Join our team as an animal rescue Volunteer in Dharamshala, India, and help animals. We’re a couple of people, one from India and the other from the US. We met when we were both looking to help animals.
We are looking for people who will help care for animals at our stray animal recovery center (walking, brushing, etc) and work on the farm. The work is very physical and involves a lot of manual labor. Are you ready for it? Join us!
As an Animal Rescue Volunteer, you can expect from us:
- Respect and open-mindedness
- An opportunity to help animals
- Thoughtful discussion and insight
- Clear instruction and direction
If it isn’t working out for you, you are free to leave. If it isn’t working out for us, we are free to ask you to leave.
Animal Rescue Volunteer Tasks & Roles
We are a group of people with one goal; doing good work. We believe in “alleviating physical pain” as an objective net good. So for us, good work is helping alleviate the suffering of those who can’t help themselves.
Our farm is the home we have built-in Himalayan foothills to accommodate recovering injured stray animals, people who want to do good work, and an organic garden to provide a little bit for all of us. The farm also supplies our product line which in turn supports our recovering animals. This is a karma yoga center, meaning “The Yoga of Work”. Our focus is on the work we do.
We believe that every action for survival has a suffering footprint, especially any consumption. So, we believe in mindful consumption and making our survival purposeful by alleviating suffering.
Work exchange participants also have an opportunity to bring their skills to the table while they are here. This can include (but certainly isn’t limited to) art, farming, carpentry, sustainable building, video editing, writing, culture jamming, etc.
We require a minimum of 1 week stay for volunteers. Please allow up to one week for us to reply to messages. We ask for Rs 500(approx. €7) per night per person to cover the costs of 3 vegan, local meals.
Animal Rescue Volunteer Living
Our volunteers stay at our community house in shared rooms. 3 meals per day included are included in the Rs 500(approx. €7) per night.
Closest airport: The Kangra Airport, officially known as Kangra Airport, Gaggal, (IATA: DHM, ICAO: VIGG). On confirmation of stay, we can provide more details on how best to get to us.
What else?
We are looking for people who will help care for animals at our stray animal recovery center (animal enrichment, walks, brushing) and work on the farm. The work is very physical and involves a lot of manual labor.
Volunteers also have an opportunity to bring their skills to the table while they are here. This can include (but certainly isn’t limited to) art, farming, carpentry, sustainable building, video editing, writing, culture jamming, etc.
We require a minimum of 1 week stay for the work exchange. Please allow up to one week for us to reply to messages.
We are friendly, open, and interested in everyone who comes through the farm. We love to have discussions and learn from others. However, if you refuse to respect the work, the space, the people on the farm, our rules, or our intentions for the farm, you will be asked to leave.
Our Expectations
We are not a guesthouse so we can’t guarantee access to all our facilities, continuous WiFi, or any other services. We expect you to act like a guest in our house.
The work is physical. We expect you to be able and willing to work hard in not-always-ideal weather.
We are a karma yoga center. Full silence is not necessary but we expect you to respect the intention of the place and keep your focus on why we are here. This means loud, frivolous discussions or “noise for the sake of noise” are not welcome. This is especially true at meal times. We expect you to respect this and if you cannot, you should rethink your decision to apply.
Poop is part of it. If you are unwilling to pick up dog poop, cow poop, or horse poop then this is not a fit for you.
We live in rural India. This means that you will not be able to dress in whichever clothes you wish. If you feel entitled to wear tank tops, tight clothing, see-through clothing, shorts above the knee, or low-cut tops despite local custom then please do not apply.
We have rules. We have the responsibility for many lives on the farm, and we also live here full-time. The rules all have a reason, but if you are the type of person that does not like to follow rules then please do not apply.
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