Help over 100 rescue dogs in the Romanian Carpathians 🐾

Details

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  Description

  🐾 About us
  
  Welcome to Monica´s private shelter, a small, independent dog rescue in Mușcelușa, in the beautiful Siriu mountains of Romania.
  
  Monica has dedicated herself to caring for abandoned animals for many years. Today, more than 100 dogs depend on the shelter, alongside cats and chickens. The work is too much for Monica to manage alone, so volunteers play an important role in keeping the animals safe, cared for and ready for a better future.
  
  We welcome kind, reliable and practical people who love animals and want to make a real difference. Previous experience with dogs or animal shelters is a plus, but a positive attitude, patience and a willingness to learn are also important.
  
  This is a genuine animal-welfare experience. You won't just be visiting the dogs: you'll help with the everyday tasks that make their lives better.
  
  🐕‍🦺 What you'll be doing
  
  Your main role will be helping with the daily care of the animals. Tasks include:
  
  - Cleaning kennels, runs and outdoor areas.
  - Providing fresh water and keeping bowls clean.
  - Feeding the dogs.
  - Spending time with the dogs, helping socialise them and become more comfortable around people.
  - Walking dogs on a lead and playing with puppies when appropriate.
  - Taking photos and videos to help the dogs find adoptive homes, creating content for social media.
  - Helping with occasional practical jobs, small repairs and keeping the shared volunteer house clean and tidy.
  
  You should be comfortable with physical work, cleaning and getting dirty. Patience, kindness and a hands-on attitude are essential. We also need volunteers who are willing to go the extra mile when necessary. ❤️
  
  🕗 Working hours
  
  The usual routine is split between the morning and late afternoon, with a long break during the middle of the day.
  Please expect around 5 hours of scheduled help per working day. Days off should be discussed and agreed upon with the other volunteers.
  Animal shelters can be unpredictable, so occasional urgent situations may require extra assistance. We will explain the normal routine and expectations before confirming your stay.
  You'll also have access to a WhatsApp group of former volunteers who will be happy to answer your questions, share their experiences and help you prepare for your stay.
  
  The shelter is in a quiet rural village surrounded by hills and mountains. This is a place for people who enjoy nature, simple living and being part of a small team.
  
  You can explore the local countryside, mountains and nearby Lake Siriu during your free time, depending on the weather and transport available. Nehoiu provides access to larger shops and services, while Buzău and Brașov are options for wider sightseeing before or after your stay.
  
  Public transport is limited compared with a city, so some planning is necessary. This is not the right place if you want nightlife, frequent city trips or a conventional holiday.
  
  🌿 Who would enjoy this experience?
  
  This opportunity may suit you if:
  
  - You genuinely love dogs and care about animal welfare.
  - You are reliable, practical and willing to get involved.
  - You are reasonably fit and comfortable with physical outdoor work.
  - You can cope with basic rural living and changing weather.
  - You respect shared spaces and work well with other volunteers.
  - You understand that the dogs' needs must come first.
  
  Experience with animal care is welcome, but what matters most is that you are responsible, patient and ready to help.
  
  🗓️ Length of stay and applications
  
  We ask volunteers to stay for at least 10 days, ideally 2 weeks, subject to confirmation of availability. Longer stays (months) are welcome when arranged in advance.
  
  When you contact us, please tell us a little about yourself, your experience with animals (not a must), your intended arrival and departure dates, and why you would like to volunteer at the shelter. 😊
  
  Volunteers are responsible for checking and arranging any visa or entry requirements that apply to them. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa invitation letters or other supporting documents!
  
  We look forward to hearing from people who want to use part of their travels to help animals in need.
  Thank you for considering Monica's shelter. Every reliable volunteer makes a difference to our dogs. ❤️

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Creative DIY projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Light maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Culture

  

  Plant care

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Sustainability

  

  Pets

  

  Charity work

  

  Languages

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Nature

  

  Animals

  

  Mountain
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Monica speaks Romanian and has limited English and French. Communication may sometimes involve translation apps, gestures and a little patience.
  
