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GYC3290 - Animal Charity Country: South Africa Cost: £110.00 Please note: Cost depends on duration, please contact us for more details. Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation, food and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance, kit or visas     Duration: 2 weeks Company Rep Nearby: Daily 0845 344 7569 or

 

	This placement would suit... Volunteers who want to mix working with animals and people. Qualified Vets or veterinary students are very welcome, if however, you are not a veterinary specialist, there is still an important contribution for you to make to the project. Providing a welfare veterinary service to the owners of animals who are unable to afford private veterinary services. Support animal welfare officers to ensure that animals from poorer communities receive the medical attention and care they desperately need. The services offered range from primary veterinary healthcare provision to performing complicated orthopedic surgery. Furthermore, the work can no longer only be viewed in terms of veterinary care but is also a public health issue - playing an important role in ensuring the transmission of diseases from animals to people is minimized. Additionally the charity plays an important role in promoting the vaccination and sterilization of many animals. Due to the success of the services provided, the project has grown and now has permanent clinics as well as mobile units. The principal clinic where volunteers are based is in the Bridgetown/Athlone area; approximately 20 minutes drive from Cape Town. There are an additional 3 mobile units that travel to poorer areas of Cape Town. As a volunteer, there are opportunities to work at both permanent clinics and on the mobile units. After arrival at Cape Town International airport, a local coordinator will meet you and take you to your accommodation. An initial induction will provide you with all the necessary information for living in Cape Town, after which, you’ll be introduced to the project. As you enter the animal charity you will be greeted by a motley gang of grateful rescuees, from geese to donkeys to kittens to dogs of all shapes and sizes. This project does not re-home the animals - rather animals are taken in for medical care and then returned to their owners, unless there is a serious case of abuse, in which case the charity will pass the animal on to a project that deals with re-homing. There are opportunities to get involved with various activities including: Assisting animal welfare officers in clinics at the hospital and on mobile units in the townships Marketing and public relations assistance Website development and electronic newsletters General maintenance of the clinics Normal working hours are Monday to Friday 8.00 am - 5.00 pm. There may also be opportunities to help on the weekends. A sightseeing or activity tour of the Cape Town region is included in your programme. You could cycle around Table Mountain, go tasting in the Winelands, watch whales, seals and penguins or explore a township community. Living with a host family in Cape Town gives you the opportunity to play an active role in the household, and a true understanding of South African culture. There are different meal options: Host family with breakfast and evening meal provided Host family with food allowance provided for self-catering Volunteers generally share rooms; requests for single rooms are welcomed although these cannot be guaranteed. You can join the programme on the 1st Monday of each month Minimum duration is 2 weeks to a maximum of 3 months Minimum age 18 yrs. This is an ideal project for qualified Vets or veterinary students, if however, you are not a veterinary specialist, there is still an important contribution for you to make to the project. Any experience with animals is beneficial. A genuine compassion for animal welfare Please be aware that in addition to covering your food and accommodation costs, a portion of your programme fee is contributed towards supporting the on-going efforts of the project; these funds are vitally important to the projects that are largely reliant on donations. 0845 344 7569 Twin Work & Volunteer Abroad: The world is getting smaller! So, why not travel and gain work experience abroad? Are you taking a gap year? Are you a student and want to spend your summer doing something different? Are you a recent graduate and want to have a different approach to the job market? Whether you want to spend some time fruit picking in Queensland, volunteering with kids in South Africa, having an Internship in Rio de Janeiro or working on a farm in Norway we have a vast range of programmes for you!