4 - 12 weeks
from € 1.390
South Africa

Volunteer work in animal shelters and animal welfare in South Africa

  • Urban everyday life
  • High recreational value
  • Many volunteers on site

The animal sanctuary in Cape Town, comparable to an animal shelter, is always happy about the help of volunteers! You will help nurture abused, injured, and abandoned animals (pets such as dogs and cats). You support the dedicated team on site in animal welfare, care, feeding, cleaning the facility and in the animal rescue service!

Location icon Cape Town
Minimum age icon from 17 years
Icon Duration 4 - 12 weeks / from €1.390
Departure days icon Monday - Thursday
SDG 15 - Life on Land
life on land

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Project ID : FA-SÜ120

As a volunteer
South Africa

4 - 12 weeks / from €1.390
to the cost overview

Animal welfare project in South Africa

What's the matter?

There are several animal shelters and organizations in South Africa that work to ensure that pets and farm animals are kept appropriately and that wild animals are protected. Animals are often exploited for the entertainment industry, sport or research. The uncontrolled reproduction and inadequate care of domestic animals is also a major problem - especially in the poorer areas of Cape Town.

Animal shelters and sanctuaries play an important role in overcoming these challenges. Because it is through them that animals are freed from awkward situations and taken in. After the care, they can then be placed with animal-loving keepers or other animal welfare organizations.

Your place of work is an animal sanctuary or an animal shelter in Cape Town, which is financed by donations. Numerous animals are housed temporarily or, in rare cases, permanently on the site. There is also a veterinary clinic here, where sick or injured animals are treated. The animal sanctuaries take care of abused, injured and abandoned animals or any animal in need.

Depending on your assignment, these can be different types of animals - but mainly pets such as dogs and cats will fall into your work area. The facilities vary in size - up to around 100 employees are on call around the clock.

The aim of the facility is to protect animals from abuse and to create awareness that all animals have a right to dignified treatment. 

Your tasks as a volunteer

As a volunteer, you support the employees at your assignment location with all tasks that arise. You can work directly in the sanctuary or in the field - in the animal rescue service. Your tasks include, for example, feeding and caring for the animals, walking the animals, such as the dogs, and cleaning the stables and enclosures. You can also become active in fundraising and support the team in acquiring donations for the sanctuary and the animals.

If you have previous knowledge of veterinary medicine, you can also assist the veterinarians in the operating room of the veterinary clinic.

Your exact working hours vary depending on your assignment. As a rule, however, you will work from Monday to Friday between around 8 a.m. and around 17 p.m., with a lunch break in between. You work no more than 40 hours a week.

Accommodation Catering

RGV Volunteer House in Cape Town

In the Volunteer House in Cape Town you live together with other volunteers and interns. Together you can share your experiences and go on great trips right from the start.

The Volunteer House has space for a maximum of 21 participants. The bedrooms are each equipped with two to four beds. Each room also has a bathroom.

The accommodation's kitchen is modern and equipped with everything you need for your daily needs. WiFi is also available free of charge in the house.

The house is secured with an electronic gate. However, make sure that the door is locked at all times.

To ensure that living is comfortable for both you and the other volunteers, we ask that you keep the house tidy. A cleaner comes three days a week to keep the house roughly clean.

You can easily reach everything important from the Volunteer House. There is a shopping center just 3 km away where you can buy everything you need. Cape Town city center is approximately 15 km from the accommodation.

RGV host families in Cape Town

For a small additional fee, you can also live with a host family during your time in Cape Town.

Our host families are part of the South African “middle class”, so running water and electricity are available. In addition to breakfast, you will also get dinner here every day.

As a volunteer or intern abroad, you are usually not alone in a host family, but share the accommodation with one to five other participants. As in the Volunteer House, it is possible to travel to and from the project together. If you come home after dark, the costs of transport such as taxis or Uber can be shared.

Only a few host families have an internet connection or WLAN. If you need internet, you can get a prepaid SIM card with mobile data volume. The advantages compared to living in a volunteer house are that you speak a lot more English here in everyday life and you get a deeper insight into the culture and way of life of the local people. You are not in a pack of volunteers, but can gather very individual experiences with a few others.

