Exciting First Day On The Job

[robthefisherman]

I started working at Wirrimbirra sanctuary yesterday as a voulanteer animal carer and in their nursery, well the day started out routine enough feeding the dingoes, roos,emus wombats, owls and assorted other creatures and then cleaning out the enclosures.

Just after lunch I headed down to the wombats to clean out their ponds and what is sitting just inside the gate but a 5' tiger snake. I herded him down to the far end of the enclosure to keep him away from the visitors and called for one of the other carers to bring a net and to give me a hand. Understandably he was fairly active from basking in the midday sun and a little grumpy. We got a bit of a surprise when I lifted him up and dropped him in the net when he popped straight out of the side. The bloody thing had a hole in it and now he's twice as cranky but i mangaed to get him back in this time manouvering past the hole and down into the bottom of the net.

Took him down to the office and had wires come pick him up for relocation and then it was back to scrubbing ponds.

I have been wanting to do this sort of work for so long but haven't been able to find away to get paid work so thats why I signed on as a voulanteer at the sanctuary and I might not be getting paid for ot but it was the best day at work I ever had.Sure beats sitting in my office

Edited November 26, 2006 by robthefisherman

[Flattieman]

What an experience, mate! Well done on following your passion of working with animals... sounds like you're a natural snake charmer!

Flattieman.

[FletcherG1991]

good work mate

its great fun voluenteering

i used to voluenteer at the AWL and people used to say to me "but you do get any money"

its more rewarding seeing the animals get rehomed than getting money

[Guest danielinbyron]

I know a couple of snake handlers and I work for a vetinarian who makes antivenine, all of them have a great deal of respect for the tiger snake, even the traditional people. They're pretty quick , good on ya .

I remember someone posting something about what a selfish society we live in a while ago.. And thinking , VMR , VSR , VAR , WIRES , CWA,SALVOS , cleanup australia teams, church orgs , soup kitchens , the list of volunteer organisations goes on , there are allot of people who just quietly do things for nothing in this country. Its a great Australian tradition.

[insolent]

Sounds like great fun. As you said you just need to work out how to make it pay for itself and you can p**s off the shiny pants job , when that happens let me know the secret so I can stop working for the corporation.

Cheers

[robthefisherman]

good on ya mate we need more people in this world like you volunteering their time and following their passion - well done !!!

How do you find the time though

Mate it's simply a matter of being realistic and then committing to it, I do every 2nd Saturday.

I give about 45 hours a week to my employer so they can realise their goals so finding 8 or nine to follow my dreams I reckon is reasonable and still gives me plenty of time to spend with the kids.

This is what I'd like to do full time and I'm back at tafe next year to do animal management, I've already spent 3 years studying horticulture so this is all something I've been chasing a long time, just gotta find the courage to give up the well paying corporate job to chase my passions which is easier said than done when you've got a mortgage and kids

Edited November 26, 2006 by robthefisherman