Darling Range Animal Shelter manager Yasmine Hunter dedicates her time, day and night, to helping animals in any capacity she can.
Those efforts have been recognised by the RSPCA, with Ms Hunter named as a gold medallist volunteer in the 2022 Animal Welfare Awards.
The Camillo resident started volunteering with wildlife on the weekends during high-school, which led to a volunteer position at the Darling Range Animal Shelter.
She is now the sole full-time employee at the Shelter, but her day job does not stop her volunteering an extra 30 hours per week to support sick and injured animals, and she has recently started volunteering with Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Lesmurdie.
“I started full-time at Darling Range in January 2018, in my paid position, and we’ve got 170 volunteers on our books,” she said.
“I put in a lot of volunteer hours every week, on top of my full-time hours, they’re generally spent rescuing animals outside of work.
“I’ve been on the Animal Helpline for many years, so if anyone needs help with wildlife in my area It’s referred to me.
“A lot of the hours I volunteer are spent at night, staying up late rescuing at night and feeding animals that need to be fed every two hours throughout the night as well.
“It can be exhausting but I do work with an amazing team and I have a very supportive partner, I couldn’t do it without that support.”
She said she was incredibly honoured to be recognised for her work by the RSPCA.
“I feel very privileged to be recognised, I know a lot of people that put in a lot of volunteer hours to try and make the world better for all of us, not just the wildlife, but it is really nice that RSPCA recognise volunteers.”
