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Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Project
Volunteers in the project work to rescue, treat and rehabilitate animals in need in suburban Cape Town area in an animal shelter.
You work at an animal rescue and rehabilitation center in a suburban Cape Town area, a shelter that runs its own animal hospital and adoption center. Day to day you feed and play with the dogs and cats, clean animal houses and kennels, walk the dogs, help with fundraising and adoption days, take on admin and reception duties, and observe and assist staff in the hospital when they need extra hands. The program suits anyone aged 18 or older with a genuine interest in animal welfare; no veterinary experience is required.
You can join for 2–12 weeks, with a new start every week (Sundays) — the next is 20 Sep 2026. Your first night is in a volunteer hostel, then you move to a host family home close to the shelter, where you get three home-cooked meals a day. Programs start from $774 (deposit included). Living with a host family means you experience a local Cape Town community, not just the shelter, while you work.
- Experience the life of locals by staying with a host family
- Help in a variety of tasks at the animal shelter
- Hands on work with animals at the project
- Explore the city on weekends and travel around Cape Town
- Visit some highlights of Cape town such as Table Mountain, Robben Island and Lion’s Head
- Live with volunteers from all over the world and make memories of a lifetime
Your role on this program
- Feed and play with the shelter's dogs and cats
- Clean animal houses and kennels
- Walk the dogs
- Assist with fundraising initiatives and adoption days
- Observe and assist hospital staff with treatment of sick or injured animals
- Help with admin and reception duties at the shelter
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
Medical treatment and surgery are carried out by the shelter's own staff; volunteers observe and assist in the hospital rather than perform procedures. Any handling of animals follows staff instruction and the center's animal welfare policy, and tasks depend on the animals currently in care and the shelter's day-to-day needs.
A typical day and week
Timings are the placement's usual pattern; the local team confirms your hours at orientation, and they can change with school terms, clinic rotas, weather and the project's needs.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 18
- A genuine interest in and love for animals
- An open-minded, flexible attitude for a new working environment
- Proof of rabies and tetanus vaccination before starting, since new unvaccinated animals arrive regularly
- Travel/medical insurance (your own policy or the one Volunteering Solutions arranges)
- No formal animal-care qualification required; guidance is given by shelter staff on site
The placement, its limits and your part in it
The placement is a non-profit animal rescue and rehabilitation center in the Cape Town area, made up of two parts: an animal hospital that treats sick and injured strays and an adoption center that tries to find them new homes. The center can only afford a small permanent staff, so it depends on volunteers to cover daily care.
Medical treatment and surgery stay with the shelter's own staff; volunteers assist and observe in the hospital rather than carry out procedures, and all animal handling follows staff instruction and the center's welfare policy. Your contribution is practical support — feeding, cleaning, walking, admin and fundraising help — that frees up staff time rather than a substitute for trained veterinary care.
Our standards
- Responsible volunteer travel policyHow we choose, run and review every project
- Animal welfare policyOur rules for wildlife, marine and animal-care projects
- Certified B CorporationSocial and environmental performance verified by B Lab
- How we volunteer responsibly in South AfricaCountry-level partner context and standards
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Program fees by duration
Prices include your $249 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total program fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enroll in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | $774 | |
| 3 weeks | $949 | |
| 4 weeks | $1,149 | |
| 5 weeks | $1,299 | |
| 6 weeks | $1,584 | |
| 7 weeks | $1,749 | |
| 8 weeks | $2,004 | |
| Each additional week | +$220 / week |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
-
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Pickup from Cape Town International Airport
- Orientation
- Meals (Depending on the type of accommodation)
- Accommodation in Volunteer house or host family
- Travel & Medical Insurance (Available at an extra cost)
Not included
-
-
- Airfare
- Visa Fee
- Return Airport Drop(Can be arranged at extra cost)
- Daily Project Transportation
- Vaccinations
-
Accommodation & meals
Volunteering Solutions makes great efforts to provide best of living standards to its volunteers. In Cape Town, our international volunteers are picked up from the airport and put in volunteer houses or with host families, equipped with all modern amenities. We also make sure that we help our volunteers with their local requirements, sightseeing or weekend tours.
