02/23/2026
Medical Foster Volunteers Needed — No Medical Background Required
Cascadia Pigeon Rescue is looking for compassionate, dependable medical foster volunteers interested in helping pigeons with active rehabilitation or medical needs.
These birds are recovering from injuries or illness and need attentive, structured care while they heal. Medical foster volunteers provide supportive daily care and administer prescribed treatments as directed by avian veterinarians and rescue coordinators—they are not expected to diagnose conditions or practice veterinary medicine (unless you are, in fact, an avian veterinarian).
No prior medical or bird experience is required. We teach you everything you need to know and provide guidance and support throughout the process.
Medical fostering is one of the most meaningful ways to directly change an animal’s life, but it does require consistency, communication, and attention to detail.
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What medical fostering may involve
Some birds require daily medications, scheduled observation, or multiple check-ins throughout the day while recovering. Reliability and communication are essential, as these birds depend on consistent care while they heal.
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Location and transport considerations
Cascadia Pigeon Rescue is centered in Seattle, and for birds with active medical or rehabilitation needs we generally prefer medical foster volunteers located:
• No further north than Everett
• No further east than Redmond
• No further south than Olympia
If you are located west of Seattle, you must be able to drive or take a ferry to the mainland to meet for transfers or appointments.
Being outside this range does not automatically rule you out. We simply need to talk together about logistics and what will work best.
Because the veterinarians we work with most frequently are located in Bothell, Maple Valley, and Tacoma, volunteers who live farther away may be matched with birds who have lower-maintenance medical needs or birds needing temporary or permanent homes that do not require frequent vet visits. Being able to assist with transportation can make placement much easier if you are located farther from Seattle.
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What we’re looking for
Medical foster volunteers should have:
• Excellent attention to detail
• Enthusiasm and a genuine drive to learn
• Comfort asking questions when unsure
• The ability to carefully follow care instructions
• Time to clean cages daily and monitor bird health
• Space for a 42–48 inch cage or crate
• Either no dogs/cats/parrots, or enough space to give foster pigeons their own separate room (a spare room, laundry room, or bathroom works perfectly)
Bonus (not required):
• A car and valid driver’s license
• Ability and availability to transport birds to veterinary appointments when needed (sometimes weekly, sometimes only every several weeks depending on the bird)
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A very important reassurance
You will never be placed with a bird beyond your comfort level or experience.
We carefully match medical foster volunteers with birds appropriate to their skills, experience, and availability. You will not be left in an overwhelming or overly complex situation.
If fostering ever becomes too much, we will always take the bird back. There is no guilt or pressure — the goal is a sustainable, positive experience for both you and the bird.
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Experience
A background in animal rescue, wildlife rehabilitation, veterinary medicine, or human healthcare is a welcome bonus but absolutely not required. It may simply provide a little more initial comfort with rehabilitation work.
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What we provide
• The opportunity to directly help injured pigeons heal and recover, with guidance from experienced rescuers and veterinary professionals
• Hands-on rehabilitation skills you can build on over time
• The satisfaction of doing something tangible and meaningful to help an animal heal
• A welcoming community of kind, supportive people involved in bird rescue and rehabilitation, including a Signal group chat and optional social gatherings
• All necessary supplies provided if needed. If you are able to contribute materials it is appreciated, but dedication to the birds is all that is required.
Many of our medical foster volunteers begin with one bird and discover a lasting passion for pigeon rescue.
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If you are interested in becoming a medical foster volunteer or would like to learn more, please comment or send us a message at Cascadia Pigeon Rescue or Christina Gravalis (sometimes people aren’t able to message the rescue directly for some reason but Christina Gravalis is the executive director and will be happy to talk to you) and tell us a little about yourself!
The images are of Woo Woo Magoo on intake and a few days ago feeling much better!
