The Issue
The streetscape of Chile's capital Santiago (and many other cities) is unfortunately dominated by stray dogs and cats. These animals are forced to be real survivors, as you can see from the fact that they have learned to wait side by side with the pedestrians at the traffic lights and then cross the street in the protection of the crowd with green! But many survive more badly than right: Due to the food from the garbage, untreated diseases and injuries, the health of these animals is often miserable.
The Program

Fortunately, there are people with a big heart for animals who are committed to saving and protecting them. You can be one of them when volunteering in this project! In our volunteer project in Santiago de Chile, local volunteers work alongside volunteers from around the world to improve the situation of the animals on the street. The aim is always to take care of the dogs and cats to such an extent that they find a new home with loving owners. If you love animals and want to help improve the lives of dogs and cats in Santiago, this project is for you. Combine your passion for animals with a good cause!

The Location

Santiago de Chile is located almost exactly in the middle of Chile, halfway between the north and south and also about half way between the Argentine border and the ocean. The capital of Chile is an amazing city and one of the few metropolises in the world where you can actually ask yourself the question: "Going to the sea today and skiing tomorrow, or would you prefer the other way around?" since beautiful beaches are at the same distance like world-class ski slopes (and trekking routes during summer) in the Andes Mountains. Santiago de Chile divides Chile into the fertile south and the dry, mineral-rich north. And the city itself has something for everyone: there are beautiful places to relax, old colonial buildings and a lively urban culture with museums, street artists, theaters and more; small craft markets and green meadows, countless restaurants and pubs in beautiful nightlife areas. And above all, there is the flair of an up-and-coming metropolis that combines the characteristics of a modern capital with those of a colonial city steeped in history. This is where the heart of Chile's economy and progress beats and about a third of the Chileans are at home here. The Santiaguinos are usually friendly and helpful people and as a foreigner you can quickly find a connection. Santiago is also home to numerous universities, which has led to a lively international student life, especially in the past two decades.

What we expect 

• Be tolerant 

Please do not put prejudices of the foreign culture and other people into your luggage. You do not need that during your stay abroad! On the contrary, tolerance is a very important feature if you want to be successful and have fun while volunteering abroad. Respect the foreign culture, the other habits and the different mentality with great respect. While the other way of working may not always make much sense in your eyes, the goal of volunteering abroad is not to criticize or smile at people for acting and doing, but to work with them for a good cause. 

• Be adaptable 

On a trip abroad, especially in developing countries, you leave your home comfort zone. It is very important that you are ready to adapt to a different life situation. In Latin America, you certainly will not find the usual standards of home again. Especially volunteer projects in developing countries are often located in very secluded areas in the middle of beautiful nature or you live with a local host family, who belongs to a foreign culture. But that's the exciting thing about volunteering abroad! Immerse yourself in a foreign land, experience culture, traditions and people up close, learn from them, just let go and adapt to the other life circumstances. A unique experience that will mature and grow you as a person! 

• Team spirit 

In a voluntary work, the team idea is always over self-interest. Working in a team is fun and brings good mood and variety! So, for your volunteer work abroad, you should bring along a great deal of team spirit, because you always work together with other people, be it volunteers from other countries or local project staff. However, when so many foreign and diverse cultures meet, teamwork can become a whole new challenge. Even more important, that you have the ability to communicate in a group, work constructively and fairly and do not want to punch through your will at all costs. 

• Be helpful and responsible 

For most projects, volunteers who "do a good job" are most appreciated. By participating in a voluntary service abroad, you are consciously choosing to work in another country. You are not on a vacation trip. So, you have choosen to offer your help and valuable time to other people, nature protection or animals welfare. What really matters is your helpfulness! A really very important and unavoidable trait is the sense of responsibility. The volunteer project is counting on your support and your cooperation has been tightly scheduled. A high level of responsibility is the alpha and omega. During your volunteer work in Latin America, you are assigned to certain areas of activity that you must do on your own. Please take your role as a volunteer very seriously and carry out your tasks in the project conscientiously and carefully. 

• Be flexible 

Be prepared for the fact that volunteering in Latin America is much different from what you know or are used to at home. The Latin Americans have a completely different order, time and work understanding. Even their logic of approaching certain things may not always make much sense in your eyes. The different language and culture can quickly lead to misunderstandings or communication problems. An important principle for you: always be flexible and spontaneous! You will soon realize that there is a solution for all situations and that you can quickly develop a plan B from a problem.  

• Be proactive and take initiative 

During your voluntary work abroad, do not expect someone to explain to you in a big way what needs to be done, where and when. Often there is only a brief introduction and then your proactivity and initiative are asked. Get actively involved, offer your help and see where you can best apply your skills and strengths. It is always great when volunteers constructively and friendly affix ideas and suggest their own small projects.