Dog and Cat Rescue

Volunteers at the Dog and Cat Rescue Centre will help with the day to day running of the centre which will include a range of tasks including:

• walking the dogs
• feeding and washing the dogs and cats
• cleaning kennels and animal shelters
• giving medication and assisting with animal treatment
• maintenance of the centre
• visitor tours of the centre
• provide love and attention to the rescued animals

If you have veterinary experience the centre would love additional help at the vet clinic.

Working days and hours

Volunteers work 6 days each week. Generally volunteers work 6 hours per day.

Other volunteers

There are usually 8-10 volunteers at the project at any one time, with a maximum of 12.

Volunteer reviews

Read about volunteer experiences and challenges in our Thailand dog and cat rescue reviews.

With over 30 dogs and 70 cats there is always plenty of work that local team needs help with. The support from volunteers allows the centre to provide an exceptionally high level of care and extend their reach to more animals. By volunteering at the rescue centre, you will make a major contribution to the welfare of the animals on the island.

The team at the Dog and Cat Rescue project aims to:

• provide animal care for those who are injured and abused
• provide education and promote awareness of animal care & respect
• prevent and control the overpopulation of dogs and cats on Koh Lanta in a humane way through sterlization programmes.

By doing this, the suffering through hunger, disease, abuse and injuries will be greatly reduced.

Since the project was established in 2005 they have sterilised and treated over 8,000 animals, substantially reducing the stray population on the island.

Many people are aware of the problems of stray dog and poor veterinary treatment of animals in Thailand, but few get to make a difference; this project provides you with this opportunity.

Koh Lanta is a popular tourist destination near Krabi and Phuket, the island is known for its long, sandy beaches and scuba diving.

Volunteers live in basic shared accommodation at the centre. Each room is shared between 2 same sex volunteers (couples can have their own room). There are cold water showers, a fan, electricity points and free WiFi in the centre.

The island has mangroves, coral rimmed beaches and rugged tree covered hills. There are many local restaurants, bars and cafes. There are plenty destinations on the tropical island for volunteers to explore on their days off including a national park, historic Chinese fishing village, mangroves, beaches and caves!

Before you go:

• Carefully selected and vetted volunteer project
• Support from our friendly and highly experienced Pod UK team
• Single point of contact - Sarah is your dedicated placement manager
• In-depth Volunteering Guide on your volunteering placement
• Travel information - visa, health and safety advice
• Access to specialist travel insurance at exclusive rates
• Recommended travel agency for flights and tours
• Access to special deals and resources
• Fundraising guide and support
• Financial protection for monies paid to Pod

On your placement:

• Animal care volunteering placement
• Acommodation - a simple shared room
• 2 meals a day
• Induction and training
• Donation to the project
• Onsite support from local team
• Support from Pod UK office by phone and email
• 24/7 emergency back up
• Incident Management and Emergency Response Plans

On your return:

• Contact from your placement manager
• Feedback scheme
• Volunteering certificate (on request)
• References (on request)
• Member of the Pod community

Not included: Flights, travel insurance, visa (if required), evening meal, cost of pick up and transfers. Budgeting guidance is provided in our Volunteering Guide which we will email you when you apply.