At a glance
- Support staff at a local animal shelter and help care for stray dogs.
- Assist with general care and maintenance, and work to train, exercise, and socialize the dogs to prepare them for adoption.
- Add practical animal care work experience to your resume.
- Experience living and working in Eastern Europe, and stay with a local host family.
Is volunteering with animals in Romania right for me?
Do you love working with animals? Are you passionate about animal rights? Then our Animal Care Project in Romania is perfect for you!
You don’t need any previous experience to join. The local staff at the shelter will show you everything you need to do, and Projects Abroad staff are also there if you need them. All you need is compassion for animals, and a willingness to work hard.
This project runs throughout the year, and you can join at any time. You can join from as little as one week. However, we strongly recommend staying for longer so you can have a bigger impact at the shelter.
What will I be doing while working with animals in Romania?
Our Animal Care Project in Romania offers you loads of opportunities to help animals. Here are some of the tasks you will help with:
- Assist local staff in taking care of stray dogs living in the shelter
- Get to know the dogs during training and exercise sessions
- Help with other daily tasks around the shelter, such as cleaning and running errands
Assist local staff in taking care of the dogs
One of the great things about volunteering at an animal shelter in Romania is the fact that you get to work directly with the animals. During your time as a volunteer, you’ll help with bathing and feeding the dogs living at the shelter. You will also spend plenty of time playing with them to help get them ready for adoption.
Your work may also extend to assisting a vet with basic surgical procedures in the small on-site veterinary clinic.
Get to know the dogs during training and exercise sessions
You will have plenty of time to get to know each of the dogs personally, as you take them for their daily walks. Exercising these animals regularly is important to keeping them healthy and happy.
You can even add more fun to this by training with them. Some may never have received any human guidance before, so you can teach them the basics, like sit, lie down, and fetch. Others may have come from a loving home and know a few tricks already, so you can keep them stimulated.
Help shelter staff with other daily tasks
While working with animals is undoubtedly the fun part of the project, you will also help out with other tasks. This could include cleaning the dog’s kennels, building new ones, and running daily errands when other staff members are busy.
Where you will be working as an Animal Care volunteer in Romania
Brasov
You will be based in the ancient city of Brasov. With its terracotta-coloured roofs, gothic spires, medieval gateways, baroque buildings, and pedestrian friendly streets, it’s almost like a fairy tale come to life. Although it may seem quaint and almost old-fashioned at first sight, the city is bursting with modern hustle and bustle.
Your working day will be spent at a non-profit organisation and animal shelter on the outskirts of the city. They host approximately 100 dogs at any given time.
Evenings and weekends will normally be your free time to explore. There are always other Projects Abroad volunteers around and plenty to see within Brasov and the Transylvania region in your spare time.
A typical day as an animal care volunteer in Romania
Your day will start with a healthy breakfast around your Romanian host family’s table. From here, you will head to the animal shelter using public transport or cycling. On your first day, our staff will accompany you to show you the way.
Your work day typically starts around 8am and finishes at around 5pm. In the mornings, you will help feed the dogs their morning meal. With so many dogs at the shelter at any given time, this could take a good chunk of your morning. Once you’ve finished with that, you will be able to help out with other necessary tasks around the shelter. This might include cleaning kennels, taking delivery of new dog food, or cleaning the reception area.
After a morning of hard work, you will get an hour and a half’s lunch break. If your host family lives close by, you can head home to eat and rest for a bit. Alternatively, you will be able to enjoy a packed lunch at the shelter.
During the afternoons, you will typically spend some time with the dogs. This would include taking them for walks, training them, or just playing with them in their kennels. As 5pm draws close, it’s feeding time again.
Evenings and weekends are your free time to explore. Make the most of your time in this magnificent country by going on weekend excursions with fellow volunteers. Also, enjoy plenty of meals with your local host family and spend time conversing with them. It’s the very best way to learn more about their life and culture.
What are the aims and impact of our Animal Care Project in Romania?
The aim of this project is to help improve quality of life for abandoned dogs in Brasov.
As an Animal Care volunteer, you will do this by working at a local animal shelter. You will help take care of stray dogs that are brought in, and ultimately, you’ll assist in finding them new homes. The shelter is also understaffed, and really needs extra pairs of helping hands. You’ll support their work by helping out with any other tasks that need to be completed.
Join our Animal Care placement in Romania and help us improve the lives of stray animals.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Brasov. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Romania and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
Volunteering in Romania will give you a unique taste of life in Eastern Europe. With a diverse range of activities, you’ll find plenty to do during your free time.
This is the ideal destination for architecture lovers, with stunning, old buildings lining the streets. The Biserica Neagră is one example of haunting gothic architecture, with its stone walls blackened by a fire that raged through the area in the 17th century.
It’s not just the buildings that are worth checking out, but the streets as well. More specifically, you can squeeze your way through one of the narrowest streets in Europe!
It’s worth taking a weekend trip to Transylvania to visit Bran Castle, the home of legendary Count Dracula. While you’re there, you can tour ASTRA Museum and delve into the magical world of Romanian folklore.
You’ll likely be amongst many other volunteers during your trip. This gives you the option to explore either on your own or in a group.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on-hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
Meet the team in Romania
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