Assistant for an Animal Shelter

location
2 - 48 weeks  ·  Age 16 - 50+

rating  Great 4.4  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Good response rate

Highlights

  • Take care of sick and needy animals
  • Walk the dogs every day
  • Feed the dogs and cats

Highlights

  • Take care of sick and needy animals
  • Walk the dogs every day
  • Feed the dogs and cats
  • Support the team on site with public relations work
  • Enjoy the sun on Crete, one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean Sea


  • Especially good for

    Age 16+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups

    About the program

    Take care of the island's stray dogs and cats at the animal shelter on Crete. For example, by feeding them, caring for them and giving them the love they deserve.

    The shelter was founded in Crete in 2008 and is a non-profit organization. Since it is not funded by the state, it relies solely on volunteers. Even locals work here in their spare time in addition to their full-time jobs, which is exactly why more helping hands are always welcome!

    There are many ...

    About the program

    The shelter was founded in Crete in 2008 and is a non-profit organization. Since it is not funded by the state, it relies solely on volunteers. Even locals work here in their spare time in addition to their full-time jobs, which is exactly why more helping hands are always welcome!

    There are many stray animals living on Crete, which urgently need help and care. Therefore, there are about 200 cats and another 200 dogs living in the shelter, which are lovingly cared for here. The organization cares for and socializes the animals so that they can be re-homed in all countries in Europe, but also in the USA, where a permanent, loving home ultimately awaits them.

    As a volunteer you will support the organization in their daily work with the animals and help to maintain the equipment and infrastructure of the sanctuary.



    Typical day

    In the first few days you will be shown exactly how the shelter works and you will get to know your colleagues, other volunteers and of course the animals. Before you start your work, you will have the opportunity to discuss which tasks you would like to do. This will then be taken into account when ...

    Typical day

    In the first few days you will be shown exactly how the shelter works and you will get to know your colleagues, other volunteers and of course the animals. Before you start your work, you will have the opportunity to discuss which tasks you would like to do. This will then be taken into account when distributing your tasks. 

    In general, your tasks will include the activities such as feeding the dogs and cats, cleaning and brushing the animals, taking care of sick animals, daily walks with the dogs  or assisting with social media posts.

    In addition, spay/neuter and education programs are also offered, which should lead to both a change in animal welfare laws and a change in the attitude of local people. Also in programs like these you can actively support and teach the locals a proper handling of the animals in order to curb the proliferation of street dogs and cats. 

    During your daily work, you will usually take care of common tasks at the shelter, assist with online activities such as social media posts, and procure much-needed supplies for the shelter (e.g. food, fur brushes, leashes, etc.). You will also spoil the four-legged friends with lots of love and affection, play sessions and walks. This will socialize them and make them adoptable so they can find a permanent home with a loving family as soon as possible. 

    During your assignment you will work five days a week for about 6 hours a day.



    Free-time activities

    Crete is the largest Greek island and one of the sunniest in the Mediterranean. The paradisiacal island seduces you with 300 hours of sunshine per year and invites you to a beach vacation. But it is also worthwhile to put the numerous cultural sights on the to-do list. Probably the most important is ...

    Free-time activities

    Crete is the largest Greek island and one of the sunniest in the Mediterranean. The paradisiacal island seduces you with 300 hours of sunshine per year and invites you to a beach vacation. But it is also worthwhile to put the numerous cultural sights on the to-do list. Probably the most important is the Palace of Knossos, closely followed by the Arkadi Monastery near Rethymnon and the Archaeological Museum of Iraklio. Here you will learn a lot about Greek history and there are several other destinations, such as the Samaria Gorge or the coastal city of Chania.


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 16 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 16 years old on the program start date.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level)

    Required Documents

    CV and letter of motivation

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    To participate in the project, you do not need any previous experience. Only the joy of working with animals and the ability to work well in a team is necessary. Also, bring comfortable clothes that are suitable for outdoor work and are allowed to get some paw prints.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Rainbow Garden Village

    What's included:

    • Individual counseling by the RGV team in Munich
    • Organization of the entire stay including placement in the project
    • Support with travel preparations (if necessary, vaccinations, insurance, safety)
    • Comprehensive RGV Travel-ABC for your personal preparations
    • RGV T-Shirt
    • Accommodation on site
    • Orientation program by the team on site
    • 24/h emergency number
    • Certificate of participation
    • Introductory course personal development
    • Meals: breakfast
    • 2x Airport Transfer


    Airport Pickup at Heraklion Airport

    You will get picked up from the airport by a local team member.

    Accommodation

    During your assignment you will live in one of the volunteer apartments on site. Depending on how many volunteers are participating in the project and how long you will stay on site, it will be decided in which apartment you will stay.

    Each apartment can accommodate up to four volunteers together. All apartments are fully furnished, have a modern bathroom and are equipped with all kitchen utensils, air conditioning and Wi-Fi. Towels and bed linen are provided. However, volunteers must take care of the cleanliness of the premises. The accommodations are also divided by gender, unless there is a request for couples.

    Depending on the accommodation, the best way to get to your project location is either by bus or even on foot. Depending on how far it is from your apartment, it will take you about up to 60 minutes. If you need to use the bus to get to your project site, you can get a bus ticket on request from the local team (approx. 60€).

