Volunteering with animals abroad | A meaningful experience

Why volunteer with animals?

Animals around the world are facing all kinds of challenges. Due to climate change and ongoing urbanization, many species are on the verge of extinction. They suffer, as they can’t find enough food and are dislodged out of their habitat.

Just look at all the horribly burned Koalas after the bushfires in Australia, the exterminated wildlife in southern Europe just in 2021, or the orangutans losing their habitat in the rainforest due to deforestation. We can’t deny these disasters and the suffering that we humans are responsible for.

Thus, it’s important to take action to conserve wildlife around the world. Volunteers are needed everywhere to support and assist conservationists in their work. This way, you can make a direct impact in caring for and protecting these animals.

At the same time, domestic animals such as cats and dogs face different struggles. In many countries, there are too many strays, as their owners abandoned them and they reproduce quickly. Many of them get sick or injured and suffer living on the streets.

Also, oftentimes people get themselves a pet without realizing the work that comes with it or that these pets need affection as well.
So they end up being dropped at an animal shelter (if they’re lucky), or living a horrible life kept in too small spaces.
In understaffed animal shelters, help is needed everywhere. Without volunteers, they’re often not able to provide the cats and dogs with the care they need.

For you as a volunteer, this will also be an extremely rewarding experience. Because, besides cleaning and feeding, those dogs and cats love to get cuddles and to have someone to play with.

What do animal volunteers do?

The work you do when volunteering with animals completely depends on the type of project you decide for and what skills you have.

You can contribute to field research in the ocean or rainforests, where you might have to observe certain species and document their behavior.
Also, there’s the option to help in an animal shelter with cleaning, feeding, and caring for the animals.
Do you love the beach? Then volunteering in sea turtle conservation might be fun. Here you patrol beaches, protect turtle eggs and release hatchlings into the ocean.

Another possibility is to help organizations with their online presence and marketing or as a photographer.

Eventually, there are also many opportunities to volunteer with animals if you have any veterinary skills, or if you’re training to become a vet.

For most volunteer positions working with animals, you should enjoy being outdoors and you shouldn’t have a problem with getting your hands dirty.
No matter which role you choose, it has an important impact on animal welfare. And a four-legged (or more-legged) friend will be thankful for the chance of a better life.

So, let’s take a closer look into the most common types of volunteering with animals.

4 types of volunteering with animals

The most common opportunities for volunteering with animals are the following four areas:

1. Animal shelters

Mostly, you’ll find animal shelters that take in abandoned, injured or rescued cats and dogs that have been kept in bad living conditions.

They need volunteers helping out with daily tasks like cleaning cages, feeding, and walking the dogs waiting to be adopted.
Cuddling and playing with the cats and dogs is also a task that can’t be forgotten. That’s important to socialize them so they can be placed in a new, loving home. But often there is not enough staff to spend as much time with each animal as they’re in need of.

So that’s the perfect opportunity for pet lovers – no matter if you help out in an animal shelter at home or abroad, for a few weeks at a stretch, or on a regular basis.

2. Wildlife rescue centers

By working at a wildlife rescue center or wildlife sanctuary you can contribute to the important work of protecting endangered species.
Often, these care for wild animals that have been injured, orphaned or rescued from illegal wildlife trading and breeding centers.

While the goal of any ethical wildlife rescue center should be to release animals back into the wild, that’s not always possible. When wild animals were born in captivity and are too used to humans they’re often not able to survive in the wild.
Then, sanctuaries offer them a safe place where they can lead the best possible life. In order to do so, they need support from volunteers with food preparation, cleaning, and general maintenance. That’s a great chance to see and help some animals that you’d hardly ever see in the wild.

But be aware and stay away from fake sanctuaries where you can pet wild animals. Why? Find out in this article.

Orang utans in a rescue center in Borneo

3. Research-based projects

How do you think we get all these stunning insights about the behavior of certain monkeys in the jungle? Or important population numbers of whales in regions where they come to breed? Research and studies!

There are amazing projects and organizations out there that conduct scientific research. This way, they gain a deeper understanding of endangered animals. Data collection is such an important part of environmental conservation and the protection of natural habitats.