  You'll have the opportunity to learn about everyday life in rural Romania, discover the challenges faced by abandoned dogs in the region and meet people from different countries through the volunteer community.
  
  We value mutual respect, cooperation and a willingness to learn from one another.
  
  Staying with Monica is an opportunity to experience everyday life in a rural Romanian village, surrounded by the beautiful Carpathian Mountains. You will discover a way of life that is often very different from city living, where people grow much of their own food and traditional tools and methods are still used.
  
  Monica speaks Romanian and knows only a few words of English and French, so this is a great opportunity to learn some basic Romanian and communicate with local people. Romanian is a Romance language, with many similarities to other Latin-based languages, including French.
  
  You will gain first-hand insight into the challenges faced by stray and abandoned dogs in this part of Romania, where animal welfare remains a serious issue. Depending on the timing of your stay, you may also meet the local veterinarian who visits the shelter, or see a veterinarian carrying out sterilisation procedures.
  
  ❤️ A personal recommendation ❤️
  
  Members of our volunteer coordination team have stayed with Monica on several occasions over the years, helping care for the dogs and other animals. We know from personal experience how special this place can be. The shelter is in a remote rural location, so volunteers should be independent, adaptable and ready for a genuine hands-on experience rather than a holiday.
  
  💬 A volunteer’s coordinator experience — February/March 2025:
  
  “I had a wonderful 3.5-week stay as a volunteer at Monica’s. There was a lovely team of four volunteers, many of whom had arrived at short notice. I loved the experience and enjoyed getting to know the dogs and working together as a team.
  We shared our work and meals, and some evenings we played board games. As the volunteer coordinator, I was the main point of contact with Monica, but we all communicated with her. On a couple of evenings, she even joined us for a beer, which was really special.
  When I returned to the UK, I actually felt homesick for Monica and her shelter. The weather varied enormously, from −20°C to 24°C, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying our stay. There are plenty of spare clothes left by previous volunteers.
  I cannot recommend this experience highly enough, as long as you are independent and have a sense of adventure.”

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  Help

  Your tasks may include:
  
  🍽️ Feeding: preparing and distributing food to the dogs and ensuring they always have fresh water.
  🧹 Cleaning: cleaning kennels, removing waste, washing bowls, cleaning outdoor areas and keeping drains clear.
  🐕 Dog care and socialisation: spending time with the dogs, playing with them, walking suitable dogs and helping them become more comfortable around people.
  📸 Helping dogs find homes: taking photos and videos and helping the dogs get the attention they need to be adopted.
  🛠️ Practical tasks: helping with small repairs, maintaining fences and keeping the shelter and volunteer house tidy.
  🐶 Extra help when needed: assisting with puppies, new arrivals or other unexpected situations, including helping Monica when dogs need veterinary care.
  
  Tasks vary from day to day depending on the needs of the animals. You should be comfortable with physical work, cleaning and getting dirty. Patience, kindness and a hands-on attitude are essential. We also need volunteers who are willing to go the extra mile when necessary — the dogs depend on us! ❤️
  
  Veterinary students, vet nurses, trainees and people with animal-welfare experience are particularly welcome, but professional qualifications are not required. What matters most is that you are reliable, trustworthy and genuinely care about animals.
  
  We welcome volunteers from many countries 🌍! Monica has hosted people from Romania and around the world, including the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Poland, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the Czech Republic and many more.
  
  Veterinary students, vet nurses, trainees and people with experience in animal welfare are particularly welcome. However, you don't need professional qualifications — a genuine love of animals, reliability and a willingness to help are what matter most.

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  Languages spoken

  Romanian: Fluent
  English: Beginner
  French: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  Volunteers stay free of charge in the main house. Monica lives next door in a separate, single-room annexe.
  
  🛏️ The house
  
  One double and three single rooms
  A modern kitchen with a stove, microwave, fridge/freezer and washing machine.
  A small living area with a TV.
  A bathroom with a bathtub,
  
  The house is shared with other volunteers, so please be considerate of everyone's space and help keep the common areas clean and tidy. 😊
  
  📶 Wi-Fi and digital nomads
  
  There is excellent Wi-Fi throughout the house. 💻 Digital nomads are welcome if their work allows for a completely flexible schedule. You must be able to prioritise the dogs' needs and respond to unexpected situations at short notice.
  
  🚭 Smoking
  
  Smoking is not permitted inside the house. Please smoke outdoors.
  
  🍲 Food and shopping
  
  Unfortunately, Monica can no longer prepare meals for volunteers due to her mobility issues, and her limited pension does not allow her to cover volunteers' food expenses. Volunteers are therefore responsible for buying and preparing their own meals.
  
  There a couple of small shops about 150 metres from the house. Siriu also has small supermarket, a pharmacy and a small contruction market within walking distance. There is a Saturday market where you can buy fresh local produce. 🥕🍅
  For a wider choice of groceries or access to a bank, coffee shops and so on, Nehoiu is about 10 km away. Two larger discount supermarkets are available there.You can travel there by bus or taxi; a taxi typically costs around €6.
  Romania can be relatively affordable, but please budget for your own food and personal expenses.
  
  We want everyone to feel comfortable in the volunteer house, so please let us know if you have any questions about the accommodation before arriving.

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  What else ...

  Monica’s shelter is surrounded by the beautiful Carpathian countryside, making it a lovely place to enjoy nature and explore rural Romania. During your free time, you can go for walks in the surrounding area, visit nearby villages or discover the scenery around Lake Siriu and the local waterfall.
  
  You are also welcome to spend some of your free time with the dogs. Taking a dog for a walk, helping a young dog learn new skills or gently building a dog's confidence around people can make a real difference to their chances of finding a home.
  
  🚌 Exploring the area
  
  Lake Siriu is about 4 miles (6 km) from the shelter, and a beautiful waterfall is also nearby. Nehoiu, around 10 km away, has larger supermarkets and additional services. Local buses connect the area with other towns, and trains are available from Nehoiu towards Buzău.
  
  Brașov, the gateway to Transylvania, is another destination you may wish to explore. Longer sightseeing trips are best planned before or after your volunteering stay, as the shelter is in a rural location and your daily help is important.
  
  📍 How to get to the shelter
  
  The shelter is in Mușcelușa, near Siriu, in Buzău County, Romania. The nearest convenient transport hub is Buzău, while Bucharest Henri Coandă Airport (OTP) is the main international airport used by many visitors.
  
  From Bucharest Airport, you can travel towards Buzău and Nehoiu by public transport (train), then arrange onward transport to the shelter. A taxi directly from the airport is another option, but it can be expensive.
  
  We recommend planning your journey carefully and confirming your arrival time and final transport arrangements before booking your trip.
  
  If you need more information or help planning your journey to the shelter, please don't hesitate to contact us. We'll be happy to answer your questions and help you organise your trip! 😊

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  Digital nomads are welcome, provided their work allows for a flexible schedule. You can work in the living area of the main house, which is reserved for visitors, or in the upstairs apartment. You must be available in the mornings and late afternoons to help with feeding and cleaning, and be prepared to pause your work whenever the dogs need urgent care. This may include helping Monica with veterinary visits, which can take place at short notice. ⚠️ Full-time remote work with rigid working hours is not suitable. The dogs' needs must always come first, so your work must fit around their care. 🐾

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  Space for parking camper vans

  There is a parking space inside the garden, so you're welcome to arrive with your own car or van.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  Lili (12 years)

  A small pale tan dog who sleeps with Monica and lives with the puppies, small dogs and cats in Monica's single room accommodation.

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