Bloomington, Indiana

Founded out of a deep passion for horses, Big Star Stables is committed to offering top-quality horse breeding, training, grooming, and boarding services in Bloomington. Interns at Big Star Stables will gain skills and knowledge of horse care and will be an important part of keeping operations running smoothly.

Visit the Big Star Stables website

Bloomington, Indiana

Bloomington Animal Care and Control is the primary provider of animal-related services for Bloomington and Monroe County. Its principal activities include sheltering stray and unwanted animals; connecting lost companion animals with their homes; maintaining the pet adoption program, both at the Animal Shelter and at off-site locations; maintaining a fostering program in which shelter companion animals reside in temporary homes; educating the community about animal care and behavior via guided tours of the shelter, free literature, and expert advice from staff; producing a weekly television program (Pets Without Partners), including education on animal care and behavior and featuring companion animals available for adoption; enforcing animal control ordinances; investigating cruelty and neglect cases; and providing 24-hour emergency rescue for injured animals. Volunteers and interns provide dog walking, cat care services, take photos of available animals, write pet descriptions, provide socialization and extra attention to animals in need, conduct animal personality tests, assist with clerical needs, and serve as Adoption Counselors to help potential adopters find a well-suited companion animal for their home.

Visit the Bloomington Animal Care and Control website

Gloucester, Massachusetts

Visit Cape Ann Whale Watch's website

Bloomington, Indiana

The mission of the Center for Conservation of Animal Migrations (C-CAM) at Indiana University is to understand and advance the protection of migratory animals and the ecological services they provide in the face of a changing climate. Interns will work with C-CAM members as well as scientists at the Kent Farm Banding Station, an affiliated research center of C-CAM, to help develop and implement outreach and education programs.

A leader in conservation, captive breeding and animal care, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo connects people with wildlife and wild places through experiences that inspire action. Interns will be given the opportunity to learn how to provide the highest quality care and husbandry of the animals in the area to which they are assigned and how to educate, entertain and provide exemplary guest service experiences to all zoo guests through various programs, activities and continuous guest interaction. 

• The following is a list of subjects the intern may learn during an internship:
  • Animal observations
  • Animal records
  • Preparing and distributing diets
  • Cleaning animal enclosures, public areas, service areas
  • Protocols, policies and procedures
  • Refurbishing and renovating exhibits
  • Preparing & administering medications and/or supplements
  • Training & enrichment
  • Observations of Veterinary procedures
  • Making presentations to Zoo guests and/or staff

Visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo website

Crimson Stables is a family-friendly equestrian center located in Bloomington, Indiana. With a well equiped facility, diverse, lesson-ready horses and a highly trained staff, we have everything you need to enjoy your passion. Whether you are a first time rider or an experienced equestrian, we are a complete riding center for all horse lovers

See website

Center Point, Indiana

The Exotic Feline Rescue Center is a nonprofit corporation that provides homes for life, stable social groups, enhanced environments, and veterinary care to several species of exotic felines including lions, tigers, bobcats, mountain lions and leopards. The nearly 200-acre sanctuary, at present, provides habitats for over 220 individual cats. They are open to the public and provide educational tours to all ages as well as internships to university students. Interns will be trained and involved in public education with daily public tours. They will also be involved in food preparation, feeding, cleaning and maintenance of the enclosures and veterinary care.

See more information about internships at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center

We are a full service grooming salon & pet spa offering an array of services that will best suite your pets specific coat and skin type needs. Please take a second to check out the site to learn about us and why we would be the best option for you and your fur baby.

See website

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Visit the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo website

Dr. Cody and his family started Furry Friends Veterinary Hospital with a vision to provide high quality medicine and surgery, as well as personalized care to meet your needs. Our hospital has an inviting atmosphere with friendly staff ready to care for your dog, cat, and small pet friends. 

See website

At Goldleaf Hydroponics we have Bloomington’s largest collection on public display of reptiles and amphibians. Specimens include over 30 types of iguanas, geckos, lizards, monitors, chameleons, skinks, turtles, tegus, frogs, newts, salamanders, tortoises, snakes, and the collection frequently grows in diversity. The focus of this internship is reptile care and enclosure maintenance. Daily care consists of removing uneaten food and waste from the enclosures, giving fresh water to the animals, feeding fresh vegetables and insects to the appropriate animals, and wiping down the tanks. Water based enclosures need periodic water tests and changes. Tanks with media need to be watered in when necessary, and high humidity enclosures need misted occasionally. Certain large lizards and tortoises need daily baths or soaks in water. Interns will also tend and breed feeder insects like crickets, mealworms, superworms, flightless fruit flies, and rodents like mice and frozen rats. Intern is expected to devote 10 hours per week minimum at Goldleaf Hydroponics. 

