Volunteer Abroad Vietnam: Da Nang Animal Welfare

If you want to join this project, you need to be at least 18 years old, have solid English skills and, of course, be passionate about cats and dogs. It is very important that you are in a good physical condition as working in a tropical climate can often be strenuous. Therefore, we will ask you to hand in a doctor’s certificate confirming that you are physically fit enough to successfully take part in the project. Before their departure to Vietnam, each participant must also get adequate travel health insurance for the duration of their stay.

Last but not least, it is essential to be enthusiastic about animals and their protection, to be open-minded and flexible and to be willing to gain lots of new knowledge as part of a dedicated animal welfare team. Before departing to Vietnam, you should get information regarding visa requirements at your country’s Foreign Office or contact the team at Natucate directly.

Before your time as an animal welfare volunteer begins, Natucate will secure a place in the project for you, help you choose suitable travel health insurance and assist you in booking your flights. We will also provide you with a pre-departure information pack including more details on the project and the country you are travelling to. Airport pick-up and drop-off will be organised by our partner. During the project, your accommodation, lunch on your workdays as well as regular leisure time activities are included in the programme fee.

Flights, any travel insurances, visa (if needed), additional drinks and meals, any transfers/accommodation outside programme hours and personal expenses (trips, souvenirs etc.) are not included in the programme fee.

Depending on which country you are coming from, special vaccinations are not necessary in order to enter Vietnam. In general, you may want to get or refresh standard vaccinations like measles-mumps-rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, chickenpox and polio. Vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies are also recommended. Volunteers should pack a small personal first aid kit which includes items like plasters, painkillers, antihistamines, electrolytes, medicine against diarrhoea and travel sickness as well as any personal medication from your home country since medical treatment in Vietnam might sometimes be insufficient.

A few weeks before departing to Vietnam, you should visit your doctor and get advice on potential dangers, protective measures and recommended vaccinations. In addition to that, institutions like the CDC and the Foreign Office of your country can provide you with information about recommended vaccinations, travel alerts and safety information. It is obligatory for you to get adequate travel health insurance before your departure to Vietnam.

In this project you can participate for 8 weeks.

You should bring clothes that can get dirty and are not your favourite ones as they may get damaged while working with the cats and dogs. Please bring some light, long-sleeved clothes and long pants but also shorts and tops for your free time. Remember that the weather is generally hot and humid, so light clothing is definitely recommended. For the rainy season a poncho might be useful and for shoes we recommend trainers/sneakers but also sandals and flip flops. Don’t forget sunscreen, a sun hat, mosquito repellent, a daypack, a refillable water bottle and a personal first-aid kit. An adapter, your smartphone and a camera should not be missing in your luggage, either.

You will receive a detailed packing list before departing to Vietnam.

Volunteers need to arrive at Da Nang International Airport where they are met by a staff member of our partner and then transferred to their base. Please make sure that your flight arrives between 06:00 AM and 10:00 PM on the day the project starts. The transfer time to the volunteer accommodation takes about 20 minutes. On the last day of the project, you will be taken back to the airport to catch your departing flight.

After your arrival in the accommodation, you can settle into your room, get to know your team and learn more about programme and your upcoming tasks, before the actual project work starts on the following day.

Throughout the project, you may become involved in the following activities:

• Feeding dogs and cats every morning and evening
• Making sure the animals have fresh water bowls all day long
• Walking the dogs
• Bathing the animals on a regular basis
• Cleaning the animals’ litter boxes, washing towels and crates, keeping the shelter tidy
• Assisting in fundraising activities and community work
• Getting involved in other community projects, like environmental work

Please note: Circumstances and tasks can change and shift daily. Please be flexible and patient.

You will stay in the project for eight weeks, working five days per week for five to six hours per day. During this time, you will not only work at the animal centre but also at different partner organisations to become involved in environmental tasks etc. On your workdays, our partner will arrange for lunch. After lunch, volunteers will either start their afternoon shift or – if they joined the morning shift – have free time. Weekends are usually off. Moreover, volunteers can enjoy one weekly leisure activity, reaching from cooking classes to surf lessons.

Around eight volunteers can stay at the shelter, while there are a lot more local volunteers coming to help at the sanctuary each day.

Together with the other project participants you will be accommodated in the programme’s “cat house” in Da Nang. You will sleep in shared bedrooms which are equipped with air conditioning, fans and bunk beds and share two modern bathrooms. Bed linen will be provided for you as well. Rooms are separated from cats, but volunteers can let cats in for cat cuddles. In the accommodation you will also find a rooftop communal area, a kitchen and a living room.

During your time as a volunteer, you will be provided with lunch on your workdays. The rest of the time and on weekends, volunteers have their meals from any restaurants or cook themselves. In Da Nang you will find lots of restaurants and street food stands; in the volunteer accommodation there is a kitchen which can be used to prepare your own meals.

As you will be responsible for most of your meals, following a vegetarian or vegan diet won’ t be a problem. When it comes to your lunch on workdays, many dietary requirements can be catered for. We ask you to inform us as early as possible about any dietary requests to give our partner enough time for arrangements.

Usually, you will be involved in project activities Monday through Friday in a morning, afternoon or evening shift, with a two-hour lunch break. Saturday and Sunday as well as the evening hours of each day can be used for your own activities.

Vietnam will offer you lots of leisure time options and places to explore. In your free time you can discover some of the nation’s magnificent beaches and national parks and enjoy vibrant places, just like the city of Da Nang. Furthermore, our partner organises weekly leisure activities which include: food tours, cooking classes, trips to Monkey Mountain, river kayaking, surf lessons, Hoi An lantern making and more.

Yes, there will be team leaders on site who you can approach in case of problems or questions. Furthermore, Natucate will provide you with a 24/7 emergency number so you can reach us anytime.

The currency in Vietnam is the Đồng (VND). You should either get a certain amount of VND at your local bank before departure or take some US dollars with you that you can exchange after your arrival in Vietnam. The easiest method is to take a credit card with you in order to be able to withdraw denominations of VND from an ATM. ATM machines will automatically calculate the current exchange rate but will also charge your account a foreign transaction fee (around 5 US$, depending on your institution). You should check with your bank before your departure and make sure that your card will work and be valid for your time in Vietnam.

On site, you should calculate costs for food, leisure time activities (including transfers and accommodation outside programme hours) and souvenirs.

There is free wifi in the accommodation which can be used by volunteers to contact friends and family at home. Another option is to buy a Vietnamese SIM card with enough data/airtime. Mobile reception in Da Nang is very good. It may be limited, though, in more rural areas.

Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate climate zone. The country is characterised by a considerable amount of sun but also lots of rainfalls (monsoons) which results in high humidity. Average annual temperatures reach from 13°C to 28°C, depending on the altitude. Temperatures usually decrease from south to north.

Da Nang has a tropical monsoon climate with a typhoon/wet season from September to December and a dry season from January to August. Annual average temperatures are around 26°C.

Alcohol consumption during working hours is prohibited and will result in immediate termination of the volunteer programme with no refund. A moderate consumption of alcohol in your leisure time is allowed.

At the beginning of your volunteer stay you will be familiarised with important safety procedures and rules. In case of minor health issues there are several general practitioners and pharmacies. In case of an emergency you will be transferred to the nearest hospital.