Peru Dog Shelter Volunteering

I loved volunteering at the Dog's Shelter, you can see that the staff there love the dogs and put their needs first. It was so fun to play with them all, they're so cute and all just want to be loved! The volunteer house was great, I enjoyed meeting people from all around the world and everybody got along so well. There was a mixture of volunteers and Globalteer interns, so meeting the Globalteer staff was really nice too. Cusco is an amazing city, there is so much to do inside the city and in the surrounding rural areas. Great restaurants, bars, museums, shops, and there are so many companies offering day and multiple day trekking trips. The cost of living in Peru is super cheap, and with food and accommodation provided I only spent money on socialising and excursions. Machu Picchu was unreal and the Salkantay trek is a must do!

I really enjoyed working at the Peru Dog Project. Though some dogs arrive in bad condition or have suffered neglect/abuse, they’re still happy dogs at heart and a joy to work with. The owners of the project are passionate and well-organized, and it was a pleasure to spend 2 weeks with them and their dogs. The facilities/kennels are simple, but the dogs have lots of space to run around, and are overall healthy and happy.

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I volunteered at the dog shelter in Cusco in 2017 at which time it was not possible to leave a review or if it was I was not aware of it. My experience was rather negative. I was very upset by the conditions and the way the dogs were treated to the extent that I had to stop going there after the second day. I informed the Globalteer office in Cusco of my concerns and they took quick action to address the most serious of these. After I returned home to the UK, I wrote an email to Globalteer detailing what I had seen and also setting out suggestions as to ways in which the dogs' welfare could be improved. I have been involved in animal welfare all my life and have volunteered at numerous shelters in various countries and therefore thought that my suggestions would be useful. As a Iawyer I am familiar with the UK standards. I received a response from the manager which I was not happy with as the statements contained therein did not correspond with what I had seen myself at the shelter, and direct questions were not answered. I asked him if my complaint could be forwarded to the trustees but did not hear anything from them. I then wrote a letter to each of the trustees at the company's registered address but did not receive any replies. I don’t know if my letters were forwarded. I then asked my member of parliament (MP) if he would write to the trustees for me. He kindly tried to do so but only received a reply from the manager. I am sorry to say that in this reply, which my MP sent to me, the manager stated that I was making things up about the shelter because I wanted to get a refund of the fee I paid to do the volunteer placement. It also contained the same kind of inaccurate statements that I had received myself. My MP then contacted the Animal Welfare Group in the UK Parliament about this issue, the chairman of which then wrote to Globalteer. Even he did not receive a response from the trustees but only from the manager.

I will always cherish the experience in Peru. I grew up on a farm and have been passionate about helping animals all my life. I particularly connect with dogs so wanted to volunteer to help dogs in need. I already have experience volunteering with dogs at home but wanted to take on the challenge of helping at a shelter overseas. The project did not disappoint, I was able to get stuck in straight away and the dogs were amazing, really friendly and loving despite their horrific backgrounds. The work was as expected but probably more rewarding than back home knowing these dog’s stories. Cusco is a wonderful place to volunteer, beautiful city and friendly people. The staff and other volunteers were great. I never felt alone in the hostel, great place to socialize. I would highly recommend!

I absolutely love all dogs so decided to combine my holiday with helping dogs in another country again. This project was amazing, the shelter owners were so passionate and there love for dogs was obvious. They worked so hard for many years to care for dogs in Cusco, I was inspired by their dedication! The problem for dogs in Peru is huge, attitudes are different and there are so many dogs on the streets. The support at this project was wonderful, Globalteer has an office in Cusco, so the staff were always there and available when I needed help. When I volunteered overseas before though a different organisation, their office was back home and support was via email so not so good as this project, especially as I have not really travelled independently.

The first thing I should comment on is the passion that the staff at the shelter have for what they are doing. They put their heart and souls into helping as many dogs as they can, and they genuinely care about the well-being of each and every one of the animals under their care. And taking care of so many pups is a lot of work, so they are so appreciative to all of the volunteers that come to help! Of course the dogs are always happy to see you when you enter the shelter, and how can so many wagging tails not put a smile on your face?! While working, even if it's the grubby stuff like washing bowls or cleaning up messes, you genuinely feel like you are helping these animals have a better life, one meal or one scratch behind the ear at a time. Especially seeing how many dogs are out on the streets in Cusco - homeless, injured, or just generally unhealthy and un-cared for - you know that each of the dogs at the shelter have such a better quality of life, and are genuinely loved! It's a wonderful thing to be a part of.

This is a fantastic project that helps loads of dogs. Many of the dogs are rescued from the streets or from bad owners. The dogs at the shelter are so happy and have a great life. The directors of this project are so dedicated, they are an inspiration.