Benefits of Joining an Animal Volunteer Program Overseas

As an animal lover, you may have tried your hand at volunteering to help care for animals in shelters or by helping local organisations, but imagine going beyond this and joining an animal volunteering project overseas. By doing so, you not only get to experience a totally different group of animals, but you will experience a different culture, something that almost everybody craves for at least once in their lifetime.

Some benefits in joining an animal volunteer program abroad are:

• Have someone else do all the work finding good projects for you – Volunteering abroad does not have to be complicated, it’s easier than you could have imagined. When you use a reputable not for profit volunteer recruitment organisation, you have access to a variety of fantastic, fun and worthwhile projects. These types of organisations aims to link nature and animal lovers with sustainable, conscientious and ethical animal rescue and release projects around the world.

• Meet new people – One of the best things about travelling is meeting new and interesting people. This especially applies to volunteer projects as you have the chance to work alongside other well-meaning animal lovers who also volunteer, plus you get to spend time with some amazing animal carers and shelter owners. An opportunity to work with like-minded individuals who care about the safety and welfare of animals is a great way to make friends who are all working towards a common goal.

• An opportunity to travel and see unique and unusual places – Animal volunteer projects are located in some of the most unusual places in the world, and volunteers who sign up to such adventures find themselves in places they would never usually find on a standard holiday. The outback of Australia, the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, the Whale Coast of South Africa, or the stunning Galapagos Islands, imagine finding a purpose here while you care for, study or research animals of various kinds.

• Have fun – Jump into the deep end and try something different. Volunteer with animals and you will have the time of your life. Imagine a baby wombat running behind you as you teach it how to run, picking up a wallaby falling over from its healing injury, or having your hand near swallowed by an elephant steaking a banana ball? You can’t get these kinds of experiences on a normal holiday.  Koalas, elephants, sharks, turtles, wombats, birds, penguins and wallabies, the list is comprehensive. Then you may even have time to explore, sight see or laze around on a tropical island after your work is done.