Volunteer Opportunities

 Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary Volunteer Mission Statement

Support the PHS mission while providing care for animals by learning, serving, and contributing to PHS rescue and conservation efforts.

Volunteering at PHS provides an opportunity to learn about all reptiles, meet people with common interests and play a role in the success of our mission statement.

Volunteering for PHS

                The Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary (PHS) provides a home to hundreds of animals. It is the facility's mission to provide care for the animals brought to the sanctuary. Volunteers have contributed to the foundation of success at PHS since it was founded in 2001; Offering countless hours, volunteers provide essential care to the animals, educate the public on the importance of conservation and help maintain the facility in its entirety.

As a volunteer at PHS, you will be given the chance to learn tasks that are essential to reptile husbandry. Volunteers are also responsible for assisting staff with maintaining the cleanliness of the sanctuary for animals and guests alike. 

Volunteer tasks include but are not limited to the following:

• Raking large outdoor animal enclosures
• Performing daily husbandry care to the facility's living collection
• Cleaning and sanitizing enclosures 
• Preparing and offering proper diets to animals
• Removing yard waste and maintaining the sanctuary's indoor and outdoor facilities 

When you begin volunteering at PHS, it is required to fulfill a four (4) hour shift each week for three (3) consecutive months as an introductory training period. After you have fulfilled the initial three months of the volunteer onboarding training hours, PHS requires you to volunteer, at minimum, 8 hours a month to volunteer with the Tortoises and Property Maintenance and/or 16 hours a month to volunteer with the level 1 tasks and above to be an active PHS volunteer in the program. A minimum of 4 hours a task shift is required.

PHS Volunteer tasks are placed into levels. Each group of animals resides in a specific task under a level. As you develop your skills while volunteering at PHS, and have fulfilled the 3-month introductory period, you will be eligible for new tasks (see list below). Tasks are attained by generating volunteer hours, work performance, previous experience(s) and the overall needs of the sanctuary. All volunteers begin at the base level task.

Base Level Task

Tortoise and Property Maintenance

Level 1 Tasks

Insectivores, Indoor Herbivores and Omnivores, Intro to Semi-aquatics, Quarantine Snakes

Level 2 Tasks

Carnivores, Outdoor Herbivores and Omnivores, Semi-aquatics, Barn Snakes

Level 3 Tasks

Small Crocodilians, Medical, Mammals

Before you apply, please read the PHS Volunteer application criteria below:

• PHS does not accept individuals who are seeking court-ordered service hours.
• Volunteers must be 18 years of age and older and a current U.S. citizen to be in the PHS volunteer program.

• Before you apply to be a volunteer at PHS, it is mandatory to take a tour of PHS. You can setup a tour at the link below:

  https://www.phoenixherp.com/visit/tours.html

Applications are reviewed at the beginning of each month for the previous month. Please be patient for a response to be sent to you. If you have questions regarding the PHS volunteer program, please send an email to casey@phoenixherp.com. We look forward to your application.