Therefore, organizations are always happy about volunteers supporting their projects with monitoring and collecting data. Here, you’ll learn about the behavior and movements of certain species, like whales and turtles in ocean conservation projects. But you could also join a project monitoring jungle life or the Big 5 in an African country.

4. Veterinary projects

If you have skills or expertise in the veterinary field, you’re the perfect candidate for many projects in volunteering with animals. These projects often get little funding which is why they need the support of volunteers.

The tasks of veterinary volunteers can surround helping experienced vets and treating weak or injured animals in the wild, in sanctuaries, or animal shelters. That’s a great way to help and at the same time gain hands-on experience as a veterinary student.

How do I find the right project for volunteering with animals?

As we’ve seen, there are all kinds of animal volunteering opportunities.
The struggle arises when you start researching and have to make a choice for the right project in which you can make an impact. With more than enough black sheep out there, there are some factors that you should pay attention to.

In this article, you can find everything you need to know in order to find an ethical and sustainable volunteering experience.

Especially, when working with wild animals it’s so important to find a place that’s not a tourist trap trying to attract paying visitors with petting wild animals.

Where can I volunteer with animals?

Well, you can volunteer with animals pretty much everywhere.
Just think about the animal shelter in your hometown. Many animal shelters need some kind of support on a daily basis. So why not just pop by and ask if you can give them a hand with anything a few hours a week?

Besides, there’s the option to do volunteering with animals abroad. And there are amazing opportunities out there where you can help in poorer countries and a foreign culture which makes it a unique experience for you as well.

As I’ve volunteered with animals in two places abroad, I want to share my experiences with these two organizations. While they are completely different, I can highly recommend both of them.

Volunteering in an animal shelter: ARA, Portugal

ARA (Animal Rescue Algarve) in Portugal is a wonderful opportunity to help animals in need. As a dog or cat lover, you have to go there!

In their animal shelter in the beautiful hilly area of Cabanita near Loulé, they take care of abandoned, injured, and sick dogs and cats. They provide them with a temporary home, feed and nurture them, and take care of their medical treatments. The goal is to find a permanent, loving home for them.

With around 100 dogs and 20-30 cats, they’re always in need of helping hands. Therefore, ARA is a great place for volunteering with animals surrounded by the scenic rural landscape in Portugal’s Algarve.

You’ll find a true family vibe there, with staff and other volunteers that treat the animals with so much care and love. Also, they look after the volunteers and go out of their way to make it a rewarding experience for you as a volunteer.

What does volunteering with animals at ARA look like?

As the animals at ARA are looking for a new home, they need to be socialized. In two shifts a day, volunteers walk the dogs, clean their kennels and the cat house, give them water and take care of the whole rescue center area.
Bear in mind that cleaning is a big part of the tasks. Besides the kennels, it includes daily tasks such as doing the dog laundry (their comforters and “beds”) as well as cleaning the bowls.

In your free time, you can also walk, cuddle and play with the dogs and cats as much as you want. They’re extremely thankful for the time you spend with them! You’ll never forget those big, grateful eyes.
Besides, there’s lots of time to connect with other volunteers or enjoy the stunning surroundings of the Algarve countryside and the Portuguese sun on the terrace.

You can stay either in a shared room in the volunteer house or a trailer where you have a bit more privacy. By spending time with the other volunteers I’ve met inspiring like-minded people from all over Europe. This was a huge part of why the time at ARA was such a unique experience and a time I love to think back to.

The minimum stay is two weeks which, I can assure you, will pass by extremely fast. You’ll need around a week to get to know most of the animals, their individual needs, and their characters.
Also, it takes some time for them to know and trust you. Many volunteers stay a month and in case there’s space and you do a good job you might even extend your volunteering time.

Why is volunteering at ARA in Portugal an ethical opportunity for volunteering with animals?

In my article Sustainable and ethical volunteering, I’ve summed up the aspects, that you should pay attention to when checking, if an organisation actually operates in a sustainable and ethical way.
Check out the article, to read more about it!