You usually also have a shorter journey to the project, because our team will place you nearby if possible. The Team Office, which is attached to one of our Volunteer Homes, is your central point of contact and meeting point for excursions and activities!

Tip: If you want to live alone with a host family, you should explicitly discuss this with us before registering. Single accommodation is usually possible.

Attention: Most of our host families are strictly religious, so unmarried couples, for example, are not accepted in a room.

RGV Apartment in Cape Town

For an additional charge, you have the option of booking a small apartment with another person. The apartment is located on the ground floor of the Volunteer House and has a small lounge area, a bathroom and a separate kitchen. If you like something a little quieter, you're in good hands here.

Location

Cape Town

Going surfing in the morning before work and watching the sunset over the city from Table Mountain in the evening - sounds like a fantastic dream? In Cape Town this is possible!

With over four million inhabitants, Cape Town is the second largest city in South Africa. Because the city has played a crucial role in the country's history in many ways, it is affectionately known as the "mother of all cities". The famous "Cape of Good Hope", where the first daring sailors docked at the time of the European explorers, is located in the Table Mountain National Park. 

Due to its location, directly on Table Bay of the Atlantic Ocean, you have a breathtaking panorama view from almost everywhere. Dare the challenge and let yourself be enchanted by this beauty!

Cape Town is inhabited by people from many different ethnic groups, which is also reflected in the cityscape. Convince yourself of the colorful houses of Bo-Kaaps, the impressive street art in the alleys or the ever-present Afro-Chic. Cape Town is multicultural and proudly displays every facet of the local population.

Your free time in Cape Town

There are definitely enough leisure activities for your entertainment in the colorful cosmopolitan city of Cape Town. You will hardly find another place in Africa where you can go out as well as in the clubs and bars along Long Street in the city center. And when it comes to culinary delights, you won't be disappointed in Cape Town's cultural melting pot.

Of course, the eventful history of the city is not only expressed in the kitchen. It also characterizes the local art, which you can admire in the many museums, but also on the walls of the houses in the district. A must-see for all graffiti lovers is the Woodstock district, which has transformed from a notorious no-go area into a place of pilgrimage for street art fans in recent years.

Even if you are passionate about sports or outdoor activities, you will have fun in Cape Town. The beaches have perfect conditions for kiting or (wind) surfing and you can explore the colorful South African underwater world with its shipwrecks, corals and fish while diving. To see even bigger sea creatures, you have to go a little further. Whale watching tours in Cape Town bring you closer to dolphins, whales and sharks than anywhere else in the world.

If you've ever traveled by boat, you should also check out Robben Island. The historic site used to be the prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Today there is a lush nature reserve. You can find even more nature in the south of the city in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. In addition to the rich flora, there are also regular open-air concerts here.

Finally, a trip to Table Mountain should not be missed on your trip to Cape Town. From the famous local mountain, which towers over the city in the west, you have a unique view over the entire region and the Bay of Cape Town. You should also plan another day to visit the Cape of Good Hope. On the way there you will also pass "Boulders Beach" with its penguins.

On-site procedure

Arrival in Cape Town

For your project in South Africa you land directly in Cape Town. Here you will be met at the airport by a member of our RGV team in South Africa. From here the team will drive you directly to your accommodation in Cape Town. The drive from the airport is already a first small highlight: through a beautiful backdrop you get closer and closer to Table Mountain. You can use the rest of the day to move into your accommodation and to get to know your new surroundings.

Orientation program in Cape Town

In order to be able to find your way around better in your new environment, your stay begins with an orientation program. This always starts on Tuesdays and Fridays. Please plan your arrival for Monday or Thursday so that you can get off to a good start!

Immediately after your arrival, our team will give you your South Africa starter package with a city map, SIM card and other useful things that should make your everyday life easier. In your accommodation you will also receive a brief introduction to the area and your new home.

During a workshop with our RGV team, you will then learn more about your target country and its inhabitants. Culture, country and people as well as current events and the recent history of the country will be topics here. Our team will introduce you to Cape Town slang and give you valuable safety information and tips on the subject of transport, withdrawing money, etc. On one of the following days, you will also explore Cape Town on a guided city bus tour with other newly arrived participants.

Project start in Cape Town

Your first day in the project

Your project location is always as close as possible to your accommodation. On your first day at work, you will be accompanied to your assignment site either by our team or by other volunteers. The further course of your project work will then be discussed with you there.

