from 527€

Excellent 4.8rating (859)

Sri Lanka Dog Rescue Volunteers

location
1 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 17 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Volunteer project with the highest quality. This project sets unprecedented standards in quality - an unparalleled level of excellence.

Highlights

  • 80% of PMGY volunteers are 17-22 years old
  • Provide vaccinations to manage the population of stray dogs and reduce the risk of diseases
  • Create training plans & enrichment opportunities
  • Structured weekend trips to Kandy, Yala National Park & the Maldives
  • Widely considered to be PMGY's top overall destination & best local team

Especially suitable

Age 17+
Singles
Groups

About the program

Get involved in making a real difference to the lives of street dogs in Sri Lanka. Help do your bit to ensure they have a happy upbringing and bright future.

Help protect and care for these wonderful canines and improve the animal-human relationship in the community.

Rabies is a fatal disease which is transmitted by various animals, but in Sri Lanka, it is most prevalent amongst dogs. This viral infection is spread via the saliva of a rabid animal; ...

About the program

Help protect and care for these wonderful canines and improve the animal-human relationship in the community.

Rabies is a fatal disease which is transmitted by various animals, but in Sri Lanka, it is most prevalent amongst dogs. This viral infection is spread via the saliva of a rabid animal; hence it can be passed on through a bite or contact with an open wound. Unfortunately, rabies will continue to exist until there are further efforts to eliminate it. There are a large number of dog bite cases in Sri Lanka, which is a cause for concern for tourists and locals alike, as well as creating huge bills for Government hospital treating the victims. This fear leads to poor treatment of stray dogs and poor awareness of how the local community can help.

The Sri Lankan Government have recently adopted more humane methods to control the population and spread of rabies, focusing now on neutering and vaccinating stray dogs. As a result, there has been a significant drop in the number of human rabies deaths and incidents. Our mission is to continue these efforts in our local community.

By offering vaccinations and neutering it helps to manage the population of stray dogs and reduce the risk of diseases, especially rabies. Many female strays produce multiple litters each year, many of which are dumped at temples or on the roadside. These puppies have a low chance of survival, as they are at high risk of contracting diseases, malnutrition or being involved in road traffic accidents.

The team have an on-call rescue facility to transport dogs that have been found injured, disabled or abandoned. They will be brought back to the project so the team can conduct a general health check and provide assistance. At the Dog Shelter, you can observe or assist the Vet with their weekly general check-ups, vaccinations, medical treatment or minor surgeries.

This programme aims to improve the wellbeing of street dogs in the local area by providing a safe home for vulnerable, sick and disabled dogs, with daily care, vaccinations, rehabilitation and rehoming. Your extra pair of helping hands enables the project to provide enough care and love for all the canines, as well as preventing rabies and improving the situation in the local community.

The shelter also tries to find new loving homes for the healthy vaccinated dogs with local families, with education about how to properly care for their new pet. You can help to produce and provide animal welfare education to the community, to improve the understanding, attitude and treatment between humans and dogs. The aim is to introduce this on a community level and bring about long term change. Please note these sessions run on an ad hoc basis and if it is something you are interested in then please speak with our local team in-country who will make the appropriate arrangements.



Typical day

You will spend your days assisting with the daily tasks and care for the dogs living in the shelter – typical duties include:

– Cleaning, maintaining hygiene and upkeep in the project premises and bedding areas
– Preparing meals (for example cooking chicken, rice, fish) and feeding the dogs
– ...

Typical day

You will spend your days assisting with the daily tasks and care for the dogs living in the shelter – typical duties include:

– Cleaning, maintaining hygiene and upkeep in the project premises and bedding areas
– Preparing meals (for example cooking chicken, rice, fish) and feeding the dogs
– Play time and socialisation with the dogs
– Walking and exercising
– Showering and washing the dogs
– Training the dogs
– Assisting with medication
– Grooming and checking for ticks
– Creating and maintaining documentation for dog profiles (history, vaccinations etc) and site visits
– Caring for sick/disabled/injured dogs
– Animal welfare education

If you are a veterinary student you may be able to assist in more tasks, this will depend on your level of knowledge, experience and qualifications in this area. Generally, you may be able to help with the sick, injured or disabled dogs, or with vaccinations or neutering procedures.

PMGY’s Dog Shelter project in Sri Lanka is an incredible opportunity to do your bit to help protect are care for these lovely animals whilst spending time in a country that will amaze you on so many levels.


Free-time activities

PMGY volunteers are based in Ambalangoda, which is a lively oceanside town situated on the South West Coast.

It is traditionally a fishing community but is famous for being the major production centre for demonic wooden masks. The traditional masks were originally designed to be worn by performers in ...

Free-time activities

PMGY volunteers are based in Ambalangoda, which is a lively oceanside town situated on the South West Coast.

It is traditionally a fishing community but is famous for being the major production centre for demonic wooden masks. The traditional masks were originally designed to be worn by performers in kolam and other southern Sri Lankan dances, but are now mainly used as souvenirs. Many families hang a mask on their front door to ward off evil spirits.

