Volunteering at Soi Dog Foundation – my real experience

You’ve probably heard of Phuket. The biggest island in Thailand, known for its hot weather, beaches and cute old town. This combo attracts millions of tourists per year. You can “beach” all day, you can island hop or indulge in water sports. But if you need a break from all of that, or like me – you’re a huge animal lover you can do something that will make many furry creatures very happy.

You can volunteer at Phuket’s Soi Dog Foundation.

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Founded in 2003 by a British couple: Gill and John, Soi Dog Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of stray dogs and cats. The couple also had a massive impact on introducing Thailand’s first animal welfare law in 2014, which among many other things, banned dog and cat meat consumption and made the dog meat trade illegal.

Read the full story of Gill and John here.

Today Soi Dog Foundation operates more dynamically than ever. With their CNVR (catch-neuter-vaccinate-return) programme, a modern cat and dog hospital in Phuket and a clinic in Bangkok, Soi Dog has neutered over 1.1 million animals, reducing the number of animals being born on the streets to suffer a life of misery.

But none of this would have happened without animal loving people. The founders, the managers, the vets, the shelter workers and… the volunteers.

Volunteering at Soi Dog Foundation.

Yes, Soi Dog Foundation constantly looks for volunteers. In a place like that, there’s always plenty of work to do, which gives you an amazing opportunity to make a difference in the lives of animals in need.

In this blog post, I’m going to spill the beans on what it’s really like to volunteer at Soi Dog. I won’t share all the “formality” though, like: how to get there, what’s with accommodation or transportation. You can find all the useful information on the Soi Dog website. Ok, I’ll probably answer a few of those questions, but mainly I want to concentrate on sharing my volunteering experience and dispelling doubts that I had before I went there.

So let’s start with the big one…

Will volunteering at Soi Dog Foundation be a heartbreaking experience?

Short answer: no!
But let me explain.

I spent many months in Thailand and the idea of volunteering at Soi Dog popped into my brain a looooot of times. But, very selfishly, I was scared. I love animals and the thought of seeing them in cages or in bad condition felt too hard to handle.

But my fear was totally unjustified.
The moment you step into Soi Dog Foundation you realize that it’s a place full of love. You can tell right away, that everyone there truly cares for animal wellbeing and every cat or dog which ends up there is already lucky.

Dogs don’t stay in cages. They live in enclosures. Enclosures are still fenced, naturally, but they are sort of an open space where the doggies are free to roam and do what they want. Well, also sort of, because every enclosure has its caretaker, who stays there almost all day looking after them and making sure they behave themselves.

Cats stay in big rooms equipped with plenty of toys, cat trees and climbers, so all their crazy catty needs can be fulfilled.

And guys…the doggies have a pool! A pool! How cool is that? There are also several runs where the dogs can be let off the leads and have some doggie fun. But the pool blew my mind.

So yes, the conditions the animals are kept in are amazing and you can easily forget that it’s a shelter.
But it’s still sad to see so many of them there. So many doggies and cats who went through a lot.

Do you need any vaccinations?

No! At Soi Dog Foundation all the animals are vaccinated against rabies, so you’re not at risk of getting it there. However, when travelling to South East Asia it is always recommended to be vaccinated against rabies and look for post-exposure shot in case of being bitten.

What will you be doing as a volunteer?

As I mentioned, there’s always a lot of things to do in a place like that, but as a volunteer who comes for a few days, you’ll most likely be walking the dogs. At least this is what I did.

There is a whole process of dog walking at Soi Dog Foundation. Since there are different doggies there with different needs you’ll receive a lot of information in the beginning on how to walk them. Some dogs can’t go to the pool, some can’t go for a run, some can’t even be touched. Every dog has it’s own profile on the website, so you’ll know how to deal with them.

The amount of things to check and remember was actually a bit overwhelming in the beginning, but you’ll receive all the help you need and you’ll get a grasp of it in no time.

How many days do you have to stay?

Obviously, there’s no maximum. You can volunteer at Soi Dog Foundations for as long as you want. Days, even months. There’s a recommended minimum though and it’s 2 days.
Keep in mind that the foundation is closed to volunteers during weekends. You can only volunteer during the week. So hey, a weekend off!

How will your day look?

Your working day starts at 9 am and finishes around 4 pm. Although I was usually done way before.

You should arrive a few minutes before 9 am to order your lunch and get ready for the day of dog walking.

The lunches come from a local restaurant and they’re super tasty. The choice is great, there are also vegetarian and vegan meals and the prices are very budget friendly.

After you arrive you’ll be assigned to an enclosure. In one enclosure there are around 25 doggies (might be less, might be more). Usually you’ll be sharing your assigned enclosure with another volunteer – so 2 people will be walking the dogs from one enclosure.
I managed to walk 5-6 dogs before lunch break.

Lunch break starts around midday. If you finish your lunch earlier, you can go play with the cats. Since enclosure caretakers have to eat their lunches too, there is certain time during the day when you shouldn’t be on the shelter premisses.

After lunch break you continue with walking the doggies. Sometimes, depending on the needs, you can be asked to walk the dogs from another enclosure or some “more difficult” doggies that need extra attention.

If you’re done earlier, you can also go play with the puppies. They’re super cute, but super naughty, so be careful with your shoelaces – they love them.

