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Dog and Cat Care - Thailand - Volunteer reviews
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Adrian – 2012
“Totally different to anything else I've ever experienced! Despite travelling lots Lanta was the first time I've lived on a remote tropical island! It was basic and challenging at times but the dogs were fantastic! You really get a sense of achievement when a dog arrives all skin and bones or is rushed into the surgery having been hit by a truck or abused in some way and then recovers or you manage to gain their trust. You see all sorts on this project from dogs who have had boiling oil poured over their heads to former pets who have simply been left when their "owners" have abandoned them and left the island. We even had what was initially suspected to be a gunshot wound! As a volunteer at the centre you will play a huge part in helping to treat them, doing things you would probably never get the chance to in Europe. Now back home I really miss the dogs, one or two in particular.
A typical day: “I arrive at about ten to seven, I've been awake since 0630 when the call to prayer plays out across the village, grab a quick tea or strange tasting coffee (no minerals in the water on the island!) greet the person who has done the sleep over shift who is usually on their way to bed, lead whichever dog has been keeping them company to his/her kennel, by now everyone else will be waking up and waiting for their breakfast, I like to wander around and talk to my friends before starting the early tasks... You shouldn't really have favourites but it's impossible not to, there's an excited whimper from the direction of Bones' kennel. She was found living under the stilts of a restaurant drinking seawater and starving, she's now getting stronger and still being only just into adulthood still has a lot of growing to do. I say good morning to her and she yodels a greeting back managing to knock the waterbowl across her kennel with her tail. I wander up the kennels where Rufus is staring bulging eyed, tongue hanging out insanely. I greet him and he runs around in circles barking and chasing his tail, he still hasn't noticed I've gone back to the kitchen area. There are two of us on Morning Shift, we split up and the other person prepares the dog food (fish and rice) while I do the cats. Feeding the cats done, I check the board for today's tasks, the other volunteer is busy sorting out the dogs into their pack areas It's 8am now and getting really hot, in about two hours the tourists will begin arriving. I decide to take Bones for a walk, she loves that. I open her cage and she greets me with her usual hysteria, squealing and shouting. I put her lead on and she tows me out of the centre. We head in the direction of the river and suddenly Bones spots something in the grass and pounces! I pull her back just in time to see an enormous snake slithering away. I tell her off sharply hoping something will sink into her overexcited young brain the next time a cobra happens to be in the area! She's completely unbothered, grins at me and off we go again. On our way back Bones spots something she hasn't seen yet, a tour group is riding by-on elephants! She stops, gawps, checks with me to see if I'm concerned (are these enormous things dangerous?) "Want one!" Want one! Want one!" she's prancing up and down on the spot. "Bones" I say quietly. "Bones" slightly louder. Twenty minutes later and I lead a still elephant fixated young girl backwards into her kennel. By now the tourists are beginning to show and the heat is really ramping up. It's one of the hottest days so far, the thermometer currently reads 42c and the air is totally still without a breath of wind. The rest of the morning passes in a blur of tours, dog mess and Michael's escape attempts. Suddenly it's 1pm and the afternoon shift arrive with boxes of Pad Thai. As I'm leaving to head down to the village a car skids into the drive and the vets rush out, all very "Casualty"! A beautiful husky appears to have been shot. Later it turns out it hadn't been and had some kind of worm burrowing holes in it. Lovely!....”
Helena – 2011
“I enjoyed the time at the centre!! I would have loved to stay longer! The dogs and cats are amazing. They really love to cuddle =) You will fall in love with them! It's easy to get to know the people that work at the centre, you won't be alone. There are many restaurants where you can go have lunch or dinner together. There are parties you will go to and there is the occasional get to together at the centre :) So it's not just work. You will have time to enjoy the island and island life. Very interesting is also the medical part of the centre. Even though you may have no experience at all with medical stuff, you will learn about it when you're there. It's really great. And you can watch surgeries if you want to.
Typical day: Depending on if you have the morning or the afternoon shift - The morning shift starts at 7am and ends at 1pm. You come to the centre and you prepare the food for the cats and the dogs. Then you feed them. As the dogs are rotated, so that they are not in the same area the whole day, you let the first group out in the first area. Then, if you want to, you have breakfast with your fellow workers and you can decide who wants to do the dog tasks and who wants to do the cat tasks. Doing the dog tasks means: getting all the groups out into the areas (rotating the groups - last rotation is at about 12am), filling up the water bowls in the areas, cleaning the kennels, cleaning 2 of the areas (it's always area 1 and another one that changes everyday). Doing the cat tasks means: cleaning the isolation cages, the recovery cages and the cages in the so called Happy Cat House. When the tasks are done (probably at about 10am), you have time to walk the dogs. When you're on the afternoon shift your shift starts at 1pm. You feed the cats and dogs that are fed 3 times the day (kittens or puppies). Then you fill up the water bowls outside, clean the litter trays of the cats and the transportation boxes. You do the laundry and you do the weekly task. After that you walk dogs. At 4.30pm the cats are fed. At around 5.30pm you prepare the food for the dogs and fill up the water bowls in the kennels. Then you'll bring them into their kennels and feed them. After that you wash the dishes, bring water bowls from the outside areas in and wash them and you'll sweep and mop the recovery area, the consultation rooms and the surgery room.
