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Veterinary Internship in Portugal
by: Roots Interns
Join a team of passionate vets and veterinary nurses to support neglected, abandoned, or vulnerable animals. As a veterinary intern, you’ll spend your time caring for the animals at the sanctuary, enabling them to have happy, healthy lives. With over 100 animals across ten different species, your work will be varied, interesting, and dynamic. You’ll have a range of tasks to do, from diagnosing unwell animals, giving physical exams, administering injections, treating wounds, as well as offering guidance and advice for possible treatments. If an animal needs surgeries or has more complex problems, you may accompany and monitor it at the central clinic in Lisbon.
Join a team of passionate vets and veterinary nurses to support neglected, abandoned, or vulnerable animals. As a veterinary intern, you’ll spend your time caring for the animals at the sanctuary, enabling them to have happy, healthy lives. With over 100 animals across ten different species, your work will be varied, interesting, and dynamic. You’ll have a range of tasks to do, from diagnosing unwell animals, giving physical exams, administering injections, treating wounds, as well as offering guidance and advice for possible treatments. If an animal needs surgeries or has more complex problems, you may accompany and monitor it at the central clinic in Lisbon.
Program Highlights
Give medical support to improve the lives of vulnerable animals
Develop your skills in veterinary practices to help further your career
Work with compassionate, like-minded people on shared projects
Nurture positive relationships with animals at the sanctuary
Live in a beautiful, tranquil setting in the Portuguese forest surrounded by native species of flora and fauna
Media Gallery
Quick Details
- Lisbon, Portugal
- 3-6 Months
- 5-8 Weeks
- 9-12 Weeks
- Animal Sciences
- Social Work
- Zoology & Wildlife Sciences
- Animal Welfare
- Community Centers
- Conservation
- Social Work
- Veterinary Science
- Albanian
- American
- Andorran
- Antarctica
- Antiguan & Barbudan
- Argentinian
- Armenian
- Aruban
- Asian
- Australian
- Austrian
- Azerbaijani
- Bahamian
- Bahraini
- Barbadian
- Belarusian
- Belgian
- Belizean
- Bermudian
- Bhutanese
- Bissau-Guinean
- Bolivian
- Bonaire
- Bosnian
- Brazilian
- British
- British Virgin Islander
- Bruneian
- Bulgarian
- Cambodian
- Canadian
- Cape Verdean
- Caymanian
- Channel Islander
- Chilean
- Chinese
- Colombian
- Comoran
- Cook Islander
- Costa Rican
- Creole
- Croatian
- Cuban
- Curacao
- Cypriot
- Czech
- Danish
- Dominican
- Dutch
- Ecuadorian
- Egyptian
- Emirati
- English
- Estonian
- European
- Fijian
- Finnish
- French
- Georgian
- German
- Gibraltarian
- Greek
- Greenlandic
- Grenadian
- Guadeloupian
- Guatemalan
- Guinean
- Guyanese
- Haitian
- Hawaiian
- Honduran
- Hungarian
- I-Kiribati
- Icelandic
- Indonesian
- Iranian
- Iraqi
- Irish
- Israeli
- Italian
- Jamaican
- Japanese
- Jordanian
- Kazakhstani
- Kittitian, Nevisian
- Kiwi
- Korean
- Kuwaiti
- Kyrgyzstani
- Lao or Laotian
- Latvian
- Lebanese
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuanian
- Luxembourg
- Macedonian
- Malagasy
- Malaysian
- Maldivian
- Malian
- Maltese
- Manx
- Marshallese
- Martiniquais
- Mauritanian
- Mauritian
- Mexican
- Micronesian
- Moldovan
- Monegasque
- Mongolian
- Montenegrin
- Montserratian
- Moroccan
- multi
- Myanmar
- Nauruan
- Nepalese
- New Caledonian
- Ni-Vanuatu
- Nicaraguan
- Niuean
- Norwegian
- Omani
- Palauan
- Palestinian
- Panamanian
- Papua New Guinean
- Paraguayan
- Peruvian
- Polish
- Polynesian
- Portuguese
- Puerto Rican