When working in the area of ​​wildlife and animal welfare, you should assume that you can also work on weekends and get two days off during the week. Daily working hours should be between five and eight hours a day.

Your daily arrival in the project

All social projects are located within the city limits of Cape Town. There are several ways to get to your project. The following travel options are available to you:

  • rental car
  • Taxi or Uber

For safety reasons, we advise against using public transport.

The rental car is a cheap and worthwhile alternative to public transport, since not all places can be reached by public transport. As a rule, 3-5 participants rent a car together and form carpools.

Pricing

  • base fee
    € 1.390, -
    4 weeks of participation
  • extension week
    € 160, - / week
    up to 8 weeks respectively

included
Services

Before departure

  • Individual advice and support from our trained RGV team in Munich
  • Organization including placement in the project and coordination of your stay on site
  • Assistance with preparation: visa, health care, travel insurance, etc.
  • Non-binding flight advice
  • Travel ABC with packing list for your travel preparation
  • RGV t-shirt

On site

  • Orientation program with the team on site
  • Support and guidance from the on-site team
  • RGV 24h emergency number
  • Project t-shirt to wear during on-site activities
  • Airport transfer on the agreed arrival and departure days
  • Accommodation in a volunteer house, with a host family or in an apartment (at an additional cost)
  • Meals: Breakfast (volunteer house) or breakfast and dinner (homestay)

After return

  • Participation confirmation of your voluntary commitment
  • Reflection course on your experiences abroad
  • Evaluation sheet and optional feedback discussion
useful additional services

not included
Services

  • Round trip
  • Private expenses on site
  • Excursions with microlight flights
  • Travel and cancellation insurance
  • Visa and Vaccinations
  • All nights outside your agreed accommodation
  • Public transport and extra transfers
  • Daily drive to the project
  • Meals (accommodation apartment)
  • Drinks

Individual Recommended additional offers
& must-haves

Picture must-haves

Would you prefer to stay in a single room? Are you vegan or do you have special requests for food? Or do you want to do some cool trips with other volunteers in your free time and explore the country?

With us, you benefit from a variety of optional additional services that you can add individually to your booking, depending on your preferences.

Flight booking icon
" Round Trip
Cheap flights with our flight partner thanks to volunteer rates.
Flight offers with maximum flexibility

Would you like to receive a cheap flight offer for your stay abroad that is perfectly tailored to you? After you have successfully registered, you can have a non-binding offer created.

The excellent rates for volunteers, students and young people are a great advantage. Arrival times and flight time changes can also be sent directly to RGV upon request, so that our RGV teams in the destination countries are always informed about your arrival times.

These special tariffs give you special added value:

  • maximum flexibility for rebookings and cancellations
  • generous baggage allowance
  • Additional discounts on one-way flights: The new volunteer tariffs include attractive discounts to reduce your financial burden on one-way flights (e.g. for stopovers, project or country combinations).
Insurance icon
" Insurance
Benefit from the 4 in 1 ERGO travel insurance.
The 4 in 1 insurance cover for volunteers and internships abroad

You can easily book the long-term travel protection of ERGO Reiseversicherung after you have registered. You will receive the links to this automatically after a successful registration.

The following building blocks are included:

  • Health Insurance
  • Comfort protection: accident, liability and interruption insurance
  • Travel insurance

Cape Town Team
site

Our RGV team in South Africa consists of Team leader Jemaine, seinen siblings Cindy and Chad and Verena. Jemaine's family is from Cape Town. He himself has worked in the travel industry for many years. Chad and Jemaine usually do the airport pick-ups.

Verena has known RGV founder Steffen since their joint teacher training course. She emigrated to Cape Town in 2009 and has never regretted the decision. Verena leads the orientation program and helps you to settle in, takes care of most of the organizational things and organizes social events for our participants.

During your stay, the RGV team on site is your number 1 contact for all questions and problems. But our host families are also part of the extended RGV team - they are also important contact persons, especially for underage participants!

Our lively South Africa team looks forward to welcoming you to the Rainbow Family!

Volunteers talk about their experiences Joint commitment - big impact!

