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

United Kingdom

5

This has been one of the best experiences of my life, i cannot stress that enough! i have met the most adorable dogs who all deserve so much love! please love them with all your heart! i have also met some of the best people ever, i have made friends that i will have for life! and franco and nellie are the sweetest people in the world, they have hearts of gold and are so lovely to the volunteers! please show them respect! i could not have wished for a better first volunteering experience, nothing will ever compare! i can't wait to come back and see everyone again!

12 days ago

Poland

5

I can't describe how beautiful this experience was! The dogs are amazing, and most of them are super cuddly. Franco and Nelli are the best hosts you could ever meet — you can really see how much they love what they do and that they care about volunteers. I met wonderful people who made my stay truly unforgettable. And i can't wait to come back next year for olive picking with Franco!❤️

29 days ago

Romania

5

Neli and Franco are really some amazing people. The way they built the shelter and the care for the dogs is something rare indeed. Absolutely recommend this place for the ones who really want to make an impact in this world. Grazie mille è alla prossima, Marius

about 1 month ago

Belgium

5

This was my first volunteering experience and I couldn't recommend it more! Nelli and Franco are the nicest people you'll ever meet. Nelli has such a big heart for her dogs and is always happy to help with anything. Franco's Sunday dinners are the best, you'll be looking forward to them all week! The work can be a bit physical, but it's so rewarding. The dogs give you so much love, and Bimba, the house dog, will steal your heart on day one. I originally planned to stay for 3 weeks but ended up staying for 2 months because I loved it so much!

about 2 months ago

Australia

5

I loved volunteering here. It can be hard work and tiring most days, but I enjoyed every second of it. The shelter itself is organised and every dog is taken care of. Nely and Franco are so lovely and they clearly care for every animal in and around the shelter. The living area is quaint but it is comfortable and clean so long as the volunteers keep it that way. I appreciate Franco always being happy to drive us to the bus or grocery store whenever we needed. The area is truly beautiful and a type of place I don't get to see everyday. My only wish is that I could have adopted a little friend🤍

2 months ago

Germany

5

I will never forget the shared laughter, warm atmosphere and beautiful days at Rifugio the shelter. Nelly and Franco make you feel right at home, they are generous & warmhearted hosts who care about you 🥰 I grew fond of all the dogs over the four weeks and already miss them very much 🐶 The cosy house invites you to enjoy dinner and card game evenings with the other volunteers from all around the world and Bimba plays ball with you all day long 🌞 Grazie di tutto, ci rivedremo presto ❤️

3 months ago

Germany

5

My stay at the rifugio was an unforgettable experience. Nely and Franco are such friendly people and their sunday lunches were amazing. I loved spending time with the dogs because every single one of them was wonderful and has earned a special place in my heart. Spending time with the other volunteers was great. I've met many incredible people who were a big part of the whole experience. This was my first volunteering project and I would recommend this to everyone who loves dogs and spending time with them. The rifugio is a great place to really make an impact and I will definitely come back💕

3 months ago

Austria

5

My stay at the Shelter was great. Nelly and Franco are amazing hosts, and their dedication to helping dogs is truly inspiring. Unfortunately, a few volunteers had left before I arrived, which made the workload a bit heavier. However, Nelly was always checking in on us to make sure we were doing okay. The work is quite physical, and there are a lot of stairs. But the experience was absolutely worth it. For Sunday Lunches, they cook the most delicious Sicilian dishes for the volunteers. This was my first volunteering experience, and I loved it. I would definitely recommend it to others.

5 months ago

Austria

5

Such an amazing experience! Nelly and Franco are lovely and made me feel super welcome from the start. The dogs were the best part—spending time with them just brought me so much joy everyday ❤️ The accommodation is simple, but being with the other volunteers really made it feel like home. Especially waking up to the beautiful view over the Sicilian countryside was incredible. It was peaceful, quiet, and exactly the kind of break I didn't know I needed. I felt truly comfortable here and can't wait to come back. It was an experience I'll never forget.

5 months ago

Ireland

5

I really enjoyed my 3 weeks spent at the shelter. Every day the sun was scorching which sometimes made the work difficult but it helped starting at 7am so you could skip the hottest time of the day. The dogs in the shelter are literal angels on earth and i'm going to miss them all so much. The weekly Sunday lunch was delicious. The fellow volunteers from all corners of the world were amazing, every night was spent playing cards at sunset. Overall, I would really recommend this place to everyone, it can be tiring but it's worth it to spend even a second with the sweet doggies at the shelter :)

7 months ago

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