operations associate

welcome center representative

cook

team member

animal care associate

The Wild Animal Sanctuary

   * Subpar Employee Treatment: The current environment appears to prioritize the needs of the animals while neglecting the well-being of its employees. 
This includes:
* Lack of Work-Life Balance: Excessive demands, difficulty obtaining time off, and a pervasive sense of guilt contribute to an unsustainable work environment.
* Toxic Leadership: Micromanagement, lack of growth opportunities, and a fear-based culture where termination is frequent and seemingly arbitrary create a hostile and unproductive atmosphere.
* Inadequate HR Support: HR is perceived as unsupportive, defensive, and ineffective in addressing employee concerns.
* High Turnover: The high employee turnover rate suggests systemic issues within the organization, including poor hiring practices, inadequate training, and a failure to address the root causes of employee dissatisfaction.
* Lack of Accountability: While employees are held accountable for their performance, there appears to be a lack of accountability for management's actions and the overall workplace culture.

Working for the animals can be very fulfilling. But to work for the animals you have to work under the management team at the sanctuary. Managers contradict themselves daily, play favorites and put virtually no effort into managing their teams. The workplace is one of secrecy and deceit. Even though it’s a non-profit, do not expect a nurturing environment. The owner controls every decision and micromanages literally every department to the point where everyone knows that he’s the problem, but of course nobody can say that to him. If you get sick or injured, you’re targeted as weak and a non team player. The hardest part of the job by far is dealing with the owner and management team. Their word is worth nothing - they will say anything to anyone in any situation regardless of the truth. They absolutely ruin what would be an amazing workplace. They have no morals and no standards for when it comes to how they treat employees. Hard to believe that it’s the employees, not the animals, who are mistreated here. 

This place is terrible and will fire you for getting hurt on the job. There is no clear directive on what to do and nothing will ever be good enough. The director obviously fly by the seat of his pants without really planning anything. Everything is run down and rigged. The pay seems fantastic but beware about being on salary. If a paid holiday comes up they will make up for it with long days. I’m also not a fan of speeding and reckless driving with animals in a trailer which is expected by the director. There is no sense of job security and everyone is always worried they are going to be fired. Oh and not to mention, if you break it you buy it, even old worn tires. The idea of working with the beautiful animals is amazing but it’s not worth the terrible work environment. Management always talking about looking for another job. Very toxic and poor leadership all around. It’s clear they treat animals better then people who work here 

Management lied throughout the entire hiring process, claiming that they are actively involved in daily tasks and chores. They never were. They also implied that there would be proper tools provided to complete tasks and chores. There were not. I eventually realized that my coworkers would never stop talking about quitting and wanting to find a new job. Not to mention the one that had been there the longest was about 8 months which is insane. I don't know how they keep thr front desks staffed when everyone hates it and is desperate to quit. Not to mention the awful managers that sit behind desks all day in air conditioned/heated offices, while the front desk is open to the elements. If it's 20 degrees outside, the employees feet and hands are also 20 degrees. No space heaters, no hot water bottles, no windbreak between themselves and the ice cold winds. Overall a great place to be... for a wild animal. If you're a human being, stay out or be given false promises and high expectations. 

This company tends to demonstrate inconsistent management practices, often favoring certain individuals, which can create an inequitable work environment. This may not be the ideal environment for those seeking long-term career stability, as decisions regarding employee roles and future prospects can be unpredictable, regardless of individual performance or dedication. The company’s PTO policy is quite limited and does not accommodate unexpected absences such as family emergencies or illness. In many cases, taking time off for these reasons results in a reduction of accrued PTO, making it difficult for employees to build or maintain any meaningful paid time off balance. I would advise caution before pursuing opportunities with this organization, as my experience did not reflect the level of professionalism or support one might expect in a healthy workplace.









Do not work here unless you enjoy being taken for granted and treated horribly. There are a lot of workplace disputes that are never solved and a "higher than thou" culture from the office staff, animal care staff, and upper management. Everyone is terrified of the director that the attitude is self preservation as you live in fear of getting fired at any moment. They use your love of animals and animal welfare to guilt you to work extra for no overtime. If you like having a work/life balance this is NOT the place for you. Also, don't tell anyone (including management/director) anything personal as they will readily tell all of the employees if you make them angry. You will be watched by cameras every second of every day and questioned about everything as micromanagement is BIG at work.

This organization includes many new and interesting experiences, but that is all tempered with a poor work environment.  It is not unusual to experience a 14 hr. day without any adjustments for additional time off; including a lunch hour that is restricted to 30 min. at your desk.  Expectations from management and colleagues may be much different than what is posted in the job description.  VERY micromanaged organization as all employees report directly to the CEO and all actions need to be authorized before being attempted.  The wild animals are incredible, yet they are not the ones that pose a threat.  

Management and HR are a joke, if you're not one of the higher ups or animal care they treat you like a doormat. They lack the means to deal with conflict well. There is practically no flexibility in scheduling and if you have to call out for any reason you become a target. The executive director leads like a dictator and everyone is afraid of him. The majority of people have been there for less than a year and are already planning on leaving. The dont pay what is advertised on the job listing and promotions are nearly unheard of unless you're part of the inner circle with management.

Fun work place, management wasn't the best but that has changed since I was working here but co-workers definitely were the best. I learned a lot about the captive wildlife crisis and got to know some stories about the beautiful animals the sanctuary gave a wonderful and free home to. The most enjoyable thing about this job was working along side people who shared the same passion as I do and watching these animals from terrible situations live a happy and loved life.

If you want to be a part of this amazing cause, donate or volunteer, but do not work  here. 
Employees are treated with disrespect and there is perpetual fear of termination. Lack of adequate training and unclear expectations but discipline is rash and harsh. 
No work-life balance and little to no PTO. 
Do your research and read the countless other reviews before applying. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Operations associate 5 salaries reported	$99,650 per year
Welcome center representative 8 salaries reported	$21.31 per hour
Cook 4 salaries reported	$27.75 per hour
Team member 1 salary reported	$60,000 per year
Animal care associate 20 salaries reported	$36,200 per year

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