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Join us and our rescue dogs in the South African bush

5.0
(5 reviews)5

The experience

Our project is on a 1000-hectare nature reserve in South Africa. While here you will be surrounded by free-roaming game including hippos, leopards, giraffes, and zebra. Outside the fenced areas we occasionally have lions and elephants.

You will also share the space with our rescue dogs and we do rehabilitation and assess for workability. Many of our dogs come to us with aggression issues so be aware we have strict rules regarding interactions.

What you offer

15 hours of help per week

Painting & Decorating: Help with painting or decorating the property facilities.

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

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

Additional fee required

Amount: US$ 85 Per day

Fee pays for: Materials for volunteer activities and Donation to project

Description: The money goes to help cover the costs of our rescue dog centre.

What you get

3 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

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

Tent: You will sleep in a tent at a camping site.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

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

Certificate: Get a certificate of completion after you finish your experience.

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

Requirements

Intermediate English or Intermediate Italian

Over 21 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

We are in the Lowveld area of South Africa which is warm all year round (especially hot in the summers) and you'll have tented accommodation. We are entirely off-grid, solar-powered, so we ask guests to be respectful and conserve energy where possible. While we love children, our dogs are working dogs and are not child friendly - we cannot accept anyone under the age of 16.

1. Garden work: we have around 500 trees to plant and two greenhouses that supply food.
2. Exercising of dogs.

The following are very important:

Please b e aware the transfer to our property from Hoespruit is R600.

If you don't like animals, this is not an appropriate workaway for you - we do not tolerate people hitting our dogs or hurting wild animals. Unfortunately, we have to write this due to past experiences.

Activities & Shift

4 days a week, 6 hours a day we work the garden, the dogs and do path clearing, road repairs etc.

Rules

NO hitting of our dogs.
We insist that volunteers limit alcohol intake as there are dangerous animals in the area and we can't have someone wander off in the night or pass out in a bush.
Respect for all people regardless of gender, religion, orientation, nationality, race etc.