Only 360€ per week!
Dog Shelter
Gampola - Sri Lanka
Care for the rejected, stranded and voiceless dogs and cats at shelter dedicated for their wellbeing.
Stay at a dog shelter close to Kandy and look after over a hundred and fifty four-legged friends who have made their forever home in this shelter. Treat injured and sick dogs and cats, walk them, feed them and bathe them. Show the love and care they deserve and need. Be a part of a passionate team who looks after stray and stranded dogs and cats found all over the country.
Program
Living
Gampola
Sri Lanka
Program Description
Sri Lanka is a country with a no scarcity of stray dogs and cats. Our Dog Shelter program is exclusively for animal lovers who want to be a part of a great endeavour to care for stray and sick dogs and cats. Located close to the hill capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy, our dog shelter is a dedicated centre and home for over a hundred and fifty dogs and cats.
Activities at the centre include looking after the permanent residents at the house
- Feeding, bathing, walking and treating ill dogs and cate
- Catching the strays to get them sterilized
- Field clinics
- Adoption programs and finding homes
- Maintaining enclosures
The shelter is home for both dogs and cats and you will be assigned to look after them.
Your daily tasks may vary according to the needs and requirements of the shelter. The program runs from Monday to Friday, but if you want to continue working at the shelter during the weekends as well, you are more than welcome to do so. We highly recommend this program for a stay longer than 4 weeks. That is mainly because these animals take time to get to know you and build relations.
Your accommodation is also located at the shelter and if you are not comfortable to stay around either dogs or cats, we do not recommend this program for you.
Things to consider before joining this program
- Be ready to take up the challenge to look after recovering or resident dogs and cats who are under different health conditions
- Make sure you have the rabies vaccination in your country before coming to Sri Lanka
- Be willing to engage in various outdoor tasks involving physical labour
Aims & Objectives
The aim of this program is to bring you closer to authentic India. Through different projects and activities, you will get to truly immerse yourself in its culture, customs and lifestyle.
Schedule
Monday to Friday
Your daily tasks may involve,
- Preparing meals and feeding the permanent residents of the shelter
- Cleaning and bathing them
- Treating the injured and the ill
- Walking and giving them exercises
- Finding homes for adoption
- Assist the Veterinarian when doing health check-ups of the animals
- Cleaning and maintaining the shelter
- Repairing and restoring the facility when required
In your last week, check out is on Saturday before noon. If you are continuing the program, you can either get your weekend off or if you choose, you can stay at the Shelter and continue your work during the weekends as well.
Note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
Participant Criteria & Requirements
Standard Requirements
Minimum age: –
Maximum age: –
Minimum English level: Basic
CRB required: On Signup
Passport copy required: On Signup
Resume copy required: No
Required qualification: None
Additional Requirements
- Participants below the age of 18 should have parental consent and participants above the age of 65 should have medical clearance.
- Rabies vaccination is mandatory for all participants enrolling for this program. Please get the vaccination from your country and send us the details before arrival.
Additional Equipment
Comfortable clothing for outdoor work with the animals
Shoes or boots
Cap or hat
Location
Kandy is the last royal capital of Sri Lanka is a major tourist destination. About 115 km from Colombo at 465 meters above sea level. Gampola is a suburban city about 15 km away from the Kandy city. Gampola has also been the capital city of Sri Lanka for a short time before the Kandyan kingdom. Gampola is famous for Ambuluwawa biodiversity and religious centre located on top of a hill overlooking the city.
About the Accommodation
You will be accommodated at participant house located at the dog shelter which is about 10 kilometres away from Kandy centre.
Food Arrangements
You will be provided with three meals a day on weekdays and two meals per day on weekends. The meals are a mix of Western and Sri Lankan food, consisting of only vegetarian dishes including rice and vegetables.
Facilities
The house is located about 5 kilometres away from Gampola City, where you can find anything you might need.
The nearest ATM and supermarket are a 15-minute walk away from our accommodation.
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
The places to visit during your weekends or on your project holidays are the Royal Botanical Gardens, Knuckles mountain range, Udawatta Kele sanctuary, Hortons plains national park and the railway museum. Gampola is a main stop in the Hill Country railway route and you can take a train from here to Kandy, Nuwara Eliya or Ella and also to Colombo.
Transportation
From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.