Testimonials

My volunteer work at the animal shelter and animal welfare in South Africa

I lived with a host family in Cape Town for 4 weeks and during that time I worked in the animal welfare project. Cape Town is beautiful and I definitely recommend it, I can't rave enough about it.
Testimonials

Volunteer work in an animal rescue center in South Africa

The project does a great job by taking in all conceivable types of animals, keeping them healthy and passing them on. Since my second day I have been in the Horse Care Unit, where mistreated racehorses are nursed and trained.
Testimonials

My volunteer work in animal welfare in South Africa

At the animal rescue station you have the opportunity to get involved in many different areas of work (such as the veterinary clinic, wildlife unit, farm unit, with dogs, with cats, etc.).
Testimonials

Field report from the animal rescue center in South Africa

I enjoyed going to work every day and was happy to help. My duties included feeding the dogs, washing them, walking them, playing with the puppies and occasionally taking a few dogs to the vet.
Testimonials

My volunteer work in a South African shelter

South Africa has changed me, my perspectives, my actions, my behavior. And so it should be true: "You will leave South Africa, but South Africa will never leave you!"

More testimonials
Browse our magazine

RGV FAQ
to the project

How far in advance do I have to register?

Ideally your registration takes place at least 3-6 months before the desired departure date, But also short-term registrations are up 1-2 months before the planned departure is possible.

But it could be that your dream project is already booked. In this case we will try together to find a suitable alternative for you.

Can I travel with a friend or in a group?

Yes! On request we enable a double room if you for two with a friend or a friend, or an apartment or other suitable accommodation for groups.

We are very happy to enable our participants to go on a project and share accommodation with friends. Shared accommodation is usually possible both in the volunteer house and with the host family, although the room in the volunteer house may also be shared with other participants. In some locations there is also the option of sharing an apartment.

When registering, please always mention the person(s) traveling with you!

Can I combine projects?

Yes! You can combine projects at one location, at different locations, but also in different countries. It is also possible to combine a project with a trip. You can specify your desired combination directly when registering.

Combination options at a glance:

  1. Combine programs in one country
  2. Combine programs across countries
  3. Combine a program with a language course
  4. Combine a program with ours Adventure & Trips

There are a few things Project combinations to note: The minimum length of stay per project must be observed and you may incur additional costs for country combinations, for example for an intermediate flight.

What are the project fees used for?

Although we are a non-profit organization, there are costs associated with volunteering abroad. Find out here, why volunteering requires money and what your project fee is used for.

What visa do I need for South Africa?

You can apply for a tourist visa for South Africa when you arrive at the airport. This is valid for 90 days.

What language skills do I need for the project in South Africa?

You definitely need good English skills for the project. An Afrikaans course is also recommended.

What vaccinations/ health precautions do I need?

A current tetanus vaccination is required for this project.

If you are traveling from a yellow fever area, you need a yellow fever vaccination. Otherwise there are no compulsory vaccinations.

We generally recommend a consultation in a practice for travel and tropical medicine.

What are the requirements for the project?

The most important things are love for animals, motivation and physical fitness. Experience working with animals or previous knowledge of veterinary medicine is desirable.

What do I have to bring?

Comfortable clothing that can get dirty and is easy to wash.

What do I have to consider as an LGBTQ person?

Please be aware that homosexual acts are considered undesirable in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and are even punishable by law in some places. In general, people who are identified as queer are often exposed to hostility.

For example, get information from Foreign Office about the exact regulations in your destination country.

General FAQ about volunteer work

Ready to get involved as a volunteer in South Africa? Start your adventure abroad with Rainbow Garden Village!

Rainbow Garden Village has been offering volunteer work and internships abroad since 1999. What started as a small student initiative in Ghana has now grown into an organization with over 250 projects around the world.

You can be sure that your work as a volunteer will be an unforgettable experience. Bring your commitment and your knowledge to do good locally - and at the same time benefit from the unique experiences that will promote your personal development.

Become part of our RGV community!
We look forward to you.

RGV Your way
to the volunteer

1
Choose your volunteer project and register online.

2
We will review your application and confirm your participation.

3
Prepare for your assignment online or in our preparatory seminar in Munich.

4
Here we go! During your volunteer work, we will support you at any time with our on-site team.

Gallery Impressions &
Impressions

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