As for developing country like Tanzania, most of the local have different way of treating these sweet creatures. Our project is all about changing this way of thinking and helping pets as dogs and cats who mostly are in the streets. In the animal shelter, we rescue both dogs and cats and have them to the safe house of them. Here they will get treatments if they’re injured since most of the street dogs get to be abused. 

While they’re safe and happier we are going to try to find responsible homes for them. Like our cute dog Albi in the hostel was from the shelter and now he always welcome our guests very happy and always around. They also have house cats from time to time. You as our volunteer we require you to have rabies vaccination. The shelter expects to increase due to the population of animals there and so as more in need of help needed.

Typical day

A normal day at the shelter starts around 8:00 to 9:00 Am in the morning. One way takes about one hour so you should leave your hostel at round about 8 am to use the public transport and a motorbike taxi to arrive the shelter. The transport will cost you 20000 tsh per day.

At the shelter you have many different tasks, every day is different. Usually you start your day with taking the dogs for a walk, they try to walk every dog twice a day, which is not always possible because of the amount of dogs they have. After you take care of the injured dogs, give medicine and nurse them or train the dogs and their behavior to socialize them so they’re have a better opportunity to get adopted, doing physio for example in the pool with disabled dogs, washing the dogs and puppies, feed the puppies, help to vaccinate, build new beds/games for the dogs or repair the wheelchairs. 

We believe our volunteers who will choose this field are do not need any prior experience, nevertheless, basic English knowledge, openness and love of animals are required. In addition, you should not be afraid of dogs and dirt because for sure, you will become dirty! Your working hours are variable. There are also helping hands needed for the systematic castration and vaccination campaigns.

Free-time activities

Arusha is one of the most popular destinations for many reason. In Arusha, there are plenty of free time activities to do,

both multiple-day trips, one-day trips and afternoon activities. As Tanzania are one of the best places in the world to go on safari,there is plenty opportunity to do so during your placement. At the White House, we can help you customize the safari of your dreams and to make it fit your timetable.

Depending on how many days, which parks (Arusha National Park, Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorogoro Crater), camping or lodging and whether you wish to be part of a group or travel on a private safari we can help you arrange it all.

As well as safaris there is also plenty of possibilities to hike our beautiful mountains, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru. Regarding both these mountain treks we can help you arrange everything and advise you about the number of days, the different routes and so on.

If you are more in the mood for day trips, there are tons to choose from. Hiking to Mt. Meru waterfall, visiting authentic Masai villages, swimming in natural hot springs, making coffee the hills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, visiting man-made underground caves and visiting banana plantations are just few of the suggestions, we can give you. All these can be arranged from the White House upon your arrival.

During the afternoons when you are off work.

There’s also plenty of things to do and see. In the warm weather here in Tanzania, it can be well needed to cool down in a cold swimming pool. Most of the hotels in town offers guests from outside the hotel to use the pool for a small fee.

 This way you and your friends can get to relax after a day of work. If you are more adventurous and in the mood for an activity, we recommend you to go to Lake Duluti just outside of Arusha, rent a canoe and paddle around the lake for some hours while watching the birds and monkeys along the shore. This relaxing experience will help you gain energy for the rest of your work-week. In case if rainy weather, Arusha has one museum to offer – the Museum of Nature and Wildlife. It doesn’t take many hours to walk through, but it can be a fun and different activity. Or you can pay a visit to the Cultural Heritage Center, which is a gallery that has many small shops to visit too.

Just to give our volunteers who will be going to work on these shelter, since the animal shelter is a bit out of the way and you can only reach it with a Piki Piki (motorcycle taxi), you should plan around 15 euros per person per week as travel costs.