Apply Now

Help at our dog shelter and experience life in rural Sicily!

5.0
(69 reviews)69

The experience

We welcome volunteers in our countryside home in Sicily where they can be part of a community of travellers and make a difference in the lives of the dogs in our care - by helping to clean their enclosures, give them food and water, take them on walks, and provide as much individualized attention as possible.
Our NGO, with the help of a passionate community of volunteers, strives to cure and find loving homes for the many strays in our area.

What you offer

25 hours of help per week

Animal Care: Help look after and take care of animals.

What you get

2 days off per week

Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Bikes at your disposal: You can use our bikes any time you want.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Basic Internet Access: Basic speed internet for you to work remotely

Requirements

Beginner English or Beginner Italian

Over 18 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

We ask for help in taking care of the dogs in our shelter - clean their enclosures, give them food and water, take them on walks, and play and cuddle with them. We might also need help with general maintenance on the property and enclosures at times and with general housekeeping activities.
We welcome any talent you may have to offer to help in our mission of improving the lives of strays in Sicily. Maybe you know a lot about social media, photography, organizing, graphic design, or are familiar with organizations that work with shelters to find homes for abandoned dogs in other countries. We welcome everyone who is willing to work for our dogs with passion and creativity.

The occasional general maintenance would include tasks such as mending fences and maintaining dog enclosures. We might also ask for help with yard work. Picking up branches, clearing brush and debris, etc.

Activities & Shift

Caring for our dogs is time-consuming and unpredictable. Daily activities will depend on the weather as well as the needs of the dogs, but most days we work from 7-8 in the morning till 1-2 pm, with free time in the afternoon. During the hot summer months this changes to working early in the morning and late afternoon, with a break in between.
We also ask help with ad hoc tasks in the afternoon sometimes. These could include vet visits, picking up new dogs from the street, giving medication or random emergencies.

Please keep in mind that the work is very physical, and while you will be provided with gloves and the proper tools, cleaning up after dogs involves removing dog poop from their living area, among other things. Please do not contact us if you are not willing or able to work hard and get dirty.
We have high standards and give our all to taking care of our dogs. Should you decide to offer your help we would be happy if you did too.

We communicate about logistics in a group chat so you should have your own personal internet connection / mobile data to use during work, since the available WiFi only has a limited range and doesn't reach all the way to the dogs' enclosures.

Rules

It’s very important for us to keep the accommodation tidy and clean. The volunteer cottage is shared by 5–6 people, so maintaining a sanitary environment is essential for everyone’s comfort and wellbeing. In the past we’ve had issues with mice, which only occur when food, garbage, or dishes are left around. We want to avoid this, so regular cleaning and basic hygiene are absolutely necessary.

We like to trust our volunteers and prefer not to monitor the cottage. Please apply only if you’re someone who naturally keeps shared spaces clean and understands how important this is for group living.

House guidelines:
Please respect the shared home, take care of utensils and equipment, and maintain good hygiene and cleanliness. Any damages caused must be reimbursed.
Everyone living together deserves a comfortable and respectful environment. Cleanliness and consideration for others are essential.
We have a short trial period to ensure that you are able to live respectfully in the shared house, interact appropriately with both dogs and people, adapt to the required tasks, and follow the agreed schedules.

We’re sorry to have to write this, but experience has shown it’s necessary. If cleanliness becomes a recurring issue even after reminders, we will have to ask you to leave. We hope this won’t be the case and we can all enjoy a comfortable and harmonious environment together.

We also ask you to bring your own sleeping bag if you can, as it helps us keep things simple. If you can't, we will give you bedsheets.

Food is not included except for Sunday lunches, as we are a non-profit and can’t afford to cover it, unfortunately.

How to reach us:
- Palermo airport: train to Palermo Centrale, then a bus to Calatafimi.
- Trapani airport: bus to town, then another bus to Calatafimi.