Internship 
A Great Opportunity to Expand Your  Knowledge of Horses!

We are looking for dedicated volunteers, 18 years of age or older and with horse experience, to stay on-site with a minimum 1 month commitment. 
You will play a key role in daily hands-on animal management at the Rescue, assisting with care and handling of the horses.  Candidates must be comfortable with manual labour, heavy lifting, and working around horses.    
Interested persons should submit a completed volunteer application, curriculum vitae, and motivation letter to  bear.valley.volunteer@gmail.com
 
General Volunteering

 Who Can Volunteer
Volunteering is open to those with good horse knowledge and experience and who are over the age of 16.    Note that many of our volunteer tasks require heavy lifting and manual labour.     Before anyone can volunteer, a Volunteer Form and Waiver must be completed and signed. Volunteers under the age of 18 also need the signature of a parent or guardian.

We  have Orientation Days for new volunteers. Be sure to contact our Volunteer Coordinator  at  bear.valley.volunteer@gmail.com  to find out when the next available day is.

What Days to Volunteer
Volunteer hours of operation are flexible but MUST be prearranged and approved.  Please email us at  bear.valley.volunteer@gmail.com  with the day(s) and time(s) you will be coming. If you are unable to make it at the time you have scheduled with us to volunteer, please give us as much notice as possible, preferably 24 hours' notice, as we set aside tasks for volunteers to do and will need to make alternate arrangements to have them done.

What to Bring
Most of the work is outdoors, so please be prepared for all kinds of weather. Bring gloves, sturdy footwear is a must (preferably waterproof), and clothes you don't mind getting dirty (as all the animals will love to brush up against you and say hello!). We have a volunteer clubhouse on site with washroom and kitchen facilities, even a library (bring books and magazines you would like to share/donate!). Please bring your own food and drinks (bring adequate water and stay hydrated!), as breaks throughout the day are important.

Feel free to bring along treats for the animals but have them okayed with management before feeding as some of the animals may be on restricted diets! Suggestions for appropriate treats are: apples, bananas, carrots, lettuce for the chickens and ducks and rabbits, bread, corn on the cob, melons, bok choy, and any veggies or fruits for the pigs! Goats love apples too.

What to Expect
Things you can do while you're volunteering:
  • spending time with the horses - e.g. grooming, feeding, leading (volunteers who have been trained or have prior experience only)
  • cleaning paddocks
  • washing buckets
  • repairing or building fences or shelters
  • cleaning the chicken coop
  • feeding the goats, chickens, pigs, cows, rabbits
  • scraping and cleaning out food dishes
  • checking and cleaning out all automatic waterers
  • restocking tack room with feed
  • taking hay out to animals
  • cleaning debris off pathways
  • cleaning volunteer clubhouse
  • more experienced volunteers may assist with picking up of animals, animal intake process, medical treatment, and hoof care.
Some tasks may require more than one volunteer at a time, for example, unloading the feed truck. In addition to helping with the horses and other residents, we sometimes need  help with office and administrative duties.  There is a lot to do at Bear Valley Rescue. If you are uncertain about what to do, please ask a more experienced volunteer if Mike and Kathy are not available, and check the volunteer task list in the clubhouse. Always sign in and look at the task list before starting your day.

We encourage interaction with the animals, but due to the size of the pigs, cows, and horses, we request that volunteers do not go in with these animals until specifically requested to do so.

Always make sure that all gates are closed behind you, and when you leave.