So now, let’s take a closer look into why volunteering with animals at ARA in Portugal is an ethical opportunity, according to these aspects:

• Range of projects
  Less projects within an organization is always better, in order to assure that they meet ethical standards.
  ARA has a clear focus on animal rescue, animal care and educating locals about animal welfare. Also, they have a charity shop in Loulé which helps them to fund the animal shelter.
• Minimum duration of volunteering
  With just a few days volunteering it’s hard to make a sustainable impact. That’s why the minimum stay at ARA is 2 weeks. Volunteers can apply for up to 4 weeks and if they do a great job, they can even stay longer.
• Assistance on site
  It’s important to always have experts on site that can properly advise the volunteers. Aa a volunteer with ARA, trained staff will always accompany and supervise the shifts, allocate tasks, and assist.
• Allocation of tasks
  I’ve experienced ARA as a very organized animal shelter. Daily and weekly tasks are allocated responsibly among volunteers and written down on different boards.
  Only staff members conduct certain tasks (such as giving medicine). Also, only experienced long-term volunteers are allowed to get in contact with more challenging animals and some dog kennels are stictly only entered by staff.
• Impact of the project
  ARA is not only an animal shelter that takes in strays but also castrates all animals in order to get more control of the population numbers of stray animals. That’s vital in order to have a long-term impact. And their main goal is to find a new home for their furry friends. In this matter, they have a very strict adoption process and visit the families several times after an adoption in order to make sure that the animals are well.
• Involvement of locals
  Almost all staff members at ARA are Portuguese and there are several local volunteers that come by on a regular basis. So, there’s a good relationship with locals while ARA also offers job opportunities for local animal lovers. This way, the animal shelter can provide sustainable value to the area.

What is more, there are some more aspects to be aware of, especially when volunteering with animals:

• Rehabilitation
  Many dogs and cats in animal shelters have a very sad history and have experienced cruelty. You’ll never truly know what happened to them, but many get to the shelter really scared of humans so you can assume that someone has hurt them. Thus, ARA socializes them so they can regain trust in humans. That’s a task where volunteers play a large role.
• Condition of the animals
  It’s taken care that all dogs and cats get well fed at ARA’s animal shelter. Also, there’s a maximum of two dogs in each kennel, and several free-range parks so they all have enough space to run around. With a maximum capacity of 100 dogs, the animal shelter can take in many strays but still provide each animal with the care and space they need.
• Professionals on site
  There’s always trained staff on-site (literally always, as some even live in the rescue center) to be close to the animals and lead the volunteers in their tasks.
• Contact with animals
  In animal shelters, direct contact with the dogs and cats is important in order to socialize them before they find a new home. This is a large part of the job as a volunteer at ARA, as volunteers are supposed to walk, cuddle and play with the animals every day.

Around a quarter of the volunteers actually end up adopting an animal. If that’s not an option for you right now, you can also sponsor an animal for a small monthly amount.

Curious? Visit their website and get in touch with ARA!

Volunteering in sea conservation: ARCAS Guatemala

If you love the ocean, the beach, and sea life, ARCAS in El Hawaii could be a great organization to volunteer with animals for you.
Located directly on a beautiful black volcanic beach near Monterrico on Guatemala’s Pacific coast, they focus on the conservation of sea turtles, the ocean, and the nearby mangrove forests. They administer a protected area of more than 7000 hectares. In order to do so, they work closely with locals and volunteers in order to improve the situation in the natural reserve.

In Guatemala, many sea turtle nests are plundered by poachers and their eggs are sold as a delicacy. Hence, with their sea turtle hatchery, the organization focuses on the protection of the turtles and the eggs.
Especially during turtle season from August to December, they need helping hands with the hundreds of sea turtle nests.

Also, ARCAS regularly organizes eco-tours for local tourists and beach clean-ups in which you can help. Besides, there is a small animal rescue center in the Parque where they care for injured or mistreated wild animals.

In case you’re interested in volunteering in a larger animal rescue center, ARCAS operates one in Petén, in northern Guatemala. Over there, they need help with caring for many kinds of wild animals such as parrots or monkeys.

What does volunteering with animals at ARCAS in Guatemala look like?

In August, female adult sea turtles start coming to the beach of El Hawaii in order to lay eggs. Each turtle lays up to 100 eggs, can you believe that?

