Wildlife Reception Volunteer
Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital is the only all-species wildlife hospital operating in Northern NSW. From its base in Northern NSW, it provides professional veterinary services to sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife, free of charge. It has treated approximately 6000 patients since opening its doors in October 2020.
Affectionately known as ‘Matilda’ through a public naming competition, it is also the only mobile wildlife hospital in Australia, with unique capacity to go to the site of a natural disaster like a bushfire, flood, or mass disease outbreak to help wildlife. With deep cell batteries, onboard water, satellite communications, solar panels and a fully equipped and staffed veterinary hospital, it is the only one of its kind in Australia, and possibly the world.
Our mission is to conserve, protect and ensure positive welfare outcomes for Australian wildlife through treatment, rehabilitation, research, and education. Everything we do is underpinned by important principles of ethics and animal welfare.
As a valued volunteer for Byron Wildlife Hospital, you will be an essential part of the hospital team. Our volunteer program allows you to work alongside our dedicated professional staff and aid them in supporting wildlife.
Our hospital reception assistant will be the first point of contact for members of the public and wildlife carers. Whilst our vets and nurses are busy at work in the hospital, the reception assistant will oversee the admission and discharge of wildlife patients in our rehabilitation area.
Please note that all volunteers must have a copy of a current Police Check (within last three years).
Tasks and responsibilities
- Greeting carers and members of the public who are dropping off/ picking up wildlife.
- Completing wildlife admission forms
- Using the veterinary software ‘ezyVet’ to schedule animal appointments and input patient information.
- Ensuring patients leave with their discharge forms and required medication.
- Ensuring recovery area is well presented and tidy
- Taking hospital hotline phone calls
- Following up on the patient's progress and organising re-checks.
- Updating carers and members of the public on patient outcomes.
- Adhere to the mission, vision and values of the wildlife hospital