Weekday Animal Care Volunteer

Dreamcatcher Nature-Assisted Therapy is looking for Weekday Animal Care Volunteers to join our team! Where are we located? We are located on a 40-acre ranch in Ardrossan, Alberta (about 15 minutes East of Sherwood Park; 30 minutes East of Edmonton). About us: Dreamcatcher™ is home to various rescued farm animals such as, horses/mini horses, donkey/mini donkey, goats, sheep, chickens, roosters and baby chicks! From Monday to Friday our animals are hard at work assisting with our team of registered psychologists and social workers in providing holistic therapeutic practices for those seeking alternative therapies. The number one priority for Dreamcatcher™ is the ethical treatment and overall well-being of the animals. Due to the nature of their work, it is of the utmost importance that they remain healthy, happy, and properly cared for. For this reason, we rely on an amazing team of dedicated volunteers to provide high quality care the animals need daily. This role is our most important and essential volunteer position we have here at the ranch as these volunteers make a huge difference in the lives of the animals and of the organization and we wouldn't be able to provide the optimal standard of care without them! What do we look for in a volunteer? - Caring and Compassionate animal lovers who are comfortable with farm animals - Ability to work independently (some exceptions apply, please inquire) - People who enjoy or are comfortable being outside in all weather conditions - Reliable and dependable volunteers that can commit to a couple shifts per month (at least 2 or 3) shifts are generally 1-2 hours long (can be more) - Horse experience is an asset but is not required - Animal care experience is considered an asset but is not required Animal Care Volunteer Responsibilities: Our volunteers are responsible for ensuring the animals are provided with food, fresh water daily, medications/supplements, a clean living environment/shelters (including mucking shelters/corrals, cleaning chicken coops, collecting/candling/washing eggs), and enrichment and socialization. They also aid in the prevention, identification/reporting, and treatment of any injury, illness, disease or distress of the animals. These may include things like: dipping chicken feet in oil for prevention or treatment of leg mites, trimming chicken talons, applying hoof hardener/healer, and following veterinarian's advice. Advanced volunteers may assist with animal handling that may include assisting with summer camps, therapy groups, and individual therapy sessions. Advanced volunteers and newer volunteers (as an extra hand) can assist with the Veterinarian, farrier, sheep shearer, FAMACHA scoring for goats, and fundraising events as well. If you are interested in applying and would like more information, you can check out our online application form, here: https://www.dreamcatcherassociation.com/uploads/6/9/4/0/69408285/2021_volunteer_application_form.pdf Feel free to email: [email protected] for more details or to apply!