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Animal Shelter Volunteer Program
Ibarra, Ecuador
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Volunteer Activities |
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Help clean animal enclosures |
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Prepare and distribute meals for the animals |
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Maintain and build new habitats |
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Improve the animals' environments |
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| Volunteer Program at a Glance |
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Start Dates:
Any Monday of the year.
Program Length:
Minimum: 2 weeks |
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Program Cost:
2 Weeks:
US $1,440
3 Weeks:
US $1,640
4 Weeks:
US $1,840
Each Additional Week:
US $300
Each language class week with host family lodging:
US $300 |
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Cost includes:
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Airport pick-up in Quito |
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First night shared accommodation in a hostel in Quito |
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Orientation |
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Transportation to the program |
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Accommodations at volunteer house |
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3 meals per day |
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Activities |
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24-hour emergency contact number |
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Schedule:
Volunteers work from Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6:00pm. Language lessons will take place from 8:30am to 10:30pm.
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Requirements:
There are no formal requirements; all participants must be over 18 years of age. |
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What Volunteers Can Do: |
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Volunteers in our Ecuador Ibarra Animal Shelter Program will help care for animals rescued from illegal captivity or abandonment at an animal rescue center in the city of Ibarra. Although volunteers will care for a variety of species, the three most commonly trafficked species received at the center are capuchin monkeys, royal macaws, and turtles. Other species at the center include lions, sloths, spider monkeys, peafowl, parrots, boas, and more.
Volunteers at the center can help with the maintenance of animal enclosures and the preparation of meals and food. Programs are varied, but they usually involve lots of physical work, as well as the upkeep and building of new habitats. |
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Why Volunteer in Ecuador? |
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Ecuador is considered one of the seventeen "megadiverse" countries in the world. From the cloud forests to the coast to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador is home to 1,600 bird species, over 16, 000 species of plants, 106 endemic reptiles, 138 endemic amphibians, and 6,000 species of butterfly. Unfortunately, this biodiversity has given rise to the illegal trade of exotic animals as a popular activity. Not only does this cause suffering for the animals that are captured; it is also highly detrimental to Ecuador's fragile and valuable ecosystem. Captive animals are also at risk for escaping to locations outside of their habitats, which is dangerous for them and for other species. |
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Ecuador Animal Shelter Program Goals: |
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The Ibarra Animal Rescue Center never turns away the animals that arrive at their facilities. Each animal is provided with the necessary care and attention they need. The staff works along with veterinarians to look after the injured and to improve the animals' living conditions. The center also works to enforce local government laws that protect these animals and makes sure that bans be applied to any illegal trade.
The center additionally serves as a haven for animals that can't be released back to their natural environment.Seminars are continuously given to elementary school and high school students to raise awareness of the impact that holding wild animals captive can have on the ecosystem. |
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