Most rewarding part of the project: Helping and caring for sick or injured animals and see them getting better. But also caring for the dogs and cats at the centre and seeing that they enjoy themselves and trust you and love to cuddle even though some of them have had bad experiences with humans.
Most challenging part of the project: Being patient when owners came in with their sick animal and they didn't (want to) understand that they have to take care of the animal so it won't get sick or so it will get better.
What advice would you give others considering doing this placement? Do it! Enjoy your time there. But know: you will fall in love with the animals and it is really hard to leave :)
Why do you think others should volunteer abroad? It may sound a little cheesy but it really is like all the people say: It's a great experience and you will learn so much (mostly about yourself). Also it is really rewarding getting to help animals!!
Why did you choose PoD and would you recommend us to others? I choose PoD because I read good things about them and they really were very helpful with organizing my trip to Thailand (visa and leave of absence from university). I would recommend them to others.”
Julia - 2011
"How’s it going at the centre? I have been quite busy around here! Everything is going well. I know the dogs and the cats and got my work routine so all is great! Met a lot of other PoD volunteers here, of course and they are all very nice. I wanted to thank you for the good advices all the time!"
Joan - 2011
"What was your greatest achievement at the project? Being part of a team where everyone has a common interest has been a great achievement.
What advice would you give to people thinking about doing this project? Do it! It’s a great experience, even if only for a short amount of time. It’s well worth it!
How would you describe your overall experience at the project? It has been a really good and worthwhile experience. Being part of a team that really care about what they’re doing and give so much of their time and energy has been truly inspiring."
Massimo - 2011
"How’s it going at the centre? I’m happy replacing tv and facebook with time at the beach and lots of work. I’m really enjoying all aspects of it just can't believe I’ve been here for a month already!
What was your greatest achievement at the project? Helping a dog called Panda become better at walks and sitting down on command.
What advice would you give to people considering doing this project? Pay close attention to what everyone teaches you, always concentrate on your work and have fun.
How would you describe your overall experience at the project? I have really enjoyed the work and all the people are really cool."
Jessica - 2011
"What was your greatest achievement at the project? Learning to make Mojitos which we sold at the Lanta Laanta Festival to raise money for the centre. Also helping to rescue a litter of kittens that had been dumped in a bin bag at the end of our road, and the fact that all five have been re-homed is pretty cool. Helping to socialize three wild puppies that arrived at the centre has been great as well, watching their confidence increase over the past few weeks has been amazing. Oh and mastering the art of riding a moped (even if it’s just an automatic).
What advice would you give to people considering doing this project? Be prepared to get covered in dust, drool, mud and mosquito bites! But don’t worry its worth it!
How would you describe your overall experience at the project? It has been fantastic! I feel that I’ve learned a bit and helped to make a difference. I’m pleased I managed to find a placement where volunteers are actually needed."
Lee - 2011
"I really enjoyed my stay and my prior communication with my PoD Rep Erin. I have met some life long friends from doing this project and I will definitely be going back to visit the island and their people very soon."
Jon – 2010
"I had an amazing time at the centre and would recommend it to anyone. The work can be hard at times but it's incredibly fulfilling to improve the lives of so many cats and dogs on a daily basis. You also get to meet some wonderful like-minded people and have lots of fun when you're not working - Koh Lanta is a beautiful island with lots to see and some lovely beaches, plus there's always a party to be found somewhere in the evening. I liked it so much I decided to stay on permanently and got a job as the new manager - so come and join the team!
There's no such thing as a typical day, everyday is different and you never know what's going to happen or who's going to turn up next - that's what makes it so interesting and exciting!
What did you find most rewarding? When animals arrive at the centre either sick or injured or insecure, to see how they can so rapidly be brought back to full health and happiness is just incredible to witness.
What did you find most challenging? Sometimes when an animal is in such a bad condition that it's not going to survive or lead a decent life and it has to be put down, it can be emotionally challenging, especially if you have developed an attachment to them."
Hannah - 2010
“This was a brilliant placement, I learnt so much and felt that I really was a valuable member of a team. Everyone was so friendly and easy to get along with. The work that they do is so important and it does rely on PoD volunteers to continue. There were a few hard moments when seeing some quite upsetting cases, but I could move past it, knowing that I was there to help. It was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done and I'd like to go back right now!
Come in, not too early, for breakfast/coffee, then feed the dogs and any in patients, making sure to give medication. Then tidying the clinic, including sweeping the endless ammounts of leaves, doing washing, cleaning kennels etc. Around 11.30am, we would head out on our motorbikes for housecalls, treating stray animals on site as much as possible. This would take most of the day, and then head back to base, to feed the dogs and do a final tidy up before going home.
The Thai attitude to animals is very different from home and a lot of cases are quite preventable, and this frustrated me quite a bit. Things like a wound would be left for weeks until it was maggot infected and then they would report it, but if they had reported it straight away, it would have been a simple 3 day job, instead, these can take weeks!
