2nd Hand Ranch is a great place for people who are passionate about wildlife conservation. Even if you don’t work directly with the animals, volunteering at 2nd Hand Ranch is a powerful and extremely satisfying experience.
To be a 2nd Hand Ranch volunteer, you must:
- complete the 2nd Hand Ranch volunteer application below
- be at least 18 years of age
- understand that the goal of 2nd Hand Ranch is to release animals into the wild
- understand that our sanctuary animals are special needs and require patience and kindness
- attend one of our training sessions in order to provide direct animal care or to rescue or transport animals
- sign our Release of Liability and Indemnity Agreement
- if you will be using your car to rescue or transport animals, you must provide Proof of Insurance as evidence you meet Illinois requirements for car insurance
*Children who are under 10-17 can volunteer if they are accompanied by an adult, but please don't leave any child unattended
Volunteer Opportunities Many types of volunteer activities are available, but some of them are seasonal and only available in the spring and/or summer. After looking over the following brief descriptions of current volunteer activities, please complete the online volunteer application form.
Animal care shifts. Feed animals, clean cages, and groom animals at our home location
Cleaning. Do various cleaning jobs including scrubbing and hosing out plastic kennels, helping with the laundry, sweeping, and mopping. We’ll instruct you on the job.
Data Entry. Enter the information from the animal intake sheets into a specialized computer program. Each shift is two to three hours long, on the same day each week. We will teach you on the job.
Assist at events or open houses. You will be representing us so polite excellent people skills are a must
Animal home rehabilitation. Rehabilitate orphaned native animals at your home. Your home needs to be a safe environment for the animals, and you need to have an adequate amount of time available in your schedule for their care. We will provide hands-on training and all the materials necessary. When the animals are young, they need to be fed every three to four hours. As they mature, they need to be fed twice a day. Animal rehabilitation can take from two to four months, generally between March and August. You will need to be part of our volunteer team for at least 6 months before this is an option.
Building enclosures. Regularly, our animal enclosures need to be repaired or rebuilt, and sometimes a new one needs to be built. 2nd Hand Ranch provides all the materials and follows the Fish and Wildlife guidelines for enclosure construction.
Crafting. We have a gift shop that supports the rescue - we often of projects that we need assistance with. We will show you how to help us and find your creative side.
Rescuing injured and orphaned animals. According to your stated availability, we will ask you to rescue an injured or orphaned animal that has been reported to our hotline. We provide training and give you a net, a transport kennel, towels, etc. You must provide Proof of Insurance as evidence you meet Illinois requirements for car insurance.
Grounds-keeping - since we are starting up our amazing open houses we need assistance with keep up the gardens with mulching, weeding, planting. Stain and paint buildings and fences