Animal Welfare Volunteer Opportunities.

[eek]

Anyone know of animal rescue/santuary etc Volunteer opportunities in Chiang Mai? (that you dont have to pay to be a volunteer with!)

The only one that i could find on google is the elephant camp, but does anyone know of any others?

Many thanks.

[Crow Boy]

Anyone know of animal rescue/santuary etc Volunteer opportunities in Chiang Mai? (that you dont have to pay to be a volunteer with!)

The only one that i could find on google is the elephant camp, but does anyone know of any others?

Many thanks.

There are a couple that work with soi dogs - send a PM to November Rain - she runs a dog centre down in the south but she would most likely know of contact names up here in CM. I can't think of the contact off the top of my head - sorry so will need to look it up if she doesn't

good luck and is a good cause

CB

[Nienke]

Anyone know of animal rescue/santuary etc Volunteer opportunities in Chiang Mai? (that you dont have to pay to be a volunteer with!)

The only one that i could find on google is the elephant camp, but does anyone know of any others?

Many thanks.

Lanna Dog Rescue Mrs. Roshan: 053 212 810 (best to call in the early morning)

Care for Dogs Mrs. Karin: 081 907 3260, 081 603 6065

They always are in need of a helping hand.

Nienke

Edited April 20, 2007 by Nienke

[WaiWai]

Good luck.

Don't forget you'll need a work permit.

[eek]

Ahh...you know..totally slipped my mind about a work permit! How naive.

Thank you for the imput guys, much appreciated.

Also...please post if anyone else has further suggestions.

(If im perfectly honest, im a little tentative around dogs (yes i know..sounds stupid considering my thread title) thus in an ideal world i would very much like to get involved with a mixed animal santuary, or, if possible, with cats. In saying that if nothing else comes up I would bite the bullet on my dog concerns and look into helping where im most needed. Thanks so much again.)

[el jefe]

Karin's website:

http://www.carefordogs.org/index2.php

[Nienke]

Ahh...you know..totally slipped my mind about a work permit! How naive.

Thank you for the imput guys, much appreciated.

Also...please post if anyone else has further suggestions.

(If im perfectly honest, im a little tentative around dogs (yes i know..sounds stupid considering my thread title) thus in an ideal world i would very much like to get involved with a mixed animal santuary, or, if possible, with cats. In saying that if nothing else comes up I would bite the bullet on my dog concerns and look into helping where im most needed. Thanks so much again.)

I don't think for volunteer work (i.e. non-paid work) you need a work permit. Or, I must be very mistaken here, but you can even do volunteer work on a tourist visum, provided that you can only stay for 3 months and then have to leave the country for 3 months before you can return for another 3 months, etc.

Both Lanna Dog Rescue and Care for Dogs also rescue cats. Often mother cats with kittens. or kitttens alone when the mohter cat has died or disappeared. You might become a foster mom for them. I think they will welcome you with open arms.

Beside working directly with dogs and cats, they always are in need of people that help with activities such fund-raising, adoption programs (fall in the trap of adopting yourself Many end up with many dogs and/or cats, just by falling in love with them ), PR, collection of donations etc, etc.

I myself have helped Care for Dogs in making information brochures for the shelter (it's now in the process of translation, then the printing) and I take in a dog per month for training. For Lanna Dog Rescue I'm in he process of translating a Manual on how to build and run a shelter (with all the necessities and minimal needed measurements) according the Dutch Animal Protection. And I give advice when needed.

So, you see no direct fieldwork, just another kind of helping, that is my two cents I can offer.

[solo siam]

you need a work permit for volunteer work as well.

[Nienke]

you need a work permit for volunteer work as well.

Oh blast! Am I wrong there! Thought that for helping out a charity organization some hours a week you don't need a work permit as long as you don't get paid and it doesn't become more like a non-paid job.

Sorry, Eek, for giving you false hope. A bit naive of me maybe.

[el jefe]

It all depends on the definition of "work" vs "tourism" vs "play". I doubt that anyone who signs up for as a "volunteer" at the elephant camp and pays the required fee is getting a work permit. Same goes for any other organization that charges it's customers a fee for their week or two doing "volunteer" work in Thailand, or any other country that requires a work permit. I haven't looked into the exact wording of the law. I don't read Thai and don't know if there's an English translation of the entire set of laws related to work permits and whether there are any exceptions.

Personally, I don't work at any of the dog shelters. But I have adopted a bunch of dogs. I can't keep them in my condo so they stay at the shelter. I come several days a week for an hour or two each time. I play with the dogs, walk them, groom them, bathe them, etc. It's not work. As I said, it's "play".

[eek]

Thank you all so much. I will enquire about needing a work permit. Much appreciated.