Animal Rescue Shelter Supporter

The program

The shelter, situated in a village in the suburbs of the city of Tirana, was set up to rescue the sick, injured and endangered animals of Tirana and the wider region. The shelter provides these animals with safe haven - a loving and caring home – and it is the only animal shelter in the entire region!  Sadly, there are horrifying incidents every day where injured, sick, or mistreated animals require rescue and immediate care. The shelter takes care of these animals. There are currently approximately 200 animals at this centre, and as it receives no government support, it relies heavily on donations from kind-hearted individuals and the assistance of international volunteers to stay in operation.

Goals of this Project:

• Provide a safe place for mistreated animals  
• Provide medical attention and rehabilitation to animals who have been injured   
• Provide a home for animals without one and who would suffer otherwise
• Provide an opportunity for cross-cultural exchange between volunteers and locals

How you can help

This volunteer program provides essential support to a large number of animals in need of care and attention. Volunteers will gain great experience caring for animals, while also experiencing volunteering and all the amazing benefits of traveling to another country. Due to the large number of animals accommodated in this facility the cats stay in the main facility, which doubles as a veterinary clinic, and have access to an outdoor enclosure. Meanwhile the dogs are housed outside in kennels. The Animal Shelter is looking desperately for assistance from international volunteers, and welcomes all those willing to help out with a variety of activities including: cleaning, feeding, maintenance, and caring for the animals. Volunteer vets are welcomed to help with the injured or sick animals. Volunteers not only play a major role in caring for the animals, but in keeping the operation sustainable and able to continue to operate and save these wonderful creatures.

Volunteers can expect to participate in a number of tasks, including but not limited to:

• Feeding the animals
• Cleaning the animal shelters
• Maintenance work
• Playing with the animals
• Brushing the animals

A volunteer’s work day on this project will generally last between 4 and 6 hours and while we ask all volunteers to be flexible in this regard, a typical daily schedule is likely to go something like this:

7:00am Breakfast at the volunteer house

7:30am Bus to project site

8:00am Pre-start meeting with project supervisor

9:00am VOLUNTEERING DUTIES START

A tea break and lunch break will be fitted in during the day, but often the timing of breaks will change based on the needs of the local staff and number of volunteers on hand.

4:00pm VOLUNTEERING DUTIES END

4:15pm Debrief with project supervisor

4:30pm Bus back to accommodation

Evenings Volunteers are welcome to explore the local area or simply relax with the other volunteers.

This project is available year-round and programs start every SUNDAY. Volunteers can choose to participate for periods ranging from 2 weeks to 12 weeks. Longer stays can be arranged directly with the local team, but will be subject to availability and individual visa conditions.

• Program Arrival Day: SUNDAY
• Program Departure Day: SATURDAY

Spaces on this project are limited and therefore subject to availability. Early booking is recommended.