In the Animal Care Program in northern Thailand, you will be part of a mission that goes far beyond feeding and petting. It's about healing the animals. Many of the dogs and cats that arrive here have had a hard life on the streets or have been neglected by their owners. Many have experienced hunger, illness and loneliness. With your work in the Animal Care Program, you help to care for them, provide for them, strengthen them again and thus pave the way for them to a new, safe life.
It's work that requires care and physical commitment - and that's what makes it so special. Not only will you be cleaning and grooming, but also playing, training and providing comfort to the dogs and cats. At the end of the day, you know that your time here makes a difference. That your work, your commitment benefits the animals, that you can see changes in their behavior, and that you can give them a better life again.
Are you ready to get your hands dirty, open your heart and experience what surrender can do?
The animal care program is carried out in cooperation with a local partner. As a volunteer, you will take care of abandoned, neglected, lost or injured dogs and cats. You will help to keep the animals active and healthy so that they have a better chance of finding a new home later on.
Here you will gain valuable experience in animal care at an animal shelter. This is located in the rural area around Chiang Rai in the north of Thailand, with a surrounding plot of 3,200 square meters on which various fruit trees grow. The garden provides a natural environment in which the 22 dogs and 30 cats can live freely and protected at the same time. You support the animal care program in promoting the welfare and protection of the animals living here. The aim is to ensure that they are happy and healthy so that they can later be placed in loving families.
The lives of stray dogs and cats are full of suffering. Hunger, disease and infection are their constant companions. With every newborn stray, the suffering increases as they fight for the available resources - food and permanent habitats. Even many animals that have an owner are exposed to themselves and the dangers of life on the streets.
The main objectives of the shelter are animal welfare, medical care and companionship. In addition, the shelter aims to raise awareness of animal welfare, animal care and vaccinations and organizes events in which you can participate and support as a volunteer. The shelter is the first and only one in Chiang Rai to care for animals in the villages of the surrounding tribal communities. Working closely with the Hill Tribes, the shelter provides veterinary services, community engagement, medical clinics and educational programs in their region to promote stewardship and animal welfare.
In addition, the project works with other NGOs to offer training and jobs to people from these communities. This enables them to learn a marketable skill and earn a good income to feed themselves and their families.
Through your work, you help to provide the animals with a safe, healthy and loving environment. You increase their chances of adoption and at the same time you are a great help and relief for the local team, who are often working at their limits.
In the Animal Care project, you are a permanent member of the team and therefore integrated into a wide range of tasks. This includes feeding the dogs and cats (including strays), playing and socializing with the animals and preparing food for the animals (food and water, often for many animals at the same time). Cleaning the cages, enclosures and free-range areas is also part of your work. In addition, the animals need daily care (bathing, brushing and grooming), for which you are jointly responsible. Walking the animals and simply spending as much quality time with them as possible is also part of the job. General garden maintenance around the animal shelter, repairs to enclosures or runs are also part of your duties. You will also support the vets with basic medical treatments such as flea/tick drops and vaccinations, bathing and grooming the animals and helping with sterilizations. You may also be involved in administrative tasks. You will be involved in communications and marketing and in social media campaigns for events, fundraising campaigns for specific cases or events.
Monday to Friday are the working days on which you will look after the welfare of the animals. After breakfast, the working day starts at 9:00 a.m. with a daily meeting. After that, the animal care activities scheduled for the day begin until 12:00 noon. After lunch, these work activities continue at 1:00 pm until 4:30 pm. This is followed by dinner together at 17:00. After a week full of fulfilling animal care work, you have the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) free and time at your disposal. On Sunday evening you should be back at the project site by 21:00 (in consultation with the staff to ensure access to the accommodation).
In addition to working at the animal shelter, you will also have the opportunity to accompany the team on visits to local tribal communities and temples to carry out treatments, care and examinations. You will help the villagers to handle their animals, train them and teach them how to treat the animals well. The animals also receive medical treatment on this occasion.
As a volunteer, you will receive additional training at the beginning of your stay to assist you with your duties while ensuring the health, safety and welfare of the animals and volunteers. This includes safe handling of animals, health and safety when handling animals, grooming and bathing techniques, animal behavior and husbandry.
The project site is located in the rural area outside Chiang Rai in the north of Thailand. The center of Chiang Rai is about a 20-minute cab ride from the project site. You will live and work in a very authentic environment with local staff and away from mass tourism. In addition to the animals within the shelter, other animals of all shapes, sizes, numbers and colors live in this environment. These range from dogs, cats, geckos, ants, cows, horses, birds, bugs, spiders, mosquitoes, mice, snakes, fish and a variety of insects.
