Thailand
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Have you ever heard of a rescue place where the dogs get to run free in the jungle instead of being walked on leashes? Welcome to this special place on tropical Koh Samui.
The sanctuary, located in the more remote and quiet south of Koh Samui, provides a safe home for around 65 dogs & 30 cats and is run by Francoise. She has lived on Koh Samui for many years, dedicating her life to helping animals in need and giving them a loving home. The sanctuary is in a jungle setting and has no direct neighbours; therefore, the dogs can be walked in packs without the worry of disturbing others. The whole sanctuary relies solely on kind donors and workawayers like you.
// Update Covid-19
We will be urgently needing help from July and August onwards, minimum 1 month. Come take care of animals, enjoy the beaches and nature, in our remote location! Apart from our small quarantine-team, social distancing is easy here.
Gardening
Building
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Other
Help in the house
Animal care
Charity work
Help with Computers / internet
Helping out in our small volunteer based charity organisation is very rewarding, but can be challenging both physically and mentally. To have a great time with us and learn as much as possible, you need to be an animal, but especially dog lover!!
MUST READ BEFORE COMING HERE
This is not to scare anyone off, but to just give an important input as to what to expect. Your commitment is important: short-notice cancellations & people that are leaving earlier than planned are putting Francoise, but especially the animals, in a very hard position.
* There is a lot of cleaning involved. Every single day. Sweeping, mopping, doing the dishes, cleaning dog poo, raking and lots more. Basically all of the work, except the cuddling, is physical work.
* We follow a certain routine every single day - this is especially important for any place with a high amount of animals.
* Lots of names and things to learn, barking dogs, the heat - the first days can be overwhelming, that is totally normal. Try to stay attentive and ask questions, you will see that within only a week it will be so much easier already.
* Please keep in mind that we are a sanctuary, which focuses on providing animals a safe home for the rest of their lives – those who have had a tough life before coming to us. We do not have a high turnover of animals. Adoptions to good homes are welcome though, of course.
* Arrive in clothes ready to get dirty!!
* If you plan on just coming for volunteering, consider some days before and/or after for traveling/sightseeing only, so you won’t have to change dates once you are here! Also, if you fly directly from f.e. Europe or the US, you might need some resting time before starting.
* There is no Wifi, but cheap SIM cards incl. internet data can be bought at many different places.
* Even though the sanctuary is located away from the touristy places, prices (f.e. international restaurants, taxis) may be higher than in other parts of Thailand.
* You should not be scared to drive a scooter/motorbike, so you can easily get to/from the sanctuary and discover the island during your free time. You can rent them in the area & in Lamai. Any other transportation will be expensive. Fyi - a license from your home country is required for your insurance to cover an accident/hospitalisation.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
People who are committed to the cause. Even in their free time. We are here for the animals - not to nurture our ego, seek free accommodation or meet lots of people. You should be a team player that is easy-going, self-motivated, with common sense - time usually doesn't allow us to give lots of feedback, we are busy with the animals! Long-term (1 month +) will be prioritised (but depends on motivation, work experience & urgency).
GENERAL VOLUNTEER TASKS
Depending on the morning or afternoon shift, these are some of the tasks:
* General cleaning tasks like f.e. sweeping/mopping/tidying up the areas, washing laundry, dishes and bowls and of course poo scooping
* The dogs are provided with fresh food (incl. fish & meat), which means cooking every second day
* Feeding & walking the dogs in different groups, no leashes involved - they get to run completely free in the jungle!
* Socializing with both cats & dogs
* Monitoring the health of our dogs and cats, incl. bathing dogs with skin problems & giving necessary meds to them
* Helping with the groceries for the animals approximately every 2-3 weeks
* You might be asked to do other tasks if necessary, like Social Media, little repairs, gardening etc.
When messaging us, please put: Workexchange sanctuary + your preferred starting month as a subject, so we know you read through the important information above :)
French: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
English: Beginner
Spanish: Beginner
Thai: Beginner
The provided accommodation is wooden Thai style, simple and not luxurious. Surrounded by the jungle, in a Thai neighbourhood - being part of their community (no partying). Everything is quite open. There are cats living in all of our houses (problematic if you are highly allergic). You will have a mosquito net, but you should not be afraid of insects. Within walking/driving distance to the Sanctuary and local beach. You will share your room (unless you are a couple), bathroom, kitchen and living area with other helpers. If you have never lived with other people, please beware! No air-con, just fans. Mattresses are hard, which is common in Asia.
You'll be having a great time with all the animals and other helpers, in addition to living on beautiful Koh Samui, experiencing Thai culture and food at its best. It is an exciting island that has a lot to offer: waterfalls, yoga retreats, Muay Thai and fitness gyms, late night markets, Thai cooking classes, kite boarding schools, snorkelling trips and boat trips.
More than two
15 hours/week, 2 days off
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