I started five years ago as a volunteer, and I'm still loving my experience there. It gives you a great feeling of satisfaction knowing that you are helping to rehabilitate orphaned and injured animals back into the wild. I received the training I needed to feel confident working with the animals, yet it is a constant learning experience. Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary provides a great service to the community, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.

Gerri Conarello

Antler ridge has given me so much experience with the animals. I enjoy going every week and always look forward to next time. Everyone is so sweet and nice to you and will help you understand and successfully get the job done by taking care of animals and never leaving one out! I am happy and proud to be apart of such a good place who really cares for animals and others.

Volunteering at Antler-Ridge was a great experience for me personally. I loved the hands-on work with the animals and enjoyed meeting all of the interns/volunteers. It was hard to leave because everyone felt like family to me! Kelly was incredibly wonderful and knows how to run a fantastic sanctuary!

I have been a volunteer with Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary for the past few years and currently an Apprentice working to attain a Wildlife Rehabilitator Licence. The support to achieve this goal has been top notch with Kelly Simonetti and Dr. Karen Dashfield DVM providing education and guidance to allow me to succede. The care administered to the animals to allow them to return to the wild is a prime objective which Antler Ridge strongly adhears to.

I, along with my daughters who are 13 and 15 years old, have been volunteering at Antler Ridge for 3 years. It's a very magical, loving place and we feel very fortunate to be able to be a part of such a wonderful organization! I have seen animals come in with wounds that I did not think would be able to be "fixed" but through the love and dedication and experience of Kelly, Dr. Karen and volunteers, these animals are properly nursed back to health and SURVIVE and then when they are strong and healthy are released back into their natural environment. It’s an amazing thing to witness and experience. I’m grateful that my daughters are able to experience it as well!

Antler Ridge is incredible! Injured and abandoned animals are individually cared for with such love and gentleness. They are then returned to their natural habitat as soon as they are able to care for themselves. Those who cannot survive on their own continue to receive care. Hats off to Kelly, Dr. Karen and all the volunteers at Antler Ridge for the wonderful job you do!

Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary is known as "the angels on the hill", and this could not be more true! ALL animals, large or small, are treated with the utmost care, respect, and genuine compassion by an extremely knowledgable staff and caring volunteer network. After experiencing the sanctuary firsthand, I knew I had to become part of the magic and am now an 8-year volunteer!

I have met some truly wonderful people at Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary. People who truly care about helping wounded or orphaned wildlife and donate their time and funds in the service of God's creatures.

I have just completed my 4th year volunteering at Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary (AWRS). My work there has sparked my interest in all areas of wildlife and AWRS has opened up many educational opportunities in this area. I have watched and participated in the rehabilitation and release of local mammals and marveled at the care they receive while at AWRS. In addition, Kelly (licensed rehabilitator) reaches out to many other local organizations (ie, scouts), spearheads conservation projects and helps raise awareness of wildlife. It is the best volunteer experience I've ever had.

I'm a volunteer at Antler Ridge and I cannot say enough great things about Kelly and her tireless efforts to help wildlife and also her community. The volunteers work hard and foster an atmosphere of genuine caring and concern for all of the animals in their care as well as one another.

Antler Ridge is a great wildlife sanctuary that really cares about the animals and their community. They Know what they are doing and love what they do. It has been a great experience to be a part of such a great organization!

Greatest place anywhere for wildlife rehabilitation. ANTLER RIDGE!
Most skillful, caring, knowledgeable staff and volunteer group. Kelly is the greatest. Dr. Karen is the greatest.
The sanctuary cares for every stage / age of wildlife in need. Squirrels, raccoons, opossums, chipmunks, fawns, porcupines.... Everything.
The facility is clean and beautiful
Vounteers dedicated and tireless.
Every little life is important there.
They take in orphaned and often injured wildlife babies and also the older wildlife in need that may just need a chance to heal and recover from injury or stressful situations.
Successful rehabilitation = successful release into the wild as whole and healthy animals and this is so very important to our environment.
I support Antler Ridge in any way I can help. I have personally and from the animal hospital where i work, brought wildlife in need of care and comfort and rehabiltation to the experts at this amazing wildlife sanctuary, knowing they are at best place, and cherishing the success stories and releases of too many to count.

I want everyone to know how wonderful this place is and to also help them continue with all their good work.

I volunteered at Antler Ridge this past winter and it was a great experience. It helped me to get experience for what I want to be (a veterinarian). The owner, Kelly, and on-site veterinarian, Dr. Karen, both put in so much hard work for the animals and it is obvious to see that they care.

I started with Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary when my daughter left for college and could no longer volunteer. The rewards far exceeded my expectations. Caring for the baby and young animals has been wonderful. It has helped me to realize I can do much more than I thought. I enjoyed being there so much that I was able to also help out with gardening and help bring native plants along for the birds, bees, butterflies and other insects. Thank you Antler Ridge - yes I'm tired by the end of the season but I always can't wait for spring and the new arrivals to begin another gratifying and worthwhile season. Sheila

I have volunteered at Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary for over 5 years now. The work we do for the animals is amazing. We care for and save the lives of many small animals native to Northern NJ. On average a 1,000 animals a year. But we not only care for animals we also foster an atmosphere of love and support of all our volunteers and neighbors. We hold a joint fundraisers for both animal care and breast cancer support donating half of the profits for free mammograms for women in the community that can not afford them. I had a friend that volunteered as well and she was going through chemotherapy treatments and she called Antler Ridge the happiest place on earth. She said she needed to be there as part of her treatments to keep her spirits up.

I absolutely love Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary! Our rehab season starts in the spring & runs thru the fall. We take care of pretty much everything with fur & paws. The goal is to get these critters ready for release into their proper habitat. It's always a bittersweet day when I'm on my last shift. Already looking forward to next season!

I have volunteered at Antler Ridge weekly for 3 years. I am in awe of the entire operation. All animals brought in are evaluated and then their care needs are developed. Careful records of progress are kept on all. And all are treated with tlc. I've participated in several releases - the best part in my opinion. It is a wonderful thing caring for orphaned and injured wildlife and then setting them free. Volunteers are awesome. Fundraising is handled and handled beautifully by talented volunteers.

Antler ridge is the best! As a veterinary technician, many clients wonder out loud about where they should take injured wildlife, and I always direct them to antler ridge. Kelly is extremely knowledgable and has truly dedicated her life to these animals, and of course Dr. Karen and all of the volunteers! Best place on earth for injured wildlife to hope to end up.

This place is absolutely a heaven on Earth for animals! I have gone to ARWS a couple of times to help out my mom, who is a volunteer there, to just help out with the feeding and maintenance,etc. The entire facility is far beyond what I would have imagined for just a bunch of rescued animals, from baby possums and raccoons to funny llamas. I enjoy it every time I have the opportunity to go there. The animals are handled and cared for exceptionally well, with lots of love and respect. I particularly love the llama that gives me kisses whenever I walk near her, and the calf who like to play with me. Overall, this animal sanctuary deserves more than the 5-star rating, more like 6/5!