There are numerous temples, waterfalls, parks, tribal villages and other attractions nearby that are just waiting to be discovered by you. In the villages around the project site, there are coffee shops, small roadside food stalls and local food markets. For errands of any kind, Chiang Rai can be reached in 20 minutes by cab. There you will find stores, markets, bars and restaurants as well as a variety of sights.
Medical care is also guaranteed in Chiang Rai. There you will find hospitals, pharmacies and police stations.
Chiang Mai can be reached in around 4 hours by bus and is well worth a trip at the weekend. There you will find all the amenities that a big city has to offer. In addition to countless beautiful temples, the city is also known for its excellent (vegan and vegetarian) food scene.
The north of Thailand is also perfect for a trekking tour. From the program location, you can set off into the beautiful nature and experience mountain ranges, forests and national parks, such as the Golden Triangle.
As a volunteer in the project, you also have the opportunity to take part in a homestay, which you should definitely do at least once. On Friday evening, you will travel to a mountain village with a member of staff and spend an evening together there and also spend the night. On Saturday, you can then visit places of interest in the surrounding area. This is a great opportunity to get to know the local village communities and their culture.
Chiang Mai can be reached in around 4 hours by bus and is worth a trip at the weekend. There you will find all the amenities that a big city has to offer. In addition to countless beautiful temples, the city is also known for its excellent (vegan and vegetarian) food scene.
The north of Thailand is also perfect for a trekking tour. From the program location, you can set off into the beautiful nature and experience mountain ranges, forests and national parks, such as the Golden Triangle.
As a volunteer in the project, you also have the opportunity to take part in a homestay, which you should definitely do at least once. On Friday evening, you will travel to a mountain village with a member of staff and spend an evening together there and also spend the night. On Saturday, you can then visit places of interest in the surrounding area. This is a great opportunity to get to know the local village communities and their culture.
On the pick-up day (Monday), volunteers meet at 11:00 am in Chiang Rai and are picked up by project staff. From there you will drive about 30 minutes to the project. On the day of departure, you will also be taken back there (usually around 1 pm).
You should be at least 18 years old to work in the Animal Care Program. No experience or formal animal care training is necessary to participate in the program, but patience and a love of animals are essential. You should be physically fit and not afraid of getting dirty. All dogs and cats housed at the shelter are fully vaccinated (after initial screening and/or quarantine).
The work can sometimes be physically demanding and emotionally stressful. The animals have often been treated poorly in the past. It is therefore important that you prepare yourself to deal with the consequences of neglect or abuse of the animals. The local working methods can also be somewhat confusing at first, even after an explanation due to cultural differences. Flexibility, patience and a desire to understand are essential for participation in the animal care program.
If you enjoy looking after and caring for animals, helping with their care and development and you also want to integrate into local communities, then you will quickly feel at home here and have a good time.
The employees speak Thai and English. At least one person from the team speaks fluent English and therefore also serves as a coordinator and contact person. It is helpful if you also have at least a basic knowledge of English to communicate with the team and other volunteers. This will make your stay easier and allow you to gain more intensive experience.
As a volunteer in the animal care program, you will live directly on the grounds of the animal shelter.
On your arrival day (Monday) you will spend one night on the premises of the project organization. After the orientation event (Tuesday), you will be picked up by the local partner organization and taken to the animal shelter, where you will also receive a special animal welfare briefing and training for your stay.
There are two accommodations for up to five volunteers on the project site. There is also a living area where you can relax with other volunteers after a day's work. The living area also has a fully equipped kitchen, a shared bathroom with an electric shower and filtered water. A washing machine is also available. Lockers are available on the premises during the day and at weekends to keep your valuables and personal belongings safe.
Meals are organized by the staff Monday to Friday and prepared 3 times a day. Vegetarian and vegan meals are also possible. You should inform the staff at the beginning what is important for your diet and they will do their best to take this into account and plan for it. However, volunteers can use the kitchen and facilities in the evenings when the staff have finished work and gone home. Volunteers are then alone in the accommodation at night, but the program manager and volunteer coordinator are available in case of emergencies.
The dogs can be sensitive to strangers and noise, which can disrupt their normal behavior or daily routine. They can easily become frightened and defend their territory, leading to stress and excessive barking in the evening. Efforts should be made to keep noise and disturbance to a minimum, especially when planning leisure activities or returning home after a day off. The shelter is located in a residential area, so excessive barking or noise could also disturb neighboring families.
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