As a volunteer at ARCAS, you can play an active role in the protection of these fascinating but endangered animals.
If you’re there between August and December your main tasks will be to conduct nightly beach patrols in search of nesting sea turtles, to collect and bury eggs in the hatchery. Also, you take part in releasing hatchlings on the beach and collect research data.

Outside of turtle season, volunteers can still support many biological projects by collecting research data in the mangrove forests or the sea. Also, you can help prepare educational material, and join educational activities and beach clean-ups. This way the kind of work I mainly did when I was at ARCAS.

Also, the local forest keepers are happy about support in preparing food for the animals and maintenance tasks within the Parque.

Volunteering with animals at ARCAS will be a great opportunity to do something meaningful for the environment and endangered sea turtles while working closely with biologists and professional conservationists.

You sleep in a very basic beach hut that you share with other volunteers, in case there are more around. Don’t expect any luxury, it’s a nature-oriented experience but believe me, waking up to the sound of the ocean is simply amazing. Also, you get local food every day which also makes it a great experience to learn about typical Guatemalan culture and cuisine.

Why is volunteering at ARCAS in El Hawaii an ethical opportunity for volunteering with animals?

Let’s check the aspects that you need to pay attention to when figuring out if an organization operates ethically and sustainably. As mentioned, these aspects are from my article „Sustainable and ethical volunteering“.

In this connection, let’s inspect the conditions at ARCAS in Parque Hawaii, Guatemala:

• Range of projects
  ARCAS covers two projects in Guatemala. One focuses on conservation and sea turtles in Parque Hawaii and a Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Petén. With only two projects and a clear focus, they know them well and have a good understanding of ethical standards within their projects.
• Minimum duration of volunteering
  Even though it’s possible to volunteer with ARCAS for two weeks, of course they prefer when you stay longer. This way, you can make a more sustainable impact.
• Assistance on site
  Biologists lead the project in El Hawaii and there’s a vet on site. Also, the local forest keepers have a long experience of working in conservation. So all the staff have great knowledge and can advise volunteers. That’s a great sign for an ethical and sustainable project.
• Allocation of tasks
  In good organizations, tasks between staff and volunteers are clearly split. At ARCAS you can lend a hand in many areas and accompany the experts. Especially on field trips, however, the trained biologists are clearly in a leading role. When it comes to wild animals, only the vet gets close and examines them.
• Impact of the project
  The long-term goal of ARCAS clearly is to ensure a better future for the Guatemalan environment and wildlife. They protect the turtle eggs and play an important role to fight poaching. In doing so, they subsequently increase sea turtle populations.
  They also visit schools to educate children about the importance of conservation and how to keep the environment healthy. Led by Guatemalan scientists, the organization is well known in the area and contacted in case of any wildlife incidents.
• Involvement of locals
  Only when a project involves and trains locals, it can sustainably create value. At ARCAS, all workers are locals from the area and they source the products they use from local vendors. By taking local Guatemalan tourists on tours, ARCAS helps in broadening their minds and engaging in the importance of conservation as well.

Besides, in terms of animal welfare the following aspects are important to check as well:

• Rehabilitation
  At ARCAS’ rescue center, they release injured animals into the wild once they’re better. The turtle hatchlings are released into the ocean soon after hatching. Many of the animals in the rescue center have been rescued from bad living conditions in captivity. So, unfortunately, they can’t survive in the wild but are taken good care of and have much more space in the large cages.
• Condition of the animals
  In their rescue center, there are large cages for the birds. Also, ARCAS is currently waiting for the approval of a fund in order to improve the process of releasing them back into the wild. They feed the animals well and the vet observes their health.
• Professionals on site
  As scientists lead the project, there are always biologists and a vet on-site who all speak great English. Also, the local forest keepers have a background in conservation work for years. Even though those only speak Spanish, they’re always there to show you certain tasks.
• Contact with animals
  There is one major rule at ARCAS: It’s not allowed to speak to any of the wild animals, neither with the sea turtles nor the animals in the rescue center. They shouldn’t get used to human voices, which is an important factor when working with wild animals.

Check out their website and contact them if you’re interested in volunteering with animals at ARCAS in Guatemala.

Can I volunteer with animals for free?

