Animal Care Placement
The aim at the shelter is to assist in the protection of these animals, providing companionship, medical treatment, and opportunities for play. Many of the animals have been mistreated or abandoned and the long term goal of the shelter is finding a suitable family for the dogs to be adopted into, both locally and within Europe.
As a volunteer, you will be responsible for brushing the dogs, providing basic obedience training, cleaning cages, assisting with feeding and playing, maintaining the shelter grounds, and on occasion walking the animals. Depending on your program duration, you may have the opportunity to assist with some small construction projects (i.e. building dog runs and fences), photography and administration to help promote the dog shelter, and support the team during vaccination campaigns within the local community. All dogs onsite are fully vaccinated.
The shelter in Miercurea Ciuc is in better condition than many other Romanian shelters, but is different to Western European standards, so you’ll need to be prepared for this. There are hundreds of dogs and the shelter tends to get quite muddy, so you’ll also need to dress accordingly. Most dogs are adopted, but those who are not, stay and live at the shelter and receive medical care on a permanent basis.
It’s important to note that volunteers participating from October until February need to be prepared for very cold conditions. You can expect a lot of snow and for the terrain to be muddy, so please ensure you pack accordingly.