Volunteer work in the dog project in Romania

Your tasks in the project

You will help to look after some of the approximately 300 dogs. An important task is socialising the puppies. As new dogs are constantly arriving, one of the main aims of the project is to rehome as many of the animals as possible in line with the motto ‘Adopt Don't Shop’. You will mainly help with caring for the dogs – from feeding, grooming and walking them to cleaning the kennels and occasionally helping with the upkeep of the grounds. Your tasks will also include photographing the dogs to help find them new homes. The project is supported by the state and a German foundation. However, given the large number of dogs, this is often not enough, so help is urgently needed. Local dog shelters like this are very important institutions for animals and also for the local people in Romania, as they keep the dogs off the streets and provide them with everything they need. The animals are often mistreated or abandoned, and volunteers are needed to support the staff on site.

A typical day

Your working hours are usually from 10:00 to 14:30. The dog kennel is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The project is located a little outside the city, so you can either ride your bike or take public transport to get there

Your free time

According to legend, the legendary Count Dracula lived in Bran Castle in Romania. It is still open to visitors today. You can also go on long hikes in the Carpathian Mountains. In the capital city of Bucharest, you can marvel at the gigantic Palace of the Parliament. As a special treat, you can visit an underground amusement park called Salina Turda. Train tickets are relatively inexpensive and make it easy to travel around the country, so weekend trips with other participants are a great option. The team on site will be happy to give you tips.