Sometimes, city shelters end up with exotic animals that need a place to stay. These animals might come in for all sorts of reasons, and since they need special care, the shelters have to be ready to handle them. That’s where volunteers come in—they’re crucial for helping out with these unique pets.
Volunteers play a big role in providing the extra attention and care these animals need. Whether it’s feeding them, cleaning their habitats, or just spending time with them, every bit of help makes a huge difference. If you’re interested in getting involved, this Exotics Handling Orientation is a great way to support the shelter and learn more about these fascinating animals.
In this session, we’ll dive into the care of exotic animals at our two different shelters. Over on the Eastside, you'll get to know all about a variety of exotic pets and where they’re kept. We’ll cover things like access codes, what materials you’ll need, and other important details. On the Westside, it’s all about farm animals. We’ll go through how these animals are housed and what you need to know to take care of them. You’ll also get the scoop on security codes and supplies. This session is all about making sure you’re up to speed with everything you need to know for both types of animals.
When you respond to this opportunity the Community Engagement team will get an email notification with your request and coordinate with a Senior Volunteer or the appropriate staff member to schedule a time for your session that works with your availability. Stay alert to your emails so communication doesn't get lost and you can continue on your journey to complete the qualifications needed to finally schedule some time to volunteer with the cats at the shelter and respond to Exotics care opportunity shifts.
If you haven't, please determine on your profile your availability. You can do so by clicking on the circle menu with your initials at the top right of this page and then choose the "Edit profile" option. When the page loads you will find the availability section on the right side when you scroll down, right under the "Change Password" section. Just check the boxes on days and times you are available to volunteer. This setting will give our Volunteer Coordinator a better idea when they start looking for your session. These checkboxes can be changed at any time. You can also leave notes on your availability when you RESPOND to this opportunity in the "Additional notes" field.
After completing your shadowing session remember to request your Exotics Sticker that goes on your badge. You can also request your Volunteer Badge if you still don't have it.
Do you want to learn more about other trainings? For a more comprehensive list of our opportunities divided by pet, listings of the trainings needed to volunteer and all of the details about how to continue your volunteering process with us, please visit www.oneabqvolunteers.com/awd
If you have any questions about qualifications or have any issues with this website, please email oneabqvolunteers@cabq.gov and visit www.oneabqvolunteers.com/awd for FAQs