Yes, it’s possible to volunteer with animals for free. You can find many free projects and organizations on platforms such as Workaway, Volunteers Base, or freevolunteering.net. Often, you can offer your work as a volunteer and get free accommodation in return.

ARA in Portugal is such an organization. You don’t have to pay anything to volunteer there, and you can stay in either their volunteer house or a trailer. The only thing you have to take care of yourself is food. But there are several supermarkets nearby and you can use the common kitchen to cook.

Also, animal shelters back home are often looking for volunteers that can help on a weekly basis. This of course won’t cost you a penny.

However, if your organization provides you food and accommodation, it’s not uncommon that you have to pay at least a small service charge that covers the costs of your stay.
And that’s completely fine! Just consider the costs that you’d pay at home for the same time as well (with rent, food etc). For the small amount you pay, you’ll get an unforgettable experience and you’ll feel such gratitude by animals which can’t be put into words.

Be aware that, even if you find a free project, you have to consider certain other expenses that could come up when volunteering with animals abroad. This could be vaccinations, transportation fees, visas, or insurance.

I’d also recommend you support the organization you choose with a donation. You can start a small fundraising campaign among your friends and family.
NGOs have large sums to cover every month and depend on donations to keep up with their good work.
Animal shelters, for example, need anything from food, blankets, medicine, and pharmacy to harnesses and leashes.

What to consider to choose the right organization for volunteering with animals?

Well, first and foremost you have to decide in which area you want to help. Do you want to work with domestic animals such as cats and dogs that are longing for cuddles? Or are you rather passionate about protecting wildlife where you can contribute to conserving endangered species but won’t be able to be in close contact with animals?

Moreover, take into account what are your interests. Are you fascinated by a certain environment such as the ocean or the jungle that you’d love to experience and protect? Or have you been in love with or curious about a certain country or continent that you’d like to explore deeper?

Besides your passions, you should also consider the skills and experiences you have. Have you grown up with dogs and it’s easy for you to gain their trust? Or do you have a diving license that can be of use in observing sea life? Maybe you speak certain languages that can help you to decide where to volunteer with animals abroad?

Also, it’s not always an „either-or“-decision. It’s not like you get the chance to volunteer with animals only once in your lifetime.  To gather different experiences is even more amazing.

Things to check before applying

As you’ve probably spent quite some time considering your passions and skills, it’s also necessary to take a look into certain conditions that might restrict you.

Do you have any allergies, that might make it impossible to work with certain animals or in specific surroundings? Are you scared of any animals? Even if you’re not directly working with them, if you’re terrified of e.g. snakes you may still come across them in some tropical countries.
Are you sensitive to loud noise? This could make it hard for you to work in a dog shelter, or you have to equip yourself with earplugs.
What about problems with certain climate conditions, such as high humidity or altitude? For instance, Quito in Ecuador is extremely high even though it might not look like that at first glance.

Volunteering with animals is not only physically challenging but also mentally because you meet animals with incredibly sad stories that have suffered a lot.
Nevertheless, it’s one of the most valuable things you can do. My two volunteering experiences have been extremely rewarding. I’m incredibly grateful that I had the chance to volunteer in Portugal and in Guatemala. Grateful for making the lives of a few animals worth living. And grateful that I was able to do my bit in research that helps protect some of the world’s endangered animals.

One more thing: Ethics in volunteering with animals

As more and more people with a heart in the right place go abroad with good intentions to help animals. Especially working with wildlife has become quite popular.
While many projects may sound alluring, such as protecting exotic animals that you normally wouldn’t see in the wild and being in close contact with them. However, the reality often looks different.

Many black sheep came up that exploit animals as well as good-natured volunteers. Some seemingly great organizations are actually just greedy for profit.

That makes it extremely important to research properly and dig deep about the organization to make sure you find a trustworthy and ethical project. I’m sure you don’t want to support a problem that you’re actually trying to fix and exploit voiceless animals for money.

To make your research a bit easier and to know what you have to pay attention to, I gathered some handy tips. This article helps you to find a truly ethical and sustainable volunteering project: Ethical Volunteering tips

Do you have any unforgettable experiences volunteering with animals? Share them in the comments!