- Qatari
- Reunionese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Saban
- Sahrawian, Sahraouian
- Saint Helenian
- Saint Lucian
- Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
- Salvadoran
- Sammarinese
- Samoan
- Sao Tomean
- Saudi Arabian
- Scottish
- Serbian
- Serbian; Montenegrin
- Seychelles
- Singaporean
- Slovak
- Slovenian
- Solomon Islander
- Spanish
- St. Barts
- Statian
- Surinamese
- Swedish
- Swiss
- Syrian
- Tahiti
- Taiwanese
- Tajikistani
- Thai
- The Vatican
- Tibet
- Timorese
- Tongan
- Trinidadian, Tobagonian
- Turkish
- Turkmen
- Turks and Caicos
- Tuvaluan
- Ukrainian
- Uruguayan
- Uzbekistani
- Venezuelan
- Vietnamese
- Virgin Islander
- Welsh
- Yemeni
Awards
Program Reviews
Hear what past participants have to say about the programs
Overall Rating
Total Reviews
Didar's Experience Participating in a Veterinary Internship Programme in Portugal
August 17, 2025by: diidars.sIt was the best experience in my life. I interacted with diverse animals while I enjoyed rural Portugal. The staff was extremely polite.
SOS Animal Sanctuary
August 13, 2024by: SydneyI loved being at the sanctuary and being able to help with all the animals. I had a lot of fun during my time there and was able to do/see a lot. It was a great opportunity to learn about Portugal and Portuguese culture while also being able to further my experience in the animal/veterinary field!
Program Details
Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know
Locations
- Lisbon, Portugal
Types and Subjects
- Fields
- Animal Sciences
- Social Work
- Zoology & Wildlife Sciences
- Causes
- Animal Welfare
- Community Centers
- Conservation
- Social Work
- Veterinary Science
Availability
- 3-6 Months
- 5-8 Weeks
- 9-12 Weeks
- Short Term
- 1-3 Months
- 3-6 Months
Age Requirement
18-35
Guidelines
- Albanian
- American
- Andorran
- Antarctica
- Antiguan & Barbudan
- Argentinian
- Armenian
- Aruban
- Asian
- Australian
- Austrian
- Azerbaijani
- Bahamian
- Bahraini
- Barbadian
- Belarusian
- Belgian
- Belizean
- Bermudian
- Bhutanese
- Bissau-Guinean
- Bolivian
- Bonaire
- Bosnian
- Brazilian
- British
- British Virgin Islander
- Bruneian
- Bulgarian
- Cambodian
- Canadian
- Cape Verdean
- Caymanian
- Channel Islander
- Chilean
- Chinese
- Colombian
- Comoran
- Cook Islander
- Costa Rican
- Creole
- Croatian
- Cuban
- Curacao
- Cypriot
- Czech
- Danish
- Dominican
- Dutch
- Ecuadorian
- Egyptian
- Emirati
- English
- Estonian
- European
- Fijian
- Finnish
- French
- Georgian
- German
- Gibraltarian
- Greek
- Greenlandic
- Grenadian
- Guadeloupian
- Guatemalan
- Guinean
- Guyanese
- Haitian
- Hawaiian
- Honduran
- Hungarian
- I-Kiribati
- Icelandic
- Indonesian
- Iranian
- Iraqi
- Irish
- Israeli
- Italian
- Jamaican
- Japanese
- Jordanian
- Kazakhstani
- Kittitian, Nevisian
- Kiwi
- Korean
- Kuwaiti
- Kyrgyzstani
- Lao or Laotian
- Latvian
- Lebanese
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuanian
- Luxembourg
- Macedonian
- Malagasy
- Malaysian
- Maldivian
- Malian
- Maltese
- Manx
- Marshallese
- Martiniquais
- Mauritanian
- Mauritian
- Mexican
- Micronesian
- Moldovan
- Monegasque
- Mongolian
- Montenegrin
- Montserratian
- Moroccan
- multi
- Myanmar
- Nauruan
- Nepalese
- New Caledonian
- Ni-Vanuatu
- Nicaraguan
- Niuean
- Norwegian
- Omani
- Palauan
- Palestinian
- Panamanian
- Papua New Guinean
- Paraguayan
- Peruvian
- Polish
- Polynesian
- Portuguese
- Puerto Rican
- Qatari
- Reunionese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Saban
- Sahrawian, Sahraouian
- Saint Helenian
- Saint Lucian
- Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
- Salvadoran
- Sammarinese
- Samoan
- Sao Tomean
- Saudi Arabian