    Supermarkets, restaurants, bars and other stores are all nearby. The beach is also not far away and invites you to swim.

    Occasionally, there are social events or joint excursions that you can participate in.

    The nearest town, Hersonissos is about 3 km away and can be easily reached by bus and also Heraklion is only 12 km away and can be easily visited by bus.

    Food & Beverages

    You'll eat in a similar way to the locals and the local cuisine, so expect to get to know new foods and delicacies! You're provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner in a buffet style throughout the work week, and there's also a communal kitchen available if you ever fancy a little nibble! If you do have any dietary requirements, please let us know about them as far in advance as possible, and we will do our best to accommodate them, or we will inform you if the local area can't.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Heraklion Airport (HER) in Heraklion. We assist you to find cheap flights to Greece. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Greece provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Greece you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Greece. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Before you even depart, our team in Germany will take you through every step of the process, from answering your questions about the program, through to advising you where to go for your visa. We are here to help you and to ensure that you feel totally comfortable (and prepared!) before departing.

    You will land in Heraklion and will be picked up from the airport by a team member. On the way to your accommodation you will make a short tour through the city by car. During this tour, the schedule of the next days will be explained to you and you will be shown some important places, buildings, shopping facilities and restaurants. Afterwards you will be taken to your accommodation and for the rest of the time you will have time to rest, explore your surroundings or get to know the other volunteers.

    The day after your arrival, your orientation program will start and you will learn a lot about Greek culture, customs and the house rules. If necessary, you will go together to the city to get a monthly ticket for public transportation or you will go directly to your workplace. There you will be shown your workplace and the further procedures will be explained to you. If you have any questions, you can always contact the team on site. After the orientation program, you have the rest of the day free.


    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    2 weeks (min. stay) 1,150€
    4 weeks 1,630€
    8 weeks 2,590€
    12 weeks 3,550€
    24 weeks 6,430€
    48 weeks (max. stay) 12,190€
    Average fees 414€/week

    Program fees

    414€ per week 2 - 48 weeks Age 16 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    2 - 48 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Rainbow Garden Village during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Rainbow Garden Village

    Great 4.4 rating (25 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 1999

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Good response rate

    Coordinated by

    Steffen

    Spoken languages: English, Spanish, German

    About the project

    Rainbow Garden Village specialises in worldwide volunteer placements and has been sending volunteers on impactful, life-changing trips since 1999.

    Meet your organization

    From Africa to Asia and Europe to Latin America and Oceania - through volunteering or internships our participants gain unique impressions and experiences abroad. Rainbow Garden Village (RGV) offers sustainable projects in more than 30 countries worldwide in various fields, such as social work, teaching, animal welfare, environmental protection, medicine, etc..

    While our participants are engaged in their project, they broaden their horizons and become more open-minded. They strengthen their personal skills, grow from the challenges in their volunteer projects and also improve their language skills. Countless new impressions, experiences and special moments round off the stay abroad - and lead to a return with many exciting stories in the luggage!


    25 reviews · rating4.4

    Charlotte W rating1

    2023 at Assistant for an Animal Shelter

    I decided to spend 2 weeks in the animal shelter in Crete. Everything went wrong from the beginning. I was placed much too far from the shelter and took 2 hours to get there. After a complaint I was put in a dirty house with cockroaches, no air conditioning and mouse droppings. After another ...
    Lara N rating5

    2024 at Kindergarten in Crete

    I am sharing my incredible experience with volunteer world. The program gave me the opportunity to volunteer in greece, meet other volunteers from other countries, to gain work related knowledge, & to experience the lifestyle in the beautiful island of crete. The program was very organized from the ...
    Katharina Höfner rating5

    2024 at Veterinary Clinic Assistant

    Ich habe mich während meines Aufenthalts absolut wohl gefühlt! Da ich schon Vorkenntnisse durch meinen Beruf als TFA hatte, konnte ich mich sehr gut einbringen und durfte super viel helfen! Das Team hat mich herzlich aufgenommen und mir Vertrauen geschenkt. Ich bin sehr dankbar, dass ich diese ...
    Eliot Jacquemin rating3.8

    2024 at Penguin Sanctuary

    J'ai beaucoup apprécié ce projet. L'organisation fut globalement assez bonne, je n'ai pas eu de soucis. J'ai appris énormément de choses sur les pingouins et les défis qu'ils doivent combattre au quotidien, c'était très inspirant. ..
    lena Illenseher rating2.4

    2024 at Support a Horse Riding Academy in Crete

    Zuerst das Positive: Der Stall an dem ich gearbeitet habe ist sehr gut gepflegt und man hat sich wohl gefühlt. RGV hat sich bemüht, Probleme der Teilnehmer wahrzunehmen, in dem es wöchentliche Meetings gab. Das Apartment liegt nah am Strand. Es wurden Ausflüge angeboten (kostenpflichtig) Der ...
    Swenja G rating5

    2023 at Street Children

    Now I would like to tell you about my time in Ghana: I lived in Accra for 6 weeks and worked in the street children project there. In the time before my departure, I mainly took care of my health care (vaccinations and tablets against tropical diseases) and read the pages about the country, culture, ...

    Location

    Europe > Southern Europe > Greece > Gournes

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    Contact Steffen
      Good response rate
    English, Spanish, German

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