Dog Care and Veterinary Program in Sri Lanka

Join GoEco on the tropical coast of southern Sri Lanka to provide care for over 2500 abandoned dogs and stray puppies at a renown shelter! As a volunteer, you will gain hands-on veterinary experience, help in rehabilitation efforts, and enjoy the companionship of dogs in need, all while living close to breathtaking beaches and engaging in cultural exploration.

Program Highlights

Spend your days surrounded by adorable puppies and dogs at a renowned, professional and ethical shelter
Enjoy helping these dogs get both the emotional and medical care they need
Live next to world-class beaches
Explore Sri Lanka with fellow volunteers on weekends to make memories that will last
Enjoy weekly yoga sessions, weekly movie nights, monthly bike tours and barbecues

Your schedule at a glance (Minimum two-week commitment):

Arrival Day, Saturday: Airport pickup according to scheduled flight and shared transfer to volunteer villa. Meet and greet with fellow volunteers.

Day 1, Sunday: A welcome orientation and project training is provided, including health and safety training, culture training and an area orientation tour. Enjoy the rest of the day by exploring local beaches with fellow volunteers or joining an adventure! ( See “Travel Highlights” below for recommendations!)

Days 2-6, Monday-Friday: On-site orientation and rewarding volunteer work at the dog shelter from around 8:00 AM -12:00 PM.

Days 7-8, Saturday and Sunday: Free time for volunteers to relax or explore.

Remaining Weeks: The following weeks will follow the schedule of volunteering Monday-Friday and having weekends free. Departures are on Saturdays.

Location of the Project: Ahangama, Sri Lanka

Project length: Minimum 1 week – Maximum 16 weeks

Arrival Airport: Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)

Volunteer Work: Animal care, veterinary assistance

Age: Minimum age 18

Number of Volunteers: Up to 30 international volunteers and 5 interns

Important Note: Animal and dog lovers with no professional training can join this program. Veterinary students have the option to upgrade to the internship program, see minimum requirements and additional fees below.

What’s Included

Accommodations: Shared rooms in a volunteer villa. Private rooms are available for an additional fee.

Food: Three meals per day are provided.

Airport Transfers: Shared airport transfers are provided on both arrival and departure days at specific hours. Upgrades to private transfers are available for an additional fee.

Orientation: Upon arrival, volunteers will receive a walking tour and introductory training presentations.

Support: Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.

What’s not Included

Flights, online ETA visa (around $35), travel health insurance, personal expenses, optional weekend activities and tours (paid locally), private airport transfers (if required), private room upgrades.

Location

This program takes place in Ahangama, which is close to the volunteer villa in Galle. Galle is a beautiful area in southern Sri Lanka that is surrounded by lush greenery and is in proximity to world-class beaches! Many of the nearby beaches are prime surfing spots, and others are more relaxing. There is even a turtle lagoon nearby. Galle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, complete with Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient religious buildings, museums and more. Galle is also quite trendy, and is home to cafes, shops, and boutique hotels. The volunteer villa is less than 100 metres from Unawatuna Beach, which is one of the most prominent beaches in all of Sri Lanka. Surfing, diving, snorkelling, beaching, etc, are all available in proximity.

Volunteer Work

There are about 3 million stray dogs in Sri Lanka, many of whom suffer from malnutrition, disease, and injuries. Unsprayed females produce several litters of puppies every year, many of which are simply abandoned in front of temples or at the gates of shelters. Animal care facilities in Sri Lanka, although limited, provide essential care for these dogs and promote public health.

As a volunteer, you will join the team of a well renown charity in Sri Lanka, with over 2,500 dogs in their facility. The dogs live in a beautiful, free-roaming sanctuary which provides a safe-haven for sick, disabled, and vulnerable strays. There is also an on-site veterinary clinic with resident local vets providing life-saving treatment and care. They also run neutering/rabies vaccination programs in the local area, adoption schemes and animal welfare education.

Volunteers will help provide hands-on care for stray puppies and dogs at this shelter. Many of the stray and abandoned dogs are sick and in need of medical care besides routine care

Some of your tasks may include:

High level of engagement with dogs and dog activities (playing, cuddling, etc.)
Assisting during mealtime feedings
Working with injured and disabled dogs and using a range of rehabilitation techniques such as hydrotherapy, wheelchair therapy and more (involves weekly
trips to the local beach for these activities)
Cleaning the general areas to maintain hygiene
Helping with socializing certain dogs
Puppy care
Occasionally assisting with building various tools for the betterment of the dogs’ experience (e.g., building small sheds, utility tools, toys, etc.)

Schedule: Volunteers will work from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Monday-Friday.

