volunteering
Fresh Start Rescue Inc is always looking for new people to add to our growing team of volunteers. We welcome everyone from those who want to interact with reptiles to those who just want to help build new enclosures and those who are just amazing at fundraising!
If you have a special skill (teaching, construction, hvac, etc), need school volunteer hours or community service, or just love reptiles, we'd love to have you fill out an application. Our volunteers are like family. We have a lot of work to do here but we also have a lot of fun at the same time.
Volunteers must be 16 years old with written parental permission, or 13 years old with a parent present at all times. They must also be available to do at least ONE shift AT the rescue located near Wallace, NC every month to stay on the active list. We have a lot of fun events all over the local area but only volunteers who get in their requirement at the rescue are eligible to work events.
We also have 'work days' at the rescue as often as possible, these are a chance for us to get several volunteers here at once and get larger projects done (reorganizing inside, building or expanding outside, etc). It's usually a weekend day and the rescue provides lunch. It's a great way to accomplish extra tasks and get to know the other volunteers.
ONE SHIFT IS REQUIRED EACH MONTH AT THE RESCUE FOR VOLUNTEERS.
THE RESCUE IS LOCATED NEAR WALLACE, NC.
If you have a special skill (teaching, construction, hvac, etc), need school volunteer hours or community service, or just love reptiles, we'd love to have you fill out an application. Our volunteers are like family. We have a lot of work to do here but we also have a lot of fun at the same time.
Volunteers must be 16 years old with written parental permission, or 13 years old with a parent present at all times. They must also be available to do at least ONE shift AT the rescue located near Wallace, NC every month to stay on the active list. We have a lot of fun events all over the local area but only volunteers who get in their requirement at the rescue are eligible to work events.
We also have 'work days' at the rescue as often as possible, these are a chance for us to get several volunteers here at once and get larger projects done (reorganizing inside, building or expanding outside, etc). It's usually a weekend day and the rescue provides lunch. It's a great way to accomplish extra tasks and get to know the other volunteers.
ONE SHIFT IS REQUIRED EACH MONTH AT THE RESCUE FOR VOLUNTEERS.
THE RESCUE IS LOCATED NEAR WALLACE, NC.
Internships
As a 501c3 reptile rescue, Fresh Start Rescue Inc is able to offer internships for students interested in zoology, veterinary, or other animal-related fields. We started our internship program during the summer of 2020 and hope to continue it every year.
In addition to the daily chores of cleaning and feeding all the animals, we spend a lot of time upgrading enclosures, expanding animal spaces, doing education for summer camps and other events, and having a lot of fun. We get a lot of work done every day but we're a family-owned rescue and we treat our volunteers like part of the family.
The internship does require working shifts during the week, weekends are optional, and hours can be somewhat flexible. As a small rescue, we cannot offer any financial compensation but we may be able to provide living quarters in our camper for summer interns on a limited basis.
Duties include:
To apply to be an intern, please send us an email and resume to [email protected]
In addition to the daily chores of cleaning and feeding all the animals, we spend a lot of time upgrading enclosures, expanding animal spaces, doing education for summer camps and other events, and having a lot of fun. We get a lot of work done every day but we're a family-owned rescue and we treat our volunteers like part of the family.
The internship does require working shifts during the week, weekends are optional, and hours can be somewhat flexible. As a small rescue, we cannot offer any financial compensation but we may be able to provide living quarters in our camper for summer interns on a limited basis.
Duties include:
- Food prep for herbivores
- Feeding carnivores
- Handling and caring for feeder insects
- Cleaning enclosures
- Order fulfillment for website
- Daily maintenance or upgrade projects
- Building and painting
- Educational presentations
- Surrender intakes and adoptions
- Wildlife (reptile only) rehab
To apply to be an intern, please send us an email and resume to [email protected]
Past interns

Jacob (Fall 2024)
Jacob is another UNCW intern in his senior year. He didn't have much experience with reptiles but he quickly became an amazing volunteer. Jacob had a lot of intern hours to fulfill so he came out to the rescue each week for animal care duties and helped us with updating the outdoor tortoise houses. He also worked many of our fall festival events and did very well helping the public meet these awesome animals.
Jacob is another UNCW intern in his senior year. He didn't have much experience with reptiles but he quickly became an amazing volunteer. Jacob had a lot of intern hours to fulfill so he came out to the rescue each week for animal care duties and helped us with updating the outdoor tortoise houses. He also worked many of our fall festival events and did very well helping the public meet these awesome animals.

Haley (Fall 2022)
Haley was our first virtual marketing intern. She attended Newberry College in South Carolina. She has a snake of her own and wanted to get her intern hours by helping us with our digital marketing. It was a learning experience for us because we'd never had any marketing help before but she helped us with social media, digital flyers, and more.
Haley was our first virtual marketing intern. She attended Newberry College in South Carolina. She has a snake of her own and wanted to get her intern hours by helping us with our digital marketing. It was a learning experience for us because we'd never had any marketing help before but she helped us with social media, digital flyers, and more.

Meghan (Fall 2021)
Meghan was our intern through UNCW during her last semester of college. She got her degree in Environmental Science. She loves all animals and has quite a menagerie herself. She went on to work at an animal hospital as a vet tech back in her home town.
Meghan was our intern through UNCW during her last semester of college. She got her degree in Environmental Science. She loves all animals and has quite a menagerie herself. She went on to work at an animal hospital as a vet tech back in her home town.

Beth (Summer 2021)
Beth is our youngest intern so far. She is still in high school and came to us part-time this summer. But she has a lot of reptile knowledge and loves learning about all the animals here. She has been an amazing help in our move into the new building by putting together new Zen enclosures and helping to decorate them. We look forward to working with her more and seeing how she uses her passion for reptiles in her future career. She is holding Rory one of our favorite rehab cases. Rory came in sick and emaciated but made an amazing recovery. Now that Rory is healthy, Beth has taken her home to help her keep gaining weight.
Beth is our youngest intern so far. She is still in high school and came to us part-time this summer. But she has a lot of reptile knowledge and loves learning about all the animals here. She has been an amazing help in our move into the new building by putting together new Zen enclosures and helping to decorate them. We look forward to working with her more and seeing how she uses her passion for reptiles in her future career. She is holding Rory one of our favorite rehab cases. Rory came in sick and emaciated but made an amazing recovery. Now that Rory is healthy, Beth has taken her home to help her keep gaining weight.

Riley (Summer 2020)
Riley is going to NC State and ultimately wants to be a veterinarian. She came to work every day ready to get projects done. She took great care of all the animals and still asks about them often. She even came back to help during her winter break. Riley has definitely become part of the Fresh Start family and we hope she comes back often! Littlefoot, the turtle in the photo, is now happily residing in Raleigh and helping Riley study.
Riley is going to NC State and ultimately wants to be a veterinarian. She came to work every day ready to get projects done. She took great care of all the animals and still asks about them often. She even came back to help during her winter break. Riley has definitely become part of the Fresh Start family and we hope she comes back often! Littlefoot, the turtle in the photo, is now happily residing in Raleigh and helping Riley study.

Gabby (Summer 2020)
Gabby attends ECU and ultimately wants to be an engineer. Her internship program allowed her to choose something she had a personal interest in. While she had never worked with exotics before she loves animals and enjoyed her time here. She never hesitated to jump in and help with an animal or get dirty working on a project outside.
Gabby attends ECU and ultimately wants to be an engineer. Her internship program allowed her to choose something she had a personal interest in. While she had never worked with exotics before she loves animals and enjoyed her time here. She never hesitated to jump in and help with an animal or get dirty working on a project outside.