Animal Rescue Algarve

We are a NGO formed to help abandoned and mistreated animals in the Algarve, South of Portugal.
Our kennels are beautiful little wooden houses, fully insulated, where we pair 2 dogs maximum in each kennel so they have a peaceful place to chill and sleep. All our dogs go for walks and have fun time at our parks every day.

We have a very motivated team that genuinely love animals. This place has proven to be a healing place not only for animals but to a few good human souls too :) Our goal is to give a second chance to those abandoned dogs and cats by finding them new loving families and homes, locally and abroad :-) We also aim to educate and inform the local population about the benefits of sterilising their animals and the raise awareness about animal welfare.

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Reviews

5.0
(265 reviews)265

Staff & Host

5.0

Hours & Tasks

5.0

Hostel

5.0

Learning & Fun

5.0

Germany

5

I had the most amazing time at ARA again. When you are someone who truly cares about the well-being of animals you should visit this place. Would recommend to go there. Besides having the feeling that you can truly make an impact in the life of the rescue dogs and cats due to cleaning, walking and socializing you will also meet like-minded people from all around the world.

3 days ago


Animal Rescue Algarve replied

Celina is an exceptional volunteer whose dedication goes far beyond expectations. She is highly responsible and consistently spends extra time with the dogs, often taking them on enriching outings to the beach or into town to ensure they are happy, healthy, and well-socialized. Her commitment is extraordinary — she even changed her flight to personally accompany an adopted dog to Germany Celina’s reliability, compassion, and selflessness make her an invaluable member of our volunteer team

Denmark

5

Once again, just amazing:)

9 days ago


Animal Rescue Algarve replied

We had the pleasure of having Alma volunteer with us at the animal shelter, and we couldn’t be more grateful for her time& dedication. She is incredibly efficient and always approaches tasks with a positive, can-do attitude.Alma is wonderful with our animal-gentle, attentive, and genuinely caring, which makes such a difference in their comfort and well-being. She is also highly responsible and dependable,consistently punctual, and someone we could always count on!

Germany

5

This was my third time here at ARA, and I still can’t recommend it enough! It’s a home away from home for me - truly a special place.
Everyone is always very welcoming and kind. The work you do gets appreciated and doing the different tasks is always fun.
You have a lot of freedom when it comes to taking a dog somewhere and giving him a day out, or just taking some dogs on a walk.
The place and the surroundings itself are beautiful!
I can’t wait to come back already, thank you for the work that you are doing here at ARA!💛

10 days ago


Animal Rescue Algarve replied

Liv is an outstanding volunteer.She is always ready to help and brings an incredible level of dedication to everything she does.Liv has a gift with dogs — whether they are shy or even more challenging, she connects with each one.Her training skills are great, and she spends extra time with the dogs to ensure they learn valuable behaviors.Beyond her work inside the shelter,Liv goes the extra mile by taking dogs on outings to nice locations, giving them the chance to enjoy the day outside

Germany

5

ARA is such an amazing shelter, with such good organization and communication within the team & the volunteers. The staff works so hard for the animals while always trying to make the experience as enjoyable as possible for the volunteers! The animals are able to live their best life before finding their forever family!

11 days ago


Animal Rescue Algarve replied

Carla is a wonderful and dedicated repeated volunteer at our shelter. She is friendly, reliable, and always willing to lend a helping hand. Carla consistently spends extra time with the dogs, takes them on extra walks,giving them the attention and affection they need, and she does what is asked of her. The animals benefit greatly from her presence. We are very grateful for her continued support and the kindness she brings every time she volunteers

Germany

5

I had a really good time at ARA, as always🫶
You meet so many nice people, both staff and volunteers. The animals are grateful for every minute you spend with them, and you can feel that. You get to experience so many wonderful moments with all the dogs and cats in the shelter :) This place gives you so much love in return for your work, and I'm always happy to come back.

13 days ago


Animal Rescue Algarve replied

We are so grateful to Alina for her month of volunteering at our shelter. She came several times and dedicated so much patience and care to our animals. Most importantly, she spent countless hours with Mayra, one of our most difficult dogs, showing her compassion and consistency when others often shy away. Alina’s kindness made a real difference for Mayra and for our whole team. Thank you, Alina—you’ve truly left a positive mark here!


Perfect for you if you're looking for

Contact with nature

Vegetarian / Vegan

Rural

Contact with animals

Beach

Yoga / Meditation