The town has all the amenities you could require such as banks, hospitals and shops including a very popular ice cream shop. There is also a central bus and train station, which has good links to all the major destinations you are likely to go to. Plus, the beach is only a 5 minute tuk tuk ride from the Volunteer House.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 17 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 17 years old on the program start date.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Criminal Background Check

required

Nationality Restrictions

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

Other Skills

You should also be physically fit, as volunteering overseas can be quite strenuous. If you have any medical/mental health conditions that may affect your participation overseas then these must be declared to us during your online application.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 - 14:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Plan My Gap Year

  • Accommodation 
  • Meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
  • Airport Pick Up
  • Private Transport To/From Project
  • In-Country Orientation
  • 24 Hour Support

Airport Pickup at Bandaranaike International Airport

You should arrive into Bandaranaike International Airport (airport code CMB) on the Saturday. The airport pickup is available 24 hours. 

On arrival a member of our local team will be at the waiting area for you holding a sign with your name on it. They will drive you to the Volunteer House in Ambalangoda where you can relax and settle in. This journey takes around 2 hours. 

Accommodation

During your time with PMGY in Sri Lanka you will live in our Volunteer House/s. The accommodation is basic but comfortable. You’ll be living with other PMGY volunteers from around the world, so you’ll make plenty of friends along the way.

We will transport you via tuk tuk or private car to and from your project. This service is included in your Programme Fee.

The Volunteer House is located just outside of central Ambalangoda, in a peaceful part of town. Each room has bunk beds, up to 10 people per room (same-sex rooms only). Volunteers are provided with air conditioning in the room and bed linen. You will have cupboard space to store clothes and accessories as well as personal locker space to store your valuables.

Bathrooms are shared. Each bathroom has a shower and western style toilet. The water is cold but this shouldn’t be a problem as Sri Lanka is hot and humid all year round! The house has a voucher based Wi-Fi system and a communal area for volunteers to hang out. There is also a kitchen with a refrigerator to store any items you need to keep chilled.

A member of our local team will also live at the house. This ensures you have round the clock support and security.

During our busiest months you may be placed at alternative accommodation. This could be a nearby guesthouse or one of our alternative Volunteer Houses.


Food & Beverages

You will be served three meals per day at the Volunteer House. Most meals are traditional Sri Lankan dishes that can be typically quite spicy. Sri Lankan cuisine consists of a lot of rice and the meat is mainly fish or chicken – vegetarian options are always available.

All meals are freshly prepared each day. If you fancy some western comforts, you will find plenty of restaurants serving western meals in the nearby town of Hikkaduwa. Hikkaduwa is a 20 minute journey from Ambalangoda and the cost to get there by tuk tuk is around $6 each way.

A weekly menu has been introduced that blends Sri Lanka cuisine with Western cuisine so you will know in advance what is on the menu for that day!

 

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo. We assist you to find cheap flights to Sri Lanka. 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 Sri Lanka provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

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

Details on arrival

This program starts on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of every month



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

Program fees

1 week (min. stay) 527€
2 weeks 786€
3 weeks 1,002€
4 weeks 1,218€
6 weeks 1,650€
8 weeks 2,082€
12 weeks (max. stay) 2,946€
Average fees 386€/week

Program fees

386€ per week 1 - 12 weeks Age 17 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

1 - 12 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 Plan My Gap Year during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Plan My Gap Year

Excellent 4.8 rating (859 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2011

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Josh

Spoken languages: English

About the project

Plan My Gap Year is an award-winning international volunteer placement organisation based in the UK.

Meet your organization

Plan My Gap Year is an award-winning international volunteer placement organisation based in the UK. We provide safe, affordable, need-driven volunteer programmes from 1 to 24 weeks in 11 countries worldwide.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US…

Founded by volunteers for volunteers, Plan My Gap Year works with local communities in the developing world towards long-term sustainable goals. We know there is no better way to travel and make a positive impact on the world.

We work extremely hard to ensure that our opportunities are affordable for everyone who wants to make a difference. So fees are 100% transparent, something our volunteers really appreciate.

Plan My Gap Year structured programmes create the perfect platform for you to see the world, meet like-minded people and engage in meaningful volunteer work. We have teams in the UK and in our host destinations who will support you 24/7 throughout your time with us. Furthermore, every project on our network is regularly risk-assessed by our UK team to ensure our set up is safe and that our volunteers are making a positive impact.

There is also a great social element to our programmes. Plan My Gap Year puts you in touch with all your fellow volunteers via Facebook before you set off. Our projects receive volunteers from around the world throughout the year, so even if you’re travelling solo, you’re going to meet heaps of people along the way. Plus you’ll have plenty of opportunity to travel the country with your newfound travel buddies – it’s all part of the PMGY experience!

So if you’re thinking of doing something a bit different on your next trip abroad, then why not drop us a line and find out what extraordinary things you could be doing.

