There are so many reasons why you should take some time to volunteer with animals in your home town or when you travel abroad. Make sure you support an ethical wildlife charity, where the animals and local communities are supported positively. Some of you may be contemplating this endeavour, but not fully convinced it’s worth while. I hope this changes your mind, because it certainly was a worthwhile endeavour for me!
1. Make a positive impact on an animal’s life
Volunteering your time is a wonderful selfless act. It’s an opportunity for us to give back and help those in need.
Cleaning enclosures, preparing food, enrichment’s and grounds maintenance will be the bulk of your day-to-day life as a wildlife volunteer.
Make sure you support a charity that has a hand-off approach. This is for the animals well-being, your safety and to avoid cross contamination of potential diseases. In some cases a charity does allow a hands-on approach, however do not expect this as a given, as you may leave disappointed. If you want to volunteer with wildlife, you need to be respectful of the animals needs.
You will however have the opportunity to observe each animals behaviour and get to know their personalities. You will learn a great deal about their emotional, physical and mental needs.
Hopefully you role will also incorporate educating the local and wider communities to help create awareness and end unnecessary suffering and extinction.
2. Challenge yourself to grow
Volunteering with animals may be something completely different to what you do in your everyday life. You will be out of your comfort zone in many ways. To give the best care to these animals you will have to follow instructions and protocols, which may be foreign to you, which can cause challenges.
Living in a different country, with a different culture, language and climate, with basic living conditions can be a struggle for many of us.
Feeling out of your depth is normal, but it will become easier and you will grow immensely.
3. Gain confidence
When you challenge yourself, you are often out of your comfort zone but overcoming these challenges makes you grow and gain confidence.
By gaining confidence, you will develop a range of new skills that you can take back with you and use in your every day life. In your volunteer role you may have to give educational talks to groups of local or foreign children and adults, or train new volunteers.
This will make you more capable and comfortable introducing yourself to strangers and/or giving presentations at your work place. This can all seem confronting now but with time, practice and a willing to create awareness for the animals you will gain the confidence to do this and even more.
The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project 2007 Talking to a group of children explaining why the gibbons are here and not in the wild.
4. Make long-lasting friendships
When you volunteer, you meet like-minded people, who also love animals, are caring, compassionate, who love to travel and want to make a positive impact in the world. These are the people you grow, learn and gain confidence with.
The other volunteers are often your support during times when you may feel overwhelmed, unsure or needing guidance. It is inevitable that you will make quality, dependable friends with these people as you are all going through the same experiences.
5. Feel better
Life is stressful, there is no doubt about it. Volunteering is a great stress reliever. You will be focusing on something else and not your problems. Often you realise your problems are minor compared to what the animals have suffered and the struggles they may continue to face.
Volunteering will take your mind off things, allowing your stress levels to decrease which will have a positive impact on the rest of your body.
You will feel a great sense of satisfaction as you will have a sense of purpose, which will also increase your confidence levels. A win-win situation!
Ape Action Africa 2012 Relaxing with a baby gorilla.
Have I convinced you yet?
There are so many good reasons to volunteer with animals. I would recommend putting yourself out there, getting out of your comfort zone and giving it a go. What have you got to lose?
As long as you can deal with poo, and lots of it, you’ll be fine! You will have a positive impact on an animals life and best of all, you will be able to see first hand the benefits of your hard work. You will become their voice.
Although finding a suitable charity may seem a little daunting to start with, the reward will far outweigh this challenge. You will be able to make a real impact, not only on your life and other people but the lives of so many animals.
What’s not to love? Are you ready yet?
Thanks for reading!
Please leave a comment about anything you read, or if need any advice. I would love to hear from you.
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Very cool. It would be an amazing experience to volunteer with animals. Where did you volunteer with Chimpanzees?
It is definitely a fantastic experience that I recommend you try. I volunteered at a place called Ape Action Africa in Cameroon with Chimpanzees, Gorillas and other native primates. Take a look at their website, a lot of information there. Otherwise please contact me, as I’d be happy to help with any questions you may have 😁