FoxTales Wildlife Rehab
Volunteer Opportunities
FoxTales Wildlife Rehab has several areas available for volunteer opportunities. Currently, FoxTales founder and director Elizabeth Negron, and her husband Eduardo, are the sole caregivers to all wild animals in care. Elizabeth and Eduardo both work full-time jobs, with Elizabeth working the overnight shift. This means that there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer that do not require State certification or rabies vaccine. Just your time and dedication are all you need!
There is no minimum time requirement at all. We appreciate and welcome any amount of time you are available to help! For example, one grocery run a month gives 2-3 hours back to Elizabeth! And yes, that has quite the significant impact!
If you have any questions after reviewing the below, feel free to contact FoxTales at volunteer.foxtales.wildlife.rehab@gmail.com; or (425)923-4803 (text or call); or message on Facebook.
Transportation of Animals: FoxTales frequently transports orphaned, sick or injured wildlife. The animal is generally already secured in a cage, trap or container.
Transportation is needed when we receive a call from the public that they have an animal who needs care and the caller is either unwilling or unable to drop off the animal to FoxTales. Volunteering to transport involves being willing to meet the caller – usually a residence – to pick up the animal and bring it to the FoxTales facility. In mid to late March, FoxTales receives a lot of calls about orphaned animals. But we also steadily receive calls all year round from the public about baby, juvenile and adult animals. Typically, the areas we cover are Stafford, Fredericksburg and Fauquier counties.
Transportation is also needed when an animal needs to be transferred from one rehabber to another. For example, FoxTales may have taken in a low-risk rabies vector animal (e.g., squirrel) that we need to transfer to another rehabber so that we can free up space for a non-low-risk rabies vector animal (e.g., raccoon). The animal will need to be transported to the other rehabber.
Transportation is also needed when an animal needs to be transported to a veterinarian for medical care. FoxTales regularly works with Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, New Baltimore Animal Hospital, and the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
The IRS allows volunteers to claim mileage associated with charitable work, so you are encouraged to track your mileage and submit the allowance with your taxes, as appropriate.
The below listed volunteer opportunities do not require State certification or rabies vaccination, but do require the volunteer to be at least 16 years of age.
Running Errands: While this may seem a trivial contribution on the surface, volunteering to run errands is actually of tremendous help. Time spent running errands is time that is not spent feeding animals in care, cleaning cages/enclosures, trying to get some sleep in between shifts at work, or bottle-feeding neonatal wildlife.
Grocery shopping is the biggest seasonal errand that consumes a lot of time. FoxTales would provide the list of needed groceries, which is largely fresh fruits and veggies. You would not be required to cover the cost of the groceries. We would either provide a gift card or reimburse the cost via Venmo or cash. Grocery runs are most needed at least once a week starting in April and sometimes twice a week in June and July, when FoxTales reaches its peak of animals in care.
Another errand that FoxTales needs help with is dropping off/picking up an empty fox trap to catch a reported mangy fox. Typically, the areas we cover are Stafford, Fredericksburg and Fauquier counties.
FoxTales also receives calls from an organization or individual who wants to donate items. Examples could include linens, food, toys, cages. Sometimes the caller is either unwilling or unable to drop off the donation, which usually means that FoxTales has to decline the donation because we do not have any volunteers who can pick up.
The IRS allows volunteers to claim mileage associated with charitable work, so you are encouraged to track your mileage and submit the allowance with your taxes, as appropriate.
Cleaning and Maintenance Chores: One of the biggest needs is for volunteers who are willing to get dirty and clean! Cleaning and maintenance are the most time-consuming chore of a rehabber.
It is critical that cages and enclosures are regularly cleaned not just because an unclean living environment inflicts tremendous stress on the animal in care, but also to ensure that cages and enclosure remain free of disease.
Laundry, laundry, laundry!! Dishes, dishes, dishes! General chores that FoxTales needs help with are never-ending laundry and dishes! Blankets, towels, toys, bowls, utensils, work surfaces, etc., all need to be frequently cleaned and sanitized.
Maintaining and repairing enclosures is another chore that must always remain a priority to ensure that the animals always have a safe environment. This chore does not require technical skills. Just a willingness to provide physical help.
FoxTales periodically needs assistance building a new enclosure as well. This chore also does not require technical skills at all. Again, just a willingness to provide physical help.
If you like to organize, we can also use help with processing donations, organizing storage areas, cleaning out stock, etc.
Support at Education and Fundraising Events: FoxTales is looking to expand our community outreach, educational events and fundraising activity.
In 2024, we participated in our first-ever activities and we are hoping to engage further in 2025. If you are interested in volunteering for any activity, we welcome the help. Volunteer work would involve helping with booth set up and/or take down and engaging with the public as they either shop or ask questions.
The below listed volunteer opportunities require State certification and additional requirements as described
Caring For and Handling Animals: Many people ask if we accept volunteers for animal care, and the answer is a resounding yes! However, most of the time the interested person does not follow through when we advise them of the State’s requirements. Becoming a volunteer to handle wildlife has the same State requirements as becoming a licensed rehabber through the DWR (Department of Wildlife Resources). The State does not differentiate between volunteering for a wildlife rehabber and becoming a wildlife rehabber. The process to be permitted to handle wildlife, even if your intention is just to periodically volunteer, is not an easy process and takes a level of commitment that many are not willing to see through. FoxTales cannot make any exceptions because we risk losing our license.
It is important to fully understand that volunteering to handle animals is not what most people expect it to be. The internet proliferates with pictures and videos of adorable infant squirrels, foxes, raccoons held by a human being bottle fed; raccoons exploring their enclosure; foxes healing from mange; and opossums snuggling together for comfort. While fun and heartwarming to watch, this results in a significant misconception of the reality behind rehabbing wildlife. The fact is that exposure to humans is kept to a bare minimum. You will not be snuggling and comforting animals. Rehabbers do not excessively handle, snuggle or “hang out” with wild animals in care. Volunteering to handle wildlife is not the same as volunteering at an animal shelter, where human interaction is strongly encouraged with cats and dogs. These are wild animals that rehabbers are sacrificing their time and financial resources to treat and then successfully release back into the wild. This means ensuring that the wildlife is not accustomed to human presence and handling. This cannot be emphasized enough. If you wish to volunteer to handle animals, you must accept that you will not be cuddling with them, posing for selfies or spending “quality time” around them. If you are bottle feeding, you feed the animal and immediately return it to its cage and move on to the next animal, (who, by the way, is probably incessantly vocalizing because it is waiting to be fed). Again, this is to ensure that the animal can be successfully released back into the wild without an inappropriate attachment to humans.
The below are the basic requirements to volunteer to handle wildlife (or apprentice to become a wildlife rehabber):
Valid Virginia driver’s license.
Must be at least 16 years of age for low-risk rabies vector animals (squirrel, opossum and cottontail rabbit) and 18 years of age for non-low-risk rabies vector animals (fox, raccoon and skunk).
Complete at least six hours of education, which can be educational podcasts, videos, books, online courses or conferences that directly pertain to wildlife rehabilitation and the animals we care for. FoxTales can provide you with recommendations.
You must complete six hours of education every year if wish to continue volunteering to handle animals.
Submit an application and the required $10 fee with the DWR as a care provider. FoxTales Director Elizabeth Negron will need to sign your application before submission. All of the above requirements must be completed before you submit your application