Dog Shelter Volunteering in Japan

Are you a dog lover? There are around 125 dogs at Susan and Hitoshi's private dog shelter in Tokushima, southern Japan, waiting to be walked by you one to three times a day!

The dogs are temporarily placed at the facility with the aim of finding new owners for them. Their previous owners have either passed away or grown too old to take care of them. On the other hand, some are stray dogs collected from parks.

The main activity at the shelter is walking the dogs. This is usually done in small groups of up to 10 dogs. Some dogs, however, need to be walked alone. This activity can be rather tiresome; you should be positive, motivated, and resilient. The dogs need walking every day regardless of the weather conditions. Long-term volunteers, especially those experienced in dog keeping, can help feed and clean the dogs as well as maintain their homes.

To participate, you should bring Wellington boots, sturdy shoes, a rain jacket, a winter jacket (during winter), insect repellent, and clothes that may get dirty. You should also have been vaccinated against tetanus.

Free accommodation will be provided to you by the project!