This is not a placement for the squeemish, but it's great if you can get over that! Since you will be staying in one place, it's a great way to get travelling, if you've never done it before. I'd advice going travelling either before or after the placement - there is so much to see in this area of the world! If you are scared of motorbikes, make sure you take a CBT test (or have a go on a friends bike) before coming.”
Maureen - 2010
“Koh Lanta is a beautiful paradise island. I had a fantastic experience; challenging at first, but then you fall in love with the animals! The dedication of the people out there is truly awesome and inspirational. I felt involved from the start and took on more responsibilities as my confidence grew. I have never worked with animals before; I learned so much and the experience has definately been life changing. By the end of the placement I was exhausted but soooooooooooooooo happy! I chose to take on additional work; volunteers are well looked after and their hours are flexible
For the dogs, cats and monkeys at my placement I cleaned, cooked, fed, walked, cared for, administered simple 1st aid, dealt with customers with sick animals, took animals to vets on the mainland, helped catch beach dogs for sterilisation, went out at night to feed abandoned and homeless dogs, de-wormed cats in hotel resorts and more and I loved it all!
PoD was honest, easily accessible, communication was excellent and good value. The information pack was incredibly helpful and covered everything needed for the placement.
It was my first time volunteering and I will definitely be returning.”
Daniel - 2010
“The whole experience was amazing. From the help received from Jan upon booking to the support of Erng in Thailand. The best time of my life and am happy to tell everybody about how amazing PoD and the project are!
The best time of my life bar none! From booking the experience to returning home. All the information received from PoD before leaving was extremely helpful in preparing yourself for what lies ahead. I was very nervous upon leaving the UK for Thailand but I was invited on days out etc and introduced to people and within no time you are making life long friends. This was the best three months of my life and I cannot praise the people at PoD Jan and Erng for their true professionalism and dedication to what they do and do SO well. I want to go back and will definately volunteer with PoD again.
Typical day: Feeding the animals, helping treat the injured or sick animals and the best part "dog catching".
Just so rewarding. Best experience and different from everyday life. 'The biggest mistake you can make in life is to consistently be afraid you will make one'. Thank you.”
Melanie - 2010
“Seeing an animal in a really bad condition and being able to nurse it back to health is the most rewarding experience, especially with the skin conditions and bad wounds. When the dog or cat recognises you and runs to greet you when you see it healthy again definately makes this job worth it!
A typical day would start at 10am with the feeding of the clinic animals and any patients (and giving them medication) followed by general cleaning (ie. raking the yard, cleaning up dog poo, scrubbing kennels). After lunch I would join the nurses on house calls and go visit the stray dogs/cats around the island either because we were treating them at the moment or following up on calls reporting a sick/injured animal. We'd be back at the clinic by 4.30 where the clinic animals would be fed again and the day would end at 5. A surgical day would start at 9am to make sure most of the daily tasks were completed by the time the volunteer vet arrived so that I could be on hand if any help was needed.
Top Tips: Take motorbike lessons if you have never driven one before (and then be adventurous and visit the east of the island), you don't need to have a laptop with you as the internet is 1Baht/min on the island however it is nice if you want to chill out and watch a film (personally I didn't have one and didn't miss having one). I definately recommend rabies shots, mosquito sprays and a strong factor suncream!
Volunteering is always rewarding but doing it abroad means you get to experience new places, cultures and meet a variety of new people.
I chose PoD because they had the project which interested me and had the lowest cost, because of their extremely friendly and helpful staff and I would most definately recommend them to others.
I would like to thank PoD for organising my placement, I had a fantastic time and can't wait to leave again on a new placement in the near future!"
Frances - 2009
“I wanted to thank yourself, Alex and Erng for the help you gave me before and during my time. I thoroughly enjoyed myself during my stay, I met some amazing people, and had the opportunity to help the stray animals, which was very, very rewarding. I feel my experiences have enhanced myself as a person, and made me appreciate the importance of organisations such as the centre. Being associated with this project for 6 months made me aware of how invaluable the work they do is for the island. The transformation of many of the sick animals treated was so satisfying to witness.”
“Everything is great. Avril and Por are lovely people, and I am enjoying helping out at the clinic very much. To be able to help animals is very important to me so this experience is wonderful!”
Kirsty - 2007
"I volunteered my help at the centre in Jan 07 for a couple of months and can honestly say it is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences I have ever had. Having come from a solicitors in London I didn't have any experience in working with poorly animals but everybody at the clinic made me feel really welcome and I felt part of the team instantly.
The island is truly beautiful and the laid-back lifestyle highly addictive, but my most memorable high point by far was when one of the patients, a dog called Gem - who came in just after I started in such a sorry state, spread-eagled on the floor totally unable to walk at all - finally stood up on my final day at the clinic!! It was the best leaving present I could have hoped for and I felt so happy to have played a part in getting her strong again. I shall never ever forget the sight of her hobbling towards me on her shaky little legs, tail wagging!
If I ever got a few months off work again I would be back to the clinic in a flash to help out again - its hard work sometimes, hot and tiring but so rewarding to know the difference you're making to these animals' lives."
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