Characteristics and motives of volunteers in wildlife rehabilitation.

Although wildlife rehabilitation relies heavily on volunteers, the characteristics and motivations of such volunteer workers have not been studied. 80 volunteers from three San Francisco Bay Area Rehabilitation Centers, were interviewed about their preferences in working with animals and people, their methods of dealing with grief and failure over animals' deaths, and the onset of their interest in and motives for working in a difficult field. A significant number had owned pets in childhood as well as currently. 40% preferred working only with animals to working with both animals and people. 34% stayed in rehabilitation because they loved and wanted to help animals; 23% enjoyed hands-on nurturing; and the remainder primarily felt they were giving back to Nature a part of what people have taken from it.