Animal Care Volunteer Program in Lima - Peru
Love hanging out with man’s best friend and want to be an Animal Care volunteer in Peru - Lima? International Volunteer HQ’s Animal Care project is a great opportunity for volunteers to help the thousands of dogs that have been abandoned on the streets of Lima and are often suffering from hunger, disease and injury. Volunteers gain animal care experience while providing vital support and help for non-profit dog shelters that manage, treat and rehabilitate the dogs and try to find them new, loving homes.
Highlights:
- Programs start the first and third Monday of the month
- Affordable fees from $275 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
-
Help with exercise, play, cleaning and feeding of abandoned dogs
-
Discover Peru’s amazing mountains and ancient ruins
-
Stay in a volunteer house or homestay near the coast of Lima
Key information
This program is ideal for:
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Thousands of stray dogs call the streets of Lima home, especially in low-income areas where many people have pet dogs, but struggle to access sterilization programs. When dogs fