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City/State: Koh Phangan |
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Country: THAILAND
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| Personal Overseas Development |
Linden Cottage
The Burgage
Cheltenham
UNITED KINGDOM
GL52 3DJ
Phone: 01242 250 901
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Program description: |
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You will work as a volunteer at a nursing clinic and animal care centre on Koh Phangan in Southern Thailand, helping to care for the dogs and cats (and a few other animals!) while living an amazing lifestyle on this beautiful tropical island.
ABOUT THE CENTRE AND THE ANIMALS
Until the founding of the Centre, there was no veterinary care or advice on the island, no vaccination, and no population control measures except for yearly poisoning. The result of this was a life of pain and misery for many animals. Sick animals suffered a prolonged and often excruciating death, while uncontrolled breeding resulted in overpopulation, causing aggression (to humans as well as dogs) and rapid disease transmission - the most serious being rabies, and the most obvious being skin infestations.
The Centre was founded in 2001 as a non-profit nursing clinic. Although it is the sole provider of veterinary care for the animals of Koh Phangan, no animal has been denied treatment since the opening of the clinic.
The Centre's mission is to:
- implement a vaccination programme to control rabies
- encourage and perform sterilisation of breeding females
- improve the quality of life of a multitude of stray animals
- provide emergency relief and nursing care for all major illnesses and injuries.
The Centre deals primarily with dogs and cats, but it also treats any animal in need. This can be anything from a turtle to a buffalo!
A TYPICAL WEEK
So what will you be doing every week? You will work with the team at the Centre which includes an Administrator and two veterinary nurses. The Centre takes 1-2 volunteers at a time and you will either work 5 half days (mornings) or 3 full days + 1 half day, depending on the number of volunteers.
There is an opportunity to get involved in a variety of work including the daily running of the Centre, cleaning, feeding and washing animals, walking the dogs, and assisting with animal treatment.
LIFESTYLE
You will live in a Thai bungalow by the beach and within easy reach of the Centre. When not working, you will be free to explore the island or, if you fancy a change, take a ferry over to one of the other islands. As well as stunning beaches, there is great snorkelling and diving, and jungle, waterfalls and temples to explore inland. There is also a lively social scene with many bars and restaurants spread around the island.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
The programme includes:
- A comprehensive information pack
- Travel advice and assistance pre-departure
- Being met on arrival at Koh Samui airport / overnight train ticket from Bangkok
- Introductions to the area and the Centre
- Animal training and supervision
- Accommodation for the first month (your own beach bungalow with en-suite bathroom) with option to extend on
- A donation to the Centre.
WHAT PAST VOLUNTEERS SAY
"Fabulous island to be living on, friendly population and good diversity of things to do. Liberty bungalow basic but with an atmosphere that was hard to find anywhere else on the island. Excellent food and excellent hostess. The Centre and animal care work: Brilliant! Loved every minute. If you love animals, dogs especially, and want to work in an environment where you can be with them all day - this is the place to be. Staff were so friendly and knowledgeable. I went to Koh Phangan on my own and found I had a ready made social life when I got there! I didn’t know what to expect but was really impressed with the dedication for Por and Shevaun and how easy it was to fit in. They do an incredible job in difficult circumstances. As a first time traveller I really appreciated being met on Samui and looked after until I started work. The info pack was also very welcome. I have been sharing my experience with friends and have indeed passed on PoD details. My enthusiastic stories of where I have been, seen and done have prompted people to consider doing something similar. THIS IS THE BEST THING I EVER DONE!!" - Tina
"Fantastic, lots of support and help throughout. The packs were full of helpful hints and tips. Koh Phangan is beautiful not as touristy as Koh Samui and the people are wonderful. They work really hard and that shows with the small town constantly buzzing! The bungalows were basic clean and comfortable. The resort was amazing, the food fantastic. I miss them all terribly. They do amazing work with what they have at the centre and I admire all who work there full time. It’s small but practical. They do a fantastic job. Everyone and PoD have been wonderful." - Shelley
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General program information: |
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Program open to: Everyone
Age range: 21+
Travel to site: Independent Travel
Is opportunity more independant or group orientated: Independant
Living arrangements on the program: Varies
How long does the program last?: 1-3 Months
What are the dates of this program: Starts throughout the year. Placements from 2-3 months.
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Benefits and advantages of the program: |
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By volunteering at the Centre you will make a major contribution to the welfare of dogs, cats and other animals on Koh Phangan.
On a personal level you will have the satisfaction of helping to make a positive difference to the lives of these animals and, in the process, gain new skills and knowledge, working with a young and enthusiastic team.
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Cost or price of this program: |
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£495 - this is a one off fee, it doesn't cost extra to stay longer
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Qualifications required: |
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There is a minimum age of 21 for this project.
No specific skills are required other than enthusiasm and a strong stomach!
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Application process Involves: |
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Reference and phone interview.
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