It's sick or injured
It's orphaned
I need it removed
Wildlife Hotline
614-793-WILD
(9453)          

Get Started

Ohio Wildlife Center always needs volunteers. Consider volunteering in any area of OWC:

  • answer hotline calls
  • provide tours of our education/nature center
  • help educate the community through OWC's education programming 
  • work in the OWC Hospital 
  • assist with fundraising and events 

Your efforts will be rewarded by a heightened awareness and understanding of the natural environment in which you live. You will also meet many other people who share your interests in wildlife and natural history.

We are especially in need of hotline volunteers.  Our hotline volunteers are on the front lines to help citizens who have wildlife questions and concerns.  Hotline volunteers are able to help citizens assess their wildlife situation and determine whether or not the animal(s) should be brought to our free hospital. 

TO GET STARTED:

STEP ONE:  All ADULTS interested in volunteering should attend one free Volunteer Information Meeting.  Meetings are held at both our hospital and nature center- location will be noted on the calendar.  Please note that our hospital conference room is on the second floor.  If you have any accessibility needs, please contact us and we will make arrangements.  

Students ages 13-17 interested in education volunteering need to attend an Education Orientation. Please call our education center for additional information about teen volunteer opportunities.

STEP TWO: Attend further training courses depending on area of interest. (See Orientation and Training)  

CLICK HERE for information about internships.  

Special OWC Raptor Training

ARE YOU UNDER 18?
We have opportunities for teens 13-17 at our education facility!

SOARS Young Interpreters work closely with OWC staff and adult volunteers to learn and participate in conducting the daily activities at the Ohio Wildlife Center's facility in Powell, Ohio. Typical activities include animal care and enrichment for the resident education ambassadors, day camp, scout or other group programs, outreaches and grounds and facilities projects on trails, in gardens and other habitat monitoring and maintenance. Click here for more information.


OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

Veterinarians needed!
Our equivalent to the "Tuesday Night Music Club", is our Thursday Night Vet’s Club.  Each Thursday evening several veterinarians get together to commiserate with each other about bones, anesthesia and diseases as they perform surgeries and other procedures on the OWC patients. 

If you are a veterinarian and would like to join the club, give Ohio Wildlife Center a call at 614-793-WILD (9453). 

Landscape Volunteer
Our education and administrative facility in Powell is in need of constant upkeep and maintenance of its nearly 20 acres of grounds.  Volunteers are needed to help with mowing, trimming, gardening and general landscaping.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kathy at 614-734-9453.

Project Build Volunteers
These volunteers assist staff with general handy-man work; building and maintenance of caging, painting and other carpentry work to maintain the animal housing and facilities at our education and administration building in Powell.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kathy at 614-734-9453.

Administrative Volunteers
Volunteers needed to assist staff with answering phones, data entry, filing and other operational needs.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kathy at 614-734-9453.
The Red-tailed hawk is a medium-sized bird of prey found throughout North America. It is generally non-aggressive toward humans and other birds and is an opportunistic feeder with a diet mostly of small mammals. Raccoons are opportunistic eaters and can be avoided by keeping garbage and compost piles secure, and keeping pet food inside. Photo by Scott Schisler American bullfrogs are common in Ohio and recognized by their deep, throaty song. Photo by Dr. Don Burton Canada goslings are born in the spring and by fall are mature and ready to fly south with their flock. Photo by Katherine Clifton Coyotes were introduced to Ohio and have thrived in urban environments. This coyote, Hope, was unreleasable because she was hand-raised by humans before sent to OWC, and so lacks certain survival skills. Photo by Sue Simunich Mother deer tell their fawns to stay still and low (often curled up) all day while she is away. She will return at dusk and likely move them to a new spot. This is a safety precaution for the fawns, but many times fawns are mistaken to be orphans because of it. Photo by Scott Schisler Black rat snakes are native Ohio snakes. This snake resides at OWC because of injuries that would compromise its ability to survive in the wild. Photo by Sue Simunich. The Chukar is a game-bird in the pheasant family, originally from Asia but introduced to the United States. This Chukar is Tori, who resides at OWC. Photo by Sue Simuncich This male American Kestrel also resides at OWC and can be seen at the center’s outdoor wildlife display. Photo by Deb Keller You may see Eastern Gray squirrels like this in your backyard, consuming seeds, acorns, insects, eggs and other nuts. Photo by Sue Simunich The population of the Leopard frog is decreasing due to pollution and deforestation. They are often good indicators for environmental problems because of their sensitivity to chemical pollutants found both in the air and the water. Photo by Sue Simunich Most Snapping turtles eat plants, small mammals, fish and birds and are quick to take off your finger if you get too close. Photo by Sue Simunich Despite what it looks like, those big tuffs on the top of this Great-horned owl’s head are not ears. To predators, they may look like an easy way to grab the owl, but they are actually just feathers. Photo by Sue Simunich The American Bald Eagle is an endangered species. Photo by Katherine Clifton Male Cardinals are recognized by their bright red appearance. Photo by Scott Schisler The Eastern Fox snake resides in Ohio, Michigan and parts of Canada in flat, marshy areas. Fox snakes will eat primarily small rodents, but will also eat small birds, rabbits and other small animals. Photo by Sue Simunich The wings of the male Kestrel are slate-blue. Females are rusty to match the back feathers. Photo by Deb Keller Flying squirrels are one of the most common squirrels in Ohio, although they are rarely seen because they are nocturnal (meaning they are awake at night time). Photo by Deb Keller Red fox kits stay with their mother and siblings for several months and then go off on their own typically in July. Foxes are generally shy animals. Photo by Scott Schisler The Painted turtle is a reptile that is common in southern Canada, the US, and Mexico and is related to other water turtles like sliders and cooters. They live in ponds, marshes, and slow-moving rivers with muddy bottoms. Photo by Deb Keller Great horned owls hunt at night by waiting on a high perch to swoop down on prey. They eat small to medium-sized mammals like rats, voles, skunks and rabbits. Photo by Deb Keller Blanding’s turtles are a semi-aquatic species found mostly near the Great Lakes regions. Photo by Sue Simunich The Virginia Opossum is about the size of a house cat and “plays dead” as a defense mechanism from predators. Photo by Sue Simunich White-tailed deer have been forced to adapt to urban environments as their natural home is being destroyed by human development. Photo by Katherine Clifton Canada geese are dedicated parents and very social. When one goose is fatigued while flying, they will make sure it is not alone while it rests and will fly in shifts. Photo by Katherine Clifton Bobwhite quails are ground-dwelling birds found in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Photo by Deb Keller Raccoon mothers will call out to their young should they fall from a tree or get lost. As long as she sees them or hears their cries, she will do whatever it takes to retrieve them. Photo by Owen DeWolfe In flight, Red-tailed hawks flap as little as possible to conserve energy. Their flight is slow and deliberate, with deep beats of their wings. Photo by David Harrison The male Red-winged Blackbird fiercely defends his territory during the breeding season. He may spend more than a quarter of all the daylight hours in territory defense. He vigorously keeps all other males out of the territory and defends the nests from predators. He will attack much larger animals, including horses and people. (birds.cornell.edu) Photo by Tripp Braden