Welcome to the furry madness!

We would like to start by thanking you immensely for your interest in volunteering with us to help the hundreds of animals here at Saved Souls Animal Shelter! The help, hard-work and commitment volunteers provide is essential to our cause, and brings hope to the 550+ dogs and 45 cats we have at our shelter.

Although it can be emotionally challenging to see the injured and sick animals we save, please know that the difference you will make will last forever, both in your heart and theirs.

What We Believe In

We believe in offering shelter and food to the animals who have no place to go or no one to look after them is a very noble cause. Every new rescue is not "just another dog" on our list, but a frightened soul that needs some food, a warm place to call home and lots of love.

However, we know that continuous individual rescues cannot be the long-term answer to the stray overpopulation problem in Thailand. Sterilization is the only long-term solution! At Saved Souls, all animals are sterilized, but we are currently lacking the resources to extend a big sterilization project outside our walls. It is however a goal we are pursuing, and we have started to conduct small projects in the nearby villages.

The animal shelter is divided into areas A and B with 75 enclosures. Some of the enclosures are subdivided into lowercase letters. In addition, you will also find a clinic and enclosures for disabled dogs. Don't forget that our animals are looking for a home, so feel free to fall in love and take one (or more) home!

Our Special Needs Dogs

The population of Saved Souls Animal Shelter includes about 80 special needs dogs. Most of them were left paralyzed or required limbs to be amputated after road traffic accidents. We are also home to many blind dogs. Saved Souls is one of the rare shelters in Thailand to admit disabled dogs. We believe here that everybody deserves a chance!

Disabled dogs require specific care and attention. They are prone to sores, some need to be expressed, all need to have some exercise time on wheelchairs, physiotherapy or hydrotherapy. At this moment in time, our facilities and arrangements sadly do not permit us to match those daily standard requirements, which is why we need your help! With volunteers on our team, we can have enough staff to make sure our disabled dogs get the attention they need.

Working as a volunteer at our Saved Souls Shelter🐾

Ask yourself before joining:

• •Do you mind getting dirty? Our daily work involves a lot of grooming, enclosure cleaning, walking on muddy trails etc.
• •Are you able to work with very little / zero supervision or guidance after your initial training?
• •Are you able to avoid becoming overly distressed when witnessing difficult and emotional situations with injured, sick or disabled animals? Your distress can quickly pass to the animal, causing them more fear and stress. A cool head is key!
• •Do you have an open mind? We operate with little funding and may not do things the way you expect.
• •Will you respect and accept that the staff are already fully trained in their duties? Suggestions are happily welcomed and we do ask that volunteers come to management for any ideas they have!
• •Are you able to work in a hot and humid environment?
• •Have you got a deep willingness to help animals to the best of your abilities?

Volunteering with animals is hard work that requires commitment. It is not for everyone – loving animals is half the battle, but it's not enough. Even if you have volunteered in different charities before, please understand that the current situation of Saved Souls makes it an even more challenging environment. As a volunteer here you will be required to be very independent, proactive, hard-working, committed and open-minded.

Full training will be provided, and management will always be there for you for any questions, suggestions or concerns, but your schedule for the day will consist of mostly unsupervised work, either alone or with a volunteer for company! This can include feeding a section of our dog enclosures, taking a dog on a walk around the area, or helping to clean an enclosure.

Ground rules

• •Always use caution when trying to walk a dog on a lead as there are many loose dogs around.
• •Please be careful with dogs that do not belong to the animal shelter, as they might be aggressive.
• •Please return the dogs to the correct enclosure. If you're not sure, ask one of our staff members.
• •Please do not give "rewards" during your runs, as this can lead to jealousy between dogs and start fights.
• •If a fight begins while you are on a run, clap your hands, use an authoritative voice, stomp your feet, or sprinkle the dogs with water. DO NOT attempt to separate or hit the dogs. If this does not help, call the caretaker.
• •We advise you to wear long sleeves and long trousers to protect you from scratches.
• •Despite being regularly treated, you may see dogs with ticks. If you know how to remove them, do so. If not, inform a member of the staff.
• •Always close the outer door first and then open the inner door. Many of these dogs are escape artists!
• •If you see an animal that looks sick, please alert a staff member!
• •You are responsible for the tidiness of your bungalow / volunteer house. At the end of your stay, please leave the premises the way you found them upon arrival.