Best Animal Shelters to Volunteer Abroad in 2025/26

Volunteering with animals is one of the most rewarding experiences you can embark on during your gap year or break from work. Helping support conservation efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats is an adventure that will stick with you for a lifetime. But with so many animals around the world who need your help, how can you choose the best shelter to visit? 

Most animal shelters focus on a handful of local species, so you need to have an idea of which animals you’d like to help most. Whether that’s sea turtles, horses, pumas, or street cats, Volunteering Solutions has the placement for you. Keep reading to explore the best animal shelters to volunteer at in 2025 and 2026. 

Holbrook's Wildlife Rescue Shelter

Australia, with its unique species and amazing wildlife conservation schemes, is a wonderful place to volunteer if you want to make a difference. The Wildlife Rescue Centre in Holbrook is a great place to get your hands dirty while feeding animals, cleaning and maintenance, and enrichment work. You’ll mostly be taking care of injured and orphaned animals, creating bonds with kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, and more. 

For decades, this shelter has been responsible for rescuing and rehabilitating sick animals or those who have been left behind by their parents. As a volunteer, you’ll have a hand in nurturing them back to health before returning them to their natural environment.  

This is an ideal shelter to volunteer in for any animal lover. Not only will you be working towards a noble cause, but it’s also an amazing opportunity to meet people from all over the world and explore the breathtaking country of Australia. It’s perfect for those wanting to participate in meaningful work between school semesters or during a gap year. 

Horse Sanctuary near Córdoba, Argentina  

Córdoba often uses many of its horse population for recycling, which leaves them in pain, tired, and weak as they get closer to retirement age. The Horse Sanctuary in Argentina rescues horses who’ve faced challenging lives, working to give them freedom, medical attention, and a second chance at a fulfilling life. 

Volunteering at this shelter is a wonderful way to look after animals and educate local communities on the dangers of using horses for transport. The Horse Sanctuary was established in 2013 and has been working tirelessly to provide refuge for horses ever since. There are around 160 horses, along with other animals like donkeys, cows, goats and llamas. You’ll be responsible for helping with animal care, cleaning, rehabilitation and environmental enrichment - there’s never a dull moment here! 

As a volunteer, you’ll be required to commit to at least two weeks at this shelter, ensuring a more meaningful interaction with the animals and further involvement with daily operations. Many of our volunteers agree that bonding with the horses is the best part of the job, so you don’t want to rush your connection by leaving too soon! 

South Africa’s Animal and Rehabilitation Shelter

The Animal and Rehabilitation Shelter is located in Cape Town, South Africa, and its main goal is to rescue, treat, and rehabilitate animals in need. You’ll get stuck in right away, offering help as and when it’s needed. The shelter largely deals with South Africa’s stray cat and dog population, which are often neglected and left to fend for themselves. Your work will contribute to a more worthwhile quality of life, where the animals are cared for, healthy, and always fed. 

The Animal and Rehabilitation Center has two sections: one that acts as a full animal hospital that treats all kinds of sickness and operations, and another that focuses on getting the animals adopted into loving families. A lack of funding means the shelter relies heavily on volunteers, making your contribution all the more important. 

Your main responsibilities will include feeding and playing with animals, cleaning kennels, walking the dogs, fundraising and assisting at the animal hospital. On weekends and evenings, you’ll be able to explore the natural beauty of Cape Town with your new friends and fellow volunteers.

Animal Care Program Shelter in Porto

Portugal has roughly one million free-roaming animals, most of which are stray and abandoned cats. If you’re passionate about the welfare of domesticated cats and kittens, Porto’s Animal Care Program shelter could be the ideal place for you to volunteer your time. You’ll help with trapping stray cats, neutering and getting them suitable medical attention, placing them with foster parents, and fundraising. 

As a volunteer in the Animal Care Program initiative, you’ll collaborate with local NGOs to manage stray cat populations using the humane TNR (trap-neuter-return) method. While they’re waiting for their operation, and during the recovery period, you’ll also help with feeding and playing with the cats, and cleaning and maintaining the shelter. 

Abandoned cats who haven’t been neutered will often go on to have unwanted litters, leading to even more stray and abandoned cats. No one wants the number of unwanted cats to rise, so working at Porto’s shelter gives you the chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Portugal’s cat population - and the ability to play with cats for a few weeks! 

Penguin and Marine Bird Rescue Center in South Africa

The Penguin and Marine Bird Rescue Center’s primary goal is to support and rehabilitate African penguins and other marine birds around South Africa. These species have been affected by human impact in numerous ways, so your contribution can be incredibly helpful in reversing these actions and giving the birds a second chance at a safe, comfortable and happy life. 

As a volunteer for this South African project, you’ll receive a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help out with marine life and conservation along the Algoa Bay. Meet penguins and other species you may never have heard of before, including gannets, cormorants, and seagulls. Feed them, prepare their meals and vitamins, and clean their temporary habitats while getting ready to release them back into the wild. 

While your main efforts here will focus on marine conservation and rescue, you’ll also get downtime to enjoy the beauty of Port Elizabeth and Algoa Bay. Go snorkelling to find weird and wonderful marine life, head out on a safari, or even see what other programs are out there to maximise your efforts of creating a brighter future for South African wildlife. 

Ready to Plan Your Animal Shelter Volunteer Experience?

Volunteering in an animal shelter is incredibly rewarding and worthwhile, and it’ll leave you with amazing memories to cherish for a lifetime. You’ll meet new people - both human and not - and always remember the difference you made. 

Check out our Wildlife Conservation Volunteer programs to find out more about the shelters Volunteering Solutions partners with. We’ll be with you every step of the way, from choosing the right placement to learning what vaccinations you need before working with sick or injured animals. Get in touch today and take the first step on your volunteering journey!