And that’s pretty much it.
As a volunteer you won’t work too hard, but you’ll definitely make a few doggies happy.

What should you bring with you?

Since during your working hours you’ll be outdoors all the time and Phuket is a tropical island, there are a few things you should wear and bring.

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I’d say that 5 items are a must:

• comfortable shoes – well, you’ll be walking a lot, so comfortable shoes are pretty obvious. But wear something that can also get dirty or wet and something that has a good grip – some doggies might pull. I’d stay away from slippers or sandals – you don’t want to burn you feet. But if sandals are comfortable for you, that’s obviously your choice.
• sun lotion – with the highest SPF possible. It’s gonna be hot and sunny – well ok, unless you’ll be there during wet season – but proper sun block is an absolute must. You don’t want to get sunburn.
• hat or a cap – same reasons really. Sunstroke is real.
• long or short sleeve – not a tank top! I did wear a vest one day and it was a mistake. Even though I was applying my sunblock non stop, I still got burnt. I’d honestly recommend wearing some breathable long sleeve shirt.
• reusable water bottle with filter – when it’s hot, it’s essential to stay hydrated! You can take your water bottle with you and leave it next to your “run”. You’ll be using it a lot.

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If you volunteer during wet season (May-October), you obviously need to bring a rain coat and waterproof shoes that can get even more dirty.

Where will you sleep?

Soi Dog Foundation doesn’t provide accommodation, so arranging it is up to you. They do provide a transfer to the sanctuary though if you decide to stay in other parts of the island. There are 4 pick-up and drop-off locations, but you can read more about it on their website.

I stayed close to the foundation, at Maikhao Beach Residence. It’s a simple guesthouse, but I loved my stay there. The girl who runs it was the sweetest and the most friendly host ever, the place is located around 20 min walk from Soi Dog, plus it has a pool, so you can chill there after the whole day of dog walking.

The only thing is that there’s not much around. Of course there’s a beach, but if you want to go get some drinks you have to go to town. But hey, at least it’s peaceful and quiet.

Book you stay at Maikhao Beach Residence here!

TIP!!!

If you decide to stay there longer, I’d recommend renting a scooter. Grab and Bolt car/taxi services are quite expensive on Phuket. But still you should install the apps. They are must-have apps in Thailand.
Get Grab and Bolt app now!
Use my Bolt link for 50% off your first trip!

Will it smell at Soi Dog Foundation?

I know, that’s a bit if an odd question and to be honest bad smells weren’t my concern. But I saw questions like that on the internet, so let me answer it.

Yes, it does smell a bit. Especially in the afternoons, when the sun gets hotter.

Well, there’s a lot of animals there, so some sort of smell is normal and natural. But since it’s all in the open air, the smell wasn’t bad. Being a person who is very sensitive to smells, the smell there didn’t bother me and I didn’t pay attention to it at all.

Will you be in any danger?

No! Naturally, in a place full of animals you always have to be careful. But if you follow the guidelines presented to you during the introduction: how to enter the runs, use leashes or behave on walks, nothing bad should happen to you. I felt completely safe on the premises and around the animals.

Is there anything else you should remember?

If you (like me) have never been in a place like that, you should keep in mind that most of the animals there are street animals. It doesn’t matter that much with cats, but you’ll quickly realize, that most of the dogs there don’t behave like domesticated dogs. They don’t do “sit”, give paws and come to you when you whistle. Some of them don’t react to their names or even care for strokes. Most of the dogs have been through a lot and they don’t know how to be those fluffy cuties cuddled up on the sofa. Although I’m sure they’d quickly learn when given a chance. So you have to be extra patient with them and kind of cater for their needs. Remember, you’re there for them and the walk is their time to do their business and have some fun.

Ok…but how was it?

Volunteering at Soi Dog Foundation was amazing. Even while writing this blog post I had this warm feeling in my chest, wishing I could go to back to Phuket as soon as possible and do it again. Yes, you will get sweaty and even a bit tired. Yes, some doggies will be more difficult. Yes, you will see 3-legged doggies and kittens without eyes. But if you’re an animal lover, spending your days surrounded by wagging tails and purring kitties will be a beautiful and super rewarding experiences. Not to mention, you will make a few furry friends very happy.

So go ahead book your volunteering experience at Soi Dog Foundation!

That’s it!

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and found all the information you needed. Check out the Soi Dog Foundation website for more!

If you care for animal welfare and want to connect with locals and fellow volunteers from around the world who share the same a passion, Soi Dog Foundation is the place for you! If you can’t volunteer, you can always pay them a visit. The foundation is open to visitors from Monday to Friday.

And most importantly, enjoy your volunteering experience at Soi Dog Foundation!

I’d like to thank my “not just Insta anymore” friend Gosi, for telling me what a lovely place Soi Dog Foundation is and inspiring me to volunteer! I’ll be forever grateful. :)

If you’d like to have another unique experience, go to a 3 day meditation retreat! Read about my visit to Pa Pae Meditation Retreat and find your inner peace.

If you have any extra questions or just want to hang out, drop me a comment or find me on Instagram!

Hi, it’s Aga, the author of this blog. If you found this blog post interesting, entertaining or useful, please think of buying me a virtual coffee to support the site’s running costs. But if you know me, I might actually spend it on coffee. Thanks!

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