Veterinary Internship Upgrade

Qualified veterinary students can join the dog care internship program and gain hands-on experience. As an intern you will work under the supervision in-house vets and other supervisors at the clinic. You can assist in a range of tasks, including neutering programs (if they have the skills), treatment and diagnosis of various diseases, lump / tumour removals, wound stich ups, physiotherapy and more. You may also conduct checks on several disabled dogs, including health checks, temperature monitoring, dehydration checks, urine infections, etc. Depending on skill level, interns can watch and assist with orthopaedic surgery as well. Interns also help with the administration of drugs, wound dressings and vaccinations.

Local Achievements: We are thrilled to announce the opening of our transformative new Community Centre, made possible through the incredible support of our international volunteers! Located in the heart of Galle town, this first-of-its-kind facility serves as a free school and support center for the greater Galle community—home to our volunteer programs. This milestone marks a powerful step forward in uplifting the vibrant Galle community, and is a testament to our dedicated volunteers from around the globe!

Living Arrangements

Internet icon Internet: Each volunteer may use up to 5 GB of WiFi in the volunteer house during their stay.

Laundry icon Laundry: Laundry services are available for an additional fee.

Accommodations icon Accommodations: Volunteers will stay in one of two houses based on availability: 1. Beach-side volunteer house, conveniently located just across the road from Unawatuna Beach and 100 meters from the other volunteer house, this property features 13 bedrooms (3-6 people per room), each with a small en-suite bathroom. The house includes a dining area, garden, lounge, and terrace. Volunteers staying here also have access to the common pool at the other house. 2. Original volunteer house overlooking the beach and Indian Ocean, offering single-gender dorms with up to 4 people per room. The house has 11 bedrooms with fans, 11 bathrooms with hot water, and a private pool. It features eco-friendly solar heating and can host up to 52 volunteers at a time. AC rooms are available for an extra fee.

- Private Room Upgrades: Private rooms are available for an additional fee, based on availability. These rooms are located in separate houses 50–100 meters from the main house and include AC in the upgrade cost. Volunteers with private rooms still have full access to all main house facilities.
- Important Note: All applicants are welcome to upgrade based on availability. All applicants aged 40 and above will be required to upgrade to a private room for an additional fee.
- Photos: The main volunteer house photos are shown on the project page above. Private room photos represent the general quality standards across the three separate houses. Detailed photos of your assigned house will be provided after trip confirmation.

Food icon Food: Three meals per day will be prepared by house chefs, using local, fresh ingredients. All meals for volunteers regardless of which accommodations assigned to your placement, are served at the main house. Tropical fruit is available during every meal and there is a salad bar set up during most lunches and dinners. Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free and lactose-free diets can be accommodated with advance notice. Tea, coffee and filtered water are available throughout the day.

Requirements

Volunteer program requirements:

Most nationalities can easily apply for an online ETA visa to enter Sri Lanka.
Minimum age of 18. Also suitable for 16- and 17-year-olds with parental consent.
National Police Clearance
Basic Spoken English
All applicants aged 40 and above are required to upgrade to a private room for an additional fee

Internship program extra requirements:

Minimum age of 18
Minimum of 2 weeks commitment
At least 2 years of veterinary school and proof of enrolment at (or graduation from) a veterinary university
Current CV or Resume
Motivation letter describing personal background and rationale for pursuing this internship
Following your application, you can make a request to join the internship program (subject to availability)

Travel Highlights

As a volunteer, you will enjoy weekly evening yoga sessions, weekly movie nights, monthly bike tours, monthly special Sri Lankan BBQ and a monthly Buddhist temple visit! The volunteer villa is less than 100 metres from Unawatuna Beach, which is one of the most prominent beaches in all of Sri Lanka. Surfing, diving, snorkelling, beaching, etc, are all available in proximity. Additional travel adventures are available for an additional fee, see below:

Adventure Tour (Highly Recommended):
Extend your stay in Sri Lanka by participating in a seven-day Adventure Tour! This adventure tour includes a game drive, visits to waterfalls, a long train ride across beautiful tea gardens and local villages, an overnight stay at a riverside eco-lodge, visits to Sri Lanka’s most famous Buddhist temple in the historic city of Kandy, a village walk, a visit to Sigiriya Lion Rock, spend time in a local market and a trip to Negombo Beach!

Additional Recommendations:

Wildlife safari at Yala National Park or Udawalawe National Park (instead of elephant safari)
Rainforest hike to Sinharaja Forest Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage site)
Surfing lessons at nearby beaches
Scuba diving (PADI certification available)
Whale watching (during the season)
Cooking classes
Galle Fort visit (a UNESCO World Heritage site)