AFFORDABLE & TRANSPARENT FEES

Our aim is to make our programmes accessible to motivated travellers irrespective of their financial capacity. Plan My Gap Year focuses on providing the core requirements of a volunteer programme: safety, structure and sustainability.

We are 100% transparent with our fees. That way you know exactly how much of your money goes towards the local community.

Compared to the large majority of volunteer organisations out there, even most charities and not-for-profits, PMGY’s opportunities are significantly cheaper. Furthermore, as our reviews will testify, our support service and structured programmes are second to none.

SAFETY & RISK MANAGEMENT

Your safety is our top priority. All of Plan My Gap Years' programmes have been personally inspected and vetted by the PMGY team – which is not an industry standard by any means. We carry out independent risk assessments on an annual basis and our local teams constantly review the safety precautions we implement. This includes regular staff and safety appraisals.

 Our local teams are made up of highly experienced volunteer coordinators. They have hosted international volunteers for many years and are prepared to react in the unlikely event of an emergency. Whatever the problem, big or small, our local teams are available around the clock.

As part of our commitment to your safety, we keep in constant communication with local embassies and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to ensure we can identify potentially dangerous situations and act upon them immediately. Our UK team are available 24/7 to assist volunteers and their families.

TRAINING & SUPPORT

We support our volunteers every step of the way. Before you go we will provide you with a detailed Volunteer Handbook, which will guide you through how to prepare for your trip. This Handbook contains literally everything you need to know – from what to pack, to how to obtain a visa, to local language guides.

Our experienced UK team are always available to provide assistance. Plan My Gap Year is always available to answer our questions and support you in anyway we can. 

On arrival, a member of our in-country team will collect you from the airport and help you settle in. Your orientation course will teach you everything you need to know about the country, how to stay safe and what to expect from your upcoming volunteer experience. 

Our local team are on-call 24/7. Whether you’ve lost your passport or just want some help in planning a weekend trip, our friendly in-country coordinators provide that safety net to ensure you are well looked after.

RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

Plan My Gap Years' responsibility is not limited to our travellers but also the projects we support. That is why all our volunteers must provide a Criminal Background Check before they travel.

It is essential that our projects are need-driven and sustainable. We work closely with our local partners to ensure that our volunteers are contributing to bring about long-term development.

PERSONAL TOUCH

We really know our programmes. Our UK team have stayed in the accommodation, volunteered at the projects and met the volunteers. We carefully assess each application we receive so that your personality and skills are suited to the project. Whatever your query, you can feel assured that you will be speaking to someone who can tell you exactly what to expect.

HAVING FUN

One of the best aspects of volunteering is meeting some amazing like-minded people. We place over 2,000 volunteers every year so wherever and whenever you go, you have the peace of mind in knowing you will be living and working alongside other PMGY volunteers. In many of our destinations, we run our own Volunteer House accommodation, which ensures all volunteers live together, and therefore guaranteeing a strong social element. In addition, our local team are always there to help you plan any independent travel or give you some tips for what to do at the weekend.

859 reviews · rating4.8

Maud Bonhof rating3.8

2024 at Sri Lanka Dog Rescue Volunteers

I originally would stay two months in Sri Lanka. Although the volunteer work is nice, I believe that two months is way to long. There were a lot of activities organized, but if you wanted to go somewhere yourself, everything was pretty far away. After 3/4 weeks, you had done most of the activities ...
Mataya Larson rating4.6

2023 at Sri Lanka Dog Rescue Volunteers

The experience was very eye opening. I really enjoyed being able to spend time with all the dogs. I wish the program was a bit more organized though. We had very limited supplies and while other programs had a surplus of volunteers we desperately needed more. Some volunteers tried to switch over to ...
Savannah Jamieson rating5

2023 at Sri Lanka Dog Rescue Volunteers

An incredibly experience which immerses you in the Sri Lankan culture. The volunteering project was very hands on felt as though your contribution was making a difference. The accommodation was also good and the team were amazing at helping with any ...
Kate Laudy rating5

2023 at Sri Lanka Dog Rescue Volunteers

If you're considering volunteering with PMGY Sri Lanka – do it. The time I spent there from October 15 to December 17 were the best months of my life. The volunteer work was super rewarding, I made so many incredible friendships, and the opportunities to travel and explore the country meant there ...
Kirsty Sammes rating5

2023 at Sri Lanka Dog Rescue Volunteers

Ash and all of the other staff were welcoming and really helpful when answering queries, exchanging currency etc. They offered optional evening activities from Monday - Thursday and gave us advice/recommendations for organising our own weekend travel. I had the amazing opportunity to care for some ...
Anushka Rangi rating5

2023 at Sri Lanka Dog Rescue Volunteers

3 weeks in Sri Lanka I have gone on 4 countries with PMGY and Sri Lanka is by far my favorite! It is so special beyond words and truly an unforgettable experience! From the start, my experience was so smooth. The handbook covered a lot of information about what to expect and it really helped ...

Location

Asia > Southern Asia > Sri Lanka > Ambalangoda

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