Join the Wildlife Aid Brigade!

Spring is just around the corner, which unfortunately means there'll be injured, ill or possibly orphaned wildlife, including mammals, birds, and reptiles. They need your help! If you are over 18 years old and physically fit (meaning, you can climb, kneel, and crawl), you can become a volunteer responder who helps with wildlife calls this spring. (You must also have a cell phone and be able to drive your own vehicle when responding to calls.)

When a distress call comes in, a trained Brigade volunteer will travel to the site, determine the species/age/health of the animal, and decide what help it needs. If necessary, the volunteer will transport the animal to a nearby shelter. Also, the caller will be educated about the natural history of the species, and the volunteer will address any public health or safety concerns.

Volunteers who complete the training will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Maryland Wildlife Rehabilitators Association.

Currently, Prince Georges County Animal Services Division (PGAMD) and Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) are participating in this effort. Persons interested in this wildlife opportunity must first take the basic volunteer training offered by the shelter. Contact Jennifer Newman at AWLA, 703-931-9241 (ext. 213) or Joanne Brown at PGAMD, 301-499-8305, if you would like to participate.  Shelters who want to participate should contact Sue Farinato at info@wildlifeaidbrigade.org.

The Wildlife Aid Brigade was created by Sue Lunson Farinato, a Maryland wildlife rehabilitator, to protect wild animals and their families. The initiative is enthusiastically supported by the Metropolitan Council of Governments (COG) Animal  Services Committee. To learn more about the effort, please visit www.wildlifeaidbrigade.org or send an e-mail to info@wildlifeaidbrigade.org.