Volunteer for the animals

The Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation is looking to the public for some much-needed assistance completing the construction of cages necessary to house its exotic, permit-requiring animals before an early October deadline to move the Durham-based rescue to Butte Valley.

Director Roberta Kirshner (pictured with a rescued ferret) said the community has been extremely responsive to the organization’s calls for help over the past several months. Recently, volunteers from several fence companies have been working on new chain-link enclosures.

Still, the nonprofit’s new home requires quite a bit more work, such as the hanging of more than 60 gates. The organization also needs about 84 tarps to cover the animals’ structures.

Kirshner said she can keep anyone 16 and older busy prepping the facility, and that no building experience is necessary. Those interested in helping should call 533-1000. “We need more hands,” she said. “We need the public to come out and help us finish.”