See website

Indianapolis, Indiana

Opened in 1964, the Zoo has grown into a world-class facility hosting a million visitors each year and playing a major role in worldwide conservation and research, including accomplishing the world's first successful artificial insemination of an African elephant. The Indianapolis Zoo is located in White River State Park downtown and is the only attraction accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) and the American Association of Museums as a zoo, an aquarium and a botanic garden. The zoo maintains five biomes and over 3,800 specimens of 320 species, including 16 endangered, 4 threatened and 13 Species Survival (SSP) animal species.

Application Deadlines:

• Summer Session (May–August): March 10
• Fall Session (September–December): July 10
• Spring Session (January–April): November 10

Currently, only the Costa Rica site is an approved site. Other sites will require the approval process.

Visit the International Volunteer HQ Turtle Conservation Project in Costa Rica website

Ellettsville, Indiana

Founded in 2004 by CISAB graduate Madalyn McKenney, Mad 4 My Dog Training, LLC is a state-of-the-art professional dog training business. Situated on over an acre of property in Ellettsville, Indiana, Mad 4 My Dog Training's facility boasts training, grooming, dog-walking, and even retail services. At the core of M4MD's training program is the philosophy that proper communication between dogs and people is the cornerstone of effective training. Internships at Mad 4 My Dog Training immerse students in the professional dog training industry; responsibilities include: assisting trainers during classes, assisting clients, sales tasks, administrative duties, and business/building upkeep. Internships at M4MD are a unique opportunity to apply animal behavior knowledge in a small-business setting.

Visit the Mad 4 My Dog Training, LLC website

Bloomington, Indiana

Located about 10 miles southwest of town on Victor Pike, Marble Hill Farm raises Angus cattle, Shetland sheep, and laying hens, as well as horses, donkeys and goats.   Opportunities for interns include participating in research projects investigating multi-species foraging behavior in a rotational grazing system, internal parasites and forage type and quality, and social behaviors in relationship to feed intake, weight gain and reproductive success. Interns will work around different livestock and learn animal and health management strategies on an organic small farm. The Farm is especially interested in addressing issues of sustainability and food systems, both in their farming practicing and outreach efforts. They host biannual events (e.g., Spring Shearing Day, Fall Harvest) where students can share their expertise and knowledge with the public.

Visit the Marble Hill Farm facebook page

Bluffton, Indiana

Located in northern Indiana, Ouabache (Wabash) State Park is home to a small herd of bison.The Ouabache State Park bison are direct descendants of the original Yellowstone herd.  Interns have the opportunity to learn bison husbandry. Intern duties include bison pen maintenance, feed station maintenance and improvements, assisting with weekly feeding,  attending at least two bison presentations, updating the Park Bison Binder, assisting with design of new Bison interpretive signs, and assisting with other park needs.

South Bend, Indiana

As Indiana's oldest zoo, the Potawatomi Zoo is a significant hub for animal enthusiasts in the state. Located in South Bend, Indiana and home to over 400 animals, the 23 acre zoo sees more than 200,000 guests each year. The zoo offers internships in both their education and marketing departments. Education interns work hands-on caring for animals and also assisting zoo staff with educational outreach programs. Internships at the Potawatomi Zoo are unpaid, for-credit internships that are available year-round.

SUISUN MARSH
Natural History Association
The Suisun Marsh Natural History Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit volunteer organization, dedicated to the rescue of native California wildlife and to the preservation of the Suisun Marsh, working through the dual avenues of wildlife rescue & release and environmental education.

Visit the Suisun Marsh and Wildlife Center Website

Sycamore Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization that has been protecting land, restoring habitat, and connecting people to nature in southern Indiana since 1990.

Find nature preserves to hike, discover a new habitat, and share the great outdoors with family and friends. Sycamore owns and cares for more than 10,500 acres on over 125 protected properties and maintains trails on 13 preserves for free public use.

See website

Bloomington, Indiana

WildCare Inc. provides wildlife-related services to Monroe and surrounding Counties. Their mission is to provide professional care to sick, orphaned and injured native wildlife then re- releasing them back to their natural habitat. Since 2001, they have taken in over 16,000 critters, including birds of prey, songbirds, reptiles, amphibians, opossums, raccoons, and deer. WildCare strives to meet all federal and state regulations for rehabilitation practices through continual education and working closely with local veterinarians. As an organization they offer many volunteer and intern opportunities such as direct animal care, cage building, fundraising and education. Volunteers are provided the chance to learn to care for these animals through hands on experience and training.

Application Deadlines:

• Summer Session: March 15
• Fall Session: August 1
• Spring Session: January 5

See more information about internships at WildCare Inc.

WildCare website

Bloomington, Indiana

WonderLab offers exhibits of science adventure for children of all ages. Along with the museum, they offer special programs, camps and have an outreach program that visits schools, libraries and community centers. Live animal exhibits at the museum include honey bees, insects, spiders, fish, amphibians and reptiles. Interns work directly with the museum animals, are responsible for the daily care routine several times a week, and complete a project to enhance the animal exhibits at the museum.