Wildlife care group cuts hours due to volunteer shortage

A volunteer group that helps injured animals has had to cut back its hours of operation because of a shortage of carers.

Pilbara Wildlife Carers Association has shortened its opening hours to 8am to 5pm weekdays, and will no longer be open on weekends.

PWCA chairwoman Rose Best said the organisation needed more volunteers to look after baby birds so she could focus on helping injured animals and administration tasks.

“All you need is a shoebox, syringe and we will give you training, ” she said. “I just need the dedication from people to get birds through the first couple of weeks up to the stage where they are feeding themselves.”

Mrs Best said ideal candidates were stay-at-home residents and part-time workers.

She also made a plea for people to respect their opening hours and not call in the middle of the night.

“While we’re there for the birds and animals, I don’t do well when I’m woken up at all hours of the morning, ” she said. “This is totally volunteer-run and Rio Tinto is our only source of funding.”

Mrs Best said information on how to look after animals found outside opening hours, and information on how to volunteer, was available on their website, www.pwca.org.au.