- Scottish
- Serbian
- Serbian; Montenegrin
- Seychelles
- Singaporean
- Slovak
- Slovenian
- Solomon Islander
- Spanish
- St. Barts
- Statian
- Surinamese
- Swedish
- Swiss
- Syrian
- Tahiti
- Taiwanese
- Tajikistani
- Thai
- The Vatican
- Tibet
- Timorese
- Tongan
- Trinidadian, Tobagonian
- Turkish
- Turkmen
- Turks and Caicos
- Tuvaluan
- Ukrainian
- Uruguayan
- Uzbekistani
- Venezuelan
- Vietnamese
- Virgin Islander
- Welsh
- Yemeni
This Program is also open to Solo
Starts At
Program Cost Includes
- Accommodation / Housing for Program Duration
- Wifi Costs
- On-Site / In-Country Staff Support
- In-Country Orientation
- Academic Advising
- Assistance Booking Travel
- Academic Credit
- Letter of Recommendation
Accommodation Options
- Apartment/Flat
Qualifications & Experience
- Any/All Education Levels Accepted
Accepted Education Levels
Application Procedures
- Resume
- Online Application
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need previous veterinary work experience to do this internship?
No, you don’t need to have worked in a veterinary practice, but you do need a background/experience in areas related, such as biology or animal behavior (this can be discussed during the application process).
Do I need to be able to speak English for this internship?
Yes, you need a very good level of English for this placement as everybody at the sanctuary speaks English. Spanish or Portuguese are not necessary, but could be a nice bonus.
Will there be other interns there?
At any one time, there may be up to seven interns, but not all internships are the same e.g. they are specially designed for particular subjects/fields.
Interviews
Read interviews from alumni or staff
Didar Sevval Sencan
Participated in 2025
Didar is from Istanbul, Türkiye. After graduating from high school, she studied veterinary medicine at Atatürk University. She interned at the Istanbu...
Didar Sevval Sencan
Participated in 2025
I’ve always been eager to do an internship abroad because I’m an open-minded and enthusiastic person. The thought of learning new things in a completely foreign country while working with people from different nations and cultures without relying on my native language truly inspired me.
Ready to Learn More?
Join a team of passionate vets and veterinary nurses to support neglected, abandoned, or vulnerable animals. As a veterinary intern, you’ll spend your time caring for the animals at the sanctuary, enabling them to have happy, healthy lives. With over 100 animals across ten different species, your work will be varied, interesting, and dynamic. You’ll have a range of tasks to do, from diagnosing unwell animals, giving physical exams, administering injections, treating wounds, as well as offering guidance and advice for possible treatments. If an animal needs surgeries or has more complex problems, you may accompany and monitor it at the central clinic in Lisbon.
Roots Interns
Roots Interns
Ready to Learn More?
Join a team of passionate vets and veterinary nurses to support neglected, abandoned, or vulnerable animals. As a veterinary intern, you’ll spend your time caring for the animals at the sanctuary, enabling them to have happy, healthy lives. With over 100 animals across ten different species, your work will be varied, interesting, and dynamic. You’ll have a range of tasks to do, from diagnosing unwell animals, giving physical exams, administering injections, treating wounds, as well as offering guidance and advice for possible treatments. If an animal needs surgeries or has more complex problems, you may accompany and monitor it at the central clinic in Lisbon.
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