Airport Transfer
Volunteers are picked up from the Cape Town International Airport by a representative and transferred to the volunteers hostel accommodation by a shuttle transfer. Those volunteers who are arriving overland or are already in South Africa will have to arrive at the accommodation on own and will not be provided with a pickup.
Orientation
A half day orientation will be provided by the local staff on the program start date. The orientation would cover topics such as introduction to the program,General information about South Africa,Safety Tips / Guidelines,customs,health guidelines, communities, projects, host families, support services, travel and tours.Participants also receive a Walking City Tour which is a 2 hour walk around the City Center area.
Accommodation
Upon arrival in Cape Town, volunteers are provided accommodation for one night in the volunteer hostel. After orientation on the next day, you will be transferred to the host family accommodation located close to animal shelter project.
When staying with a host family while volunteering in South Africa you will live in one of the local communities of Cape Town. There you will experience life of a typical South African family which will be a great cultural experience. You will travel a short distance to your project in the morning and in the evenings you will spend time bonding with your host family. The project is 5mins drive from the host family home, so you can either take an Uber (approx. R50 per way) or walk to the project.On the weekends you can either spend your leisure time with your host family or book yourself into a backpacker in town to explore the city center during the day and experience Cape Town night life.
Meals
Volunteers staying in a host family, are provided 3 meals a day, prepared by your host. Breakfast before your project, a packed lunch to take with you and a delicious home cooked meal for dinner.
During your Free Time
Cape Town has so much to offer for travelers and there is a lot to do on the weekends and during the free time. Volunteers usually take the Garden Route tours on the weekend or explore the beautiful beaches of Cape Town. You can also do a full day Cape Point Tour and head south to Cape of Good Hope. On a free day you can do a trek upto Table Mountain or just chill out at the Waterfront area. There is a lot to do and you will never have a dull day in the beautiful city of Cape Town.
Life on the program
Getting there and who looks after you in South Africa
Airport pickup
A representative meets you at Cape Town International Airport and transfers you by shuttle to the volunteer hostel accommodation. Volunteers arriving overland or already in South Africa make their own way to the accommodation.
First night
You spend your first night in the volunteer hostel before orientation the next day.
Orientation
A half-day orientation on your first Monday covers the program, general information about South Africa, safety guidelines, customs, health guidelines and support services, plus a two-hour walking tour of the city center.
Move to host family and first project day
After orientation you transfer to your host family home close to the shelter and begin your project, working Monday to Friday from 9am.
Ongoing support
In-country coordinators and a 24-hour support line are available throughout the program.
From volunteers in South Africa
Frequently asked questions
What kind of animals will I work with?
You work with rescued stray dogs and cats at the shelter, including animals recovering in the on-site animal hospital.
Do I need animal-care experience?
No formal experience is required, but you should have a genuine interest in animal welfare and a flexible attitude, since new arrivals can be unpredictable.
What does a typical day look like?
You work Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm (5-6 hours a day), split between feeding, cleaning, dog walking, hospital assistance and admin or fundraising tasks; weekends are free.
How long can I volunteer for and when can I start?
Programs run 2–12 weeks, with a new start every week (Sundays); the next available date is 20 Sep 2026.
What does the price include?
Programs start from $774 (deposit included), covering airport pickup, orientation, accommodation, meals depending on accommodation type, and 24-hour staff support; flights, visa fees, return drop-off and vaccinations are not included.
Where will I live and eat?
You spend your first night in a volunteer hostel, then move to a host family close to the shelter, where you get three meals a day, including a packed lunch for your project day.
How does airport pickup work?
A representative meets you at Cape Town International Airport and takes you to the volunteer hostel by shuttle; if you arrive overland or are already in South Africa you make your own way to the accommodation.
What safety and support is in place?
Local coordinators run a half-day orientation on your first Monday, including safety and health guidelines, and a 24-hour support line is available throughout your stay.
Do I need any vaccinations?
Yes, rabies and tetanus vaccinations are required before you start, since new, unvaccinated animals arrive at the shelter regularly; vaccination itself is not included in the program fee.
Will I take part in veterinary treatment?
You can observe and assist hospital staff with animal treatment, but medical procedures and surgery are carried out by the shelter's own staff, not volunteers.
Who is this program suited to?
It suits volunteers aged 18 or older who want hands-on shelter work — feeding, cleaning, walking and hospital support — rather than a purely medical or veterinary role.
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