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Volunteer With Animal Sanctuaries And Rescue Centres

All across the world you will find expat and local animal lovers setting up and running their own centres to care for the area’s street dog population, abused donkeys, abandoned cats, injured birds or distressed wild animals. Big or small, domestic or wild, there are numerous places to help a creature in need and get fed and a bed at the same time.

Applications to the projects below are made through a help exchange network, for which a small joining fee will be required. We also list many animal shelters in the Free or Cheap Volunteer Work section of JAB where a fee isn’t required to volunteer.

Help in a dog refuge in the Rif Mountains in Morocco

Close to Chefchaouen, one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco, a stunning view is one of the perks enjoyed when caring for a bunch of doggies in need of care, attention, love, acceptance and patience. A longer term volunteer with a driving license is also sought.

Volunteer with Dharamsala Animal Rescue

Animal loving digital nomads may find themselves most suited to volunteering with this animal rescue located in a village still largely untouched by the invasion of modern life, and inhabited by the indigenous shepherd community called the Gaddi. While lunch is offered, they ask their volunteers to arrange their own accommodation. A traditional mud house co-working, co-living place with reliable internet is one option nearby. Placements here are available to both medical volunteers and non medical volunteers.

Help us rescue, foster and rehome dogs in a sanctuary in Palamut, Turkey

This English family, now living in a small Turkish village in the Mediterranean region, began their mission after falling in love with four street dogs. They are looking for people that are also crazy about dogs, that will enjoy spending quality time with them and will be truly dedicated to the work. While the work itself is described as easy, to get to know the dogs, volunteers must commit to a minimum stay of one month.

Help with an offgrid farm and honey bee sanctuary in Hawaii

Bees need cuddles too and by helping here for 25 hours a week in the herb and flower garden you can educate yourself and the public about them. Other tasks include making candles, painting, online tasks and harvesting honey. The property is an off grid camp setup with an outdoor kitchen, private shower and gorgeous ocean view. They may be able to provide volunteers with a tent but best you bring your own. Minimum three week commitment required.

Volunteer at an animal sanctuary in upper Austria

A small family run animal shelter on the top of a mountain invites volunteers to help out with caring for their menagerie of horses, donkeys, cows and dogs. Along with running the sanctuary, there is general maintenance of the stable, work in the forest and, in the winter, snow shovelling. There is a ski area close by.

Help out at an animal sanctuary for horses and donkeys and build forest houses in Galicia, Spain

Help is needed around this sanctuary with mucking out, donkey brushing, feeding the animals, and caring for the chickens kept there. There’s also gardening and general building work, plus maintaining the existing buildings. There’s also horses and an elderly cat, and rescue cats, dogs, geese and turkeys at another nearby location. Minimum stay is one week.

Image courtesy Rikki’s Refuge, who also welcome volunteers to help out their 1200 animals in Virginia, USA.