Quick Facts
Name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Population: 20 million
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Colombo
Language: Sinhalese, Tamil
Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Time zone: UTC +5:30
Country Information
Sri Lanka’s over 2000 years of history and culture can still be seen in every corner of its cities and the details of its ever-beautiful ancient temples. With eight UNESCO World Heritage sites and its short distances between the main sights, Sri Lanka is a country that, despite often being overlooked in itineraries, has left travelers filled with awe.
Visit the sacred home of the world’s oldest living tree in Anuradhapura, wander around the colonial architecture of Colombo, get sun-kissed at the untouched beaches that enclose the territory, snorkel in the crystal-clear waters, head to the hills for a cooler temperature and get surrounded by lush natural vegetation, visit two thousand year-old temples or get overawed at the sight of hundreds of elephants in Minneriya.
While traveling through Sri Lanka you will experience adventures from the highest and chilliest mountains like the famous Adam’s Peak – a stairway mountain considered sacred in three different religions, through the elephant shelters, to the most peaceful beaches up north near Trincomalee and their tiny- one floor- hostels facing the calm sea.
Climate
Sri Lanka is one of the best destinations to visit year-round as the rainy seasons hit the island in opposite locations at different times of the year. That being said, Sri Lanka is a country that can be visited if you know where to go in search for the best weather.
Southwest
The southwest monsoon hits between May and September and the dry season occurs from December to March.
North and coastal regions
The monsoon season happens between October and January while the dry seasons takes places between May and September.
Culture
Sri Lanka is known for its distinct cuisine, indigenous holistic medicines, cricket practices and prestigious export of tea, cinnamon and gemstones. Moreover, the country boasts of a rich artistic tradition which includes music, dance and the visual arts.
Sri Lanka has been shaped by many aspects. The first and most obvious being the heritage of Theravada Buddhism passed on from India. Furthermore, the colonial period left a big mark in the country’s traditions and culture, with British elements being featured in every corner as well as Dutch and Portuguese elements.
Sri Lanka, better known as the “nation of smiling people”, is a paradisiac island that Napoleon described as a world-like biodiversity in a tiny piece of land on the Indian ocean. Multicultural, multi-religious and multi-coloured country, formerly named Ceylon, is known for its delicious black tea, it’s heartwarming inhabitants and its history-filled corners.
The festival of Duruthu celebrates the Buddha’s first visit to Sri Lanka. During Duruthu, thousands of people attend colorful parades, which consist of three processions on the nights before the full moon. The processions consist of fireball performers, drummers, dancers, decorated elephants and the most important – a gigantic tusker treading a white carpet.
On April 13th or 14th Avurudda celebrates the Sinhalese New Year. According to Sinhalese astrology, the new year begins when the sun changes from Meena Rashi (Pisces) to Mesha Rashi (Aries).
During June the Poson Festival takes place on the full moon day of June and celebrates the arrival of Buddhism, which occurred when Arahat Mahinda, the son of the emperor of India, converted King Devanampiyatissa to Buddhism.
During October or November, Diwali the Festival of Lights is celebrated. Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival that signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, hope over despair, and good over evil. It is celebrated with millions of lights shining over houses, temples, and buildings. Diwali is celebrated between mid-October and mid-November, on the darkest, new moon night of Karitika.
In Sri Lanka, it is tradition to take an oil bath in the morning, wear new clothes, exchange presents and sweets and visit the Koil, a Hindu Temple. In the evenings, oil lamps are lit to invite the blessings from the goddess of wealth.
Transportation
Plane
Flying between major locations in Sri Lanka such as Galle, Colombo, Nuwara Eliya and others is possible with Aero Lanka and Srilankan Airlines. Moreover, Srilankan Airlines runs small seaplanes, which give you a great aerial view of the island.
Bus
Buses are a option to get around Sri Lanka, albeit quite uncomfortable. For instance, for less than a Euro you can get almost halfway around the island in a bus without air conditioning. Luxury buses with air conditioning also exist at a higher price which are still very inexpensive.
Train
Sri Lanka boasts of an extensive railway system that will get you almost anywhere around the country. Moreover, Sri Lanka is known for its picturesque scenery that can be best viewed in a train journey. In fact, there are observation carts in most trains for tourists that will allow you to better take in the beauty of your surroundings.
In most cases, getting around by train is the cheapest option. There are three classes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd class. In most Intercity and Express trains, however, only 1st and 2nd are offered. Do keep in mind that trains from one popular destination to another (i.e. Colombo – Kandy or Galle – Colombo) often get overbooked, so it is best to reserve a seat much in advance.
