Jessica Varrato, an animal rescue technician at Mystic Aquarium, said she started off as a part-time clinic volunteer 10 years ago before dedicating her life to helping animals in need.
The Wethersfield native said she went to school for business and accounting but quickly realized she wanted to pursue her passion for helping animals. In 2015, she started as a clinic volunteer for Mystic Aquarium’s animal rescue program, which helps rescue, rehabilitate and release sick, injured and stranded marine animals along coastlines in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Fishers Island, New York.
The animal rescue program, which is separate from the aquarium’s public displays, began in 1975. It provides care for animals such as sea turtles, seals, and whales and rehabilitates them with the goal of releasing them back into the wild, according to aquarium officials. Volunteers and workers also perform necropsies and examine dead animals for potential illnesses and outbreaks.
“I knew my heart wasn’t in accounting, so I started researching places to volunteer in Connecticut. I knew I always loved animals and I stumbled upon Mystic’s animal rescue program online. I had no idea this whole world even existed,” Varrato said.
“Once I saw there was an opening for a volunteer position, I immediately knew I wanted the position. I originally wanted to go back to school to get my master’s and do research. But I loved working at the clinic so much, I decided I wanted to continue on this course for my career.”
A cold-stunned green sea turtle receives care at Mystic Aquarium after being brought to the aquarium to receive treatment. Sea turtles become cold-stunned after being exposed to frigid temperatures for a prolonged period of time. (Courtesy of Mystic Aquarium)
Varrato now works full time with the animal rescue clinic, which has a growing team of volunteers and workers who make up one of the largest animal rescue programs for sea animals in New England. The program has 45 clinic volunteers and two full-time and two part-time staff members, according to Sarah Callan, who leads the program. The rescue program also has four full-time veterinarians on-call for more advanced care.
“Usually when our volunteers start with us, we have a training guide. They will learn the basics of animal support and the things we need to do to ensure these animals have a safe environment to live in. Things like cleaning, collecting water samples, prepping food or packing the food with vitamins. That’s how we give the animals their medications. As they advance, they can learn things like tube feeding and more advanced care techniques,” Callan said.
“Our animals get better health care than we do to be honest,” Callan added. “We are very fortunate to have our staff and volunteers. We have great support to ensure medical care for our animals 24 hours a day. We just got a CT machine which will allow us to give even more diagnostics and care to our animals. Our animals get radiographs and ultrasounds on a weekly basis. We afford them the best care possible to ensure they can go back home.”
The program currently is rehabilitating two young grey seal pups and 15 sea turtles, she said. Last year, the program successfully rehabilitated 22 seals and 27 sea turtles before releasing them into the wild, according to Callan. She said that some of the clinic volunteers were able to take part in the release of sea turtles in Georgia, where they were introduced to warmer waters after being cold-stunned. Sea turtles often will end up cold-stunned in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean if they don’t travel south in time before winter.
“Winter is often the busiest time of year for us,” Callan said. “A lot of people would assume summer is the busiest time, but we’re actually out more this time of year than any other time. For sea turtles, many end up cold-stunned. So we have volunteers to look for those turtles washed up on beaches. For grey seals, it’s now pupping season. So we see a lot of grey seal pups, many only a few days old, that get washed up or stranded on beaches.”
Mystic Aquarium released 22 sea turtles back into the Atlantic Ocean on April 9, 2025, in Jekyll Island, Georgia. (Courtesy of Mystic Aquarium)
Callan said each animal in the clinic gets a binder filled with medication and treatment plans, much like humans in a hospital setting. Clinic tanks are kept separate from the rest of the aquarium to ensure no cross-contamination between healthy animals and those that are sick or recovering from illnesses. She said that each animal is given a unique name and treatment options, much like humans in a regular healthcare setting. Most animals are rehabbed within three to five months.
The clinic also has over 600 first responder volunteers who look for stranded, sick or dead animals on Connecticut and Rhode Island beaches. That number is up from 200 volunteers just two years ago, she said. First responders are volunteers who are often the first on the scene, relay critical health information and assist in releasing marine animals and sea turtles, Callan said. Volunteers must first take a class to become fully certified as an animal rescue first responder, she said.
“We have such a big coverage area, so first responders are essentially our eyes and ears that first report back to us. We ask them to take photos and videos of animals and send them to us so we can do a health assessment then determine if we need to send a clinic worker on-scene. Part of our job is managing that 24-hour hotline. Our responder base used to be just 200 people, but now we’re up to 600 people. A lot of people want to help these animals.”
A pair of rehabilitated gray seals were released last November, according to Mystic Aquarium. (Courtesy of Mystic Aquarium)
First responders don’t have any time commitments, Callan said, but they are required to take a class that is usually offered once a year each fall. Last year, the program offered 15 classes on different days for anyone interested in volunteering. The class is generally offered online and is around two hours long. She said the main goal of first responders is to keep the animal safe and alert program staff that an animal is in need.
Animal rescue clinic volunteers must be able to work a full eight-hour shift once per week for at least six months, according to Callan. Volunteers also must be able to lift 50 pounds, work on their feet and function as a part of a team. Clinic volunteers must also be willing to participate in education sessions by staff. Callan said that many of the clinic’s paid staff started out as volunteers.
“While our first responders are critical to relaying information to our team, we are also in need of clinic volunteers,” Callan said. “These are volunteers that are on-site at our clinic in Mystic. We really could use more in-house volunteers here during this busy time. This is such impactful and meaningful work, it often ends up being life changing for a lot of people. A lot of folks ask how they can help or do more, being a volunteer is one of the biggest ways to help protect these animals. We also offer internship opportunities for college students. If you’re interested in joining our team as a volunteer or intern, feel free to reach out.”
Anyone interested in becoming an animal rescue first responder or a clinic volunteer can send an email to [email protected] or fill out an application at app.betterimpact.com.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at [email protected].