How Volunteering in Thailand Will Impact Stray Dogs

Volunteering abroad is a great way to make an impact on communities abroad. Our newest program in Thailand offers volunteers the chance to do hands on work with Thailand’s rampant stray dog problem.

However, there are many organizations out there that promote volunteering abroad, that actually turns out to be more like a voluntourism program once you’re abroad. I participated in a program like this back in college, and I was disappointed because it was difficult to see the impact of my work. It made me question the validity of volunteering abroad in the first place.

As a non-profit, Greenheart Travel partners directly with non-profit initiatives abroad to ensure that we offer the best and most impactful volunteer opportunities. We aim to focus our volunteer programs on environmental and sustainability initiatives, capitalizing on the green in our name. By focusing on grassroots initiatives, we ensure that our participants will be on the front lines of the work, whether it be conservation, animal rescue or sustainability. Our Thailand stray dog project is a great example of this!

There are estimates, albeit conservative estimates, that there are over 300,000 stray dogs in Thailand, a number which continues to grow annually. With no one to care for these animals, their quality of life is extremely low. 70% of street puppies will die before their 6 month birthday. 90% of dogs have ticks, and about 50% have parasites and other diseases.

The project started out with the simple goal of giving food to hundreds of dogs in Hua Hin. Our program aims to improve the lives of these animals by offering basic necessities such as food, healthcare, love and attention. Over time, we hope to reduce the population through sterilizations.

Since then, the operation has grown to include trained volunteer vets who provide vaccinations, medication, and even surgery. The volunteer staff has nearly doubled over the past 2 years, allowing the expansion of the program, food runs, and rehabilitation care. Our vision is to create communities in which dogs live healthy, long lives because each animal is important and deserves love.

To get an idea of the impact this program has on stray dogs in Hua Hin, check out the number of services we’ve provided since 2013:

• 500 vaccinations
• 250 sterilzations
• 1000 parasite treatments
• 40 disease treatments
• 1300 dogs fed
• 11 dogs adopted

Our volunteers are an integral part of the shelter’s operations and you can check out the video below to see some of the before and after shots of the dogs affected:

Are you ready to volunteer with these dogs?