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Join us and care for rescued animals at a refuge in La Manzanilla, Mexico

Availability

  2025 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    My name is Laura. I have built an animal refuge and we are still in our infancy. The need to help animals worldwide is pretty obvious and I have started my work in a small fishing village in Mexico called La Manzanilla. We have a beautiful space and are slowing creating the haven of my dreams where we can live in unity and share space and hold educational experiences. We still have a ways to go. We are currently working on building better enclosures for the roughly 30 dogs we have. This includes creating shade as our temperatures soar in the summer. We are also looking for a creative way to house unwanted cats and kittens. We also have 2 horses currently! We are also working to create some beautification projects to create spaces for volunteers to have shade and places where groups could come to work with the dogs or other animals. We would love to host you in our lovely village and would so appreciate your help in bringing this refuge to the next stage.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Art Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    We are located in La Manzanilla del Mar in the state of Jalisco Mexico. You can work on language skills through tutoring and/or practice, and learn about the culture here in Mexico and in our area specifically. There are opportunities to learn about wildlife and nature in the area. We are located on a beautiful bay, so fishing is a main focus, as is whale watching in season. We are a creative community and many artists offer classes locally. Community festivals happen very frequently and are a great way to interact and immerse in local culture.

  • Help

    Help

    We are a not for profit animal refuge and we need some help taking care of animals and general maintenance around our grounds! We are always working to improve quality of life for the dogs, making sure their enclosures are safe and that they have plenty of shade! Daily work will include animal care, feeding, walking, basic health assessment, and poop patrol. There may be garden/landscape work, fence repair, and at times some small building projects. We need help socialising and training dogs. and it never hurts to learn new things and take in new perspectives. If you have experience with horses, we welcome your work with them. We can take any and all help we can get. After animal care is taken care of, we would welcome help with social media, photographs, fund raising, etc.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    Spanish: Beginner

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Supporters of our place offer accommodations on their properties, all within walking distance of the refuge. You will have your own casita or apartment with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen facilities. Since these units are often rented or housing family and friends during high season, we have less availability from November through April. We will try to accommodate you if housing is available. We ask that volunteers provide for their own food needs. Small grocery stores nearby are well stocked if you like to cook your own meals. Prepared food available ranges from street tacos to beach restaurants to more upscale restaurants. There are also opportunities all year for group meals with residents of the community, a great way to connect with others.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    You will have wifi available. In your time off, you can stroll our 3 mile beach, explore a few hiking trails, visit an art gallery, go fishing, take a boat tour of the bay or the crocodile reserve in the mangroves. You can rent a paddleboard, go snorkeling, play pickleball, and of course swim in the bay. During the high season, you will find a lot of live music and a small night life. There is plenty of time to relax and catch up on reading or relaxation. A local bus can take you to explore nearby villages. The port city of Manzanillo is an hour south. Guadalajara is 5 hours northeast. Puerta Vallarta is 4 hours north.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

Host ref number: 531935629157

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