Volunteers play an important role in our mission.

Read our volunteer spotlight on Susan Timmerman.

Meet our current volunteers.

We are an accredited sanctuary/rescue organization and are not open to the public. In keeping with our mission, we will not put the cats on exhibit.

Please note that volunteers will not have any direct contact with the cats — however, your efforts will benefit the cats in an important way. You may be helping with fencing that will protect their sanctuary, renovating structures, or even helping to clean the prep room or tool shed. Every task, no matter how big or small, matters in the lives of each of our residents.

You must be at least 18 yrs old and have valid identification. You can download our Volunteer Program brochure here.

There are different classifications of TWS Volunteers and staff will decide which level suits you best.

Off-Site Volunteers: Work shifts at our educational booths at expos, civic events and festivals; calling restaurants, stores, etc. for gift certificates for silent auction; calling on lumber yards, cat litter companies, etc. to solicit contributions in-kind.

On-Site Volunteers: On-site volunteering occurs at TWS in Sandstone which is located approx 100 miles north of the Cities (1 hr 45 min) or approx 85 miles from Duluth (1 hr 20 min.) On-site responsibilities range in degree of physical difficulty, from building projects to helping maintain the grounds (i.e. mowing, raking, shoveling) and other projects. We need volunteers on weekdays as well as weekends.

Domestic Animal Care Volunteers: All animal care is limited to TWS staff except Domestic Animal Care (DAC) which is staff-approved and requires specialized training. DAC’s provide daily care for TWS’ domestic Bengal and hybrid cats and dogs. This includes cleaning and enrichment. DAC’s must commit to a minimum of two days a month. DAC volunteers are required to get the rabies pre-exposure vaccine. You can apply for this position after 6 months of volunteering for TWS.

The first step to volunteering is completing a TWS volunteer application.

Upon receipt of completed Volunteer Application, applicants will be contacted to schedule a phone interview and also notified of upcoming orientations in order to register.  Attending a TWS Volunteer Orientation session is mandatory for new applicants.

The Wildcat Sanctuary Volunteer Orientation consists of an educational presentation about TWS, our Mission and history, our facility and residents, explanation of our rules and regulations and our volunteer expectations. Volunteers who also want to volunteer on-site at TWS will go through safety protocol and more detailed on-site volunteer information the first time they come on-site. New Volunteer Orientation sessions are scheduled regularly and first on-site volunteering must be on a Group Volunteer Day. Established volunteers must attend the mandatory Yearly Volunteer Meeting (January.)

Please return the completed Volunteer Application to the PO Box listed on the application or email back to volunteer@wildcatsanctuary.org. We look forward to receiving your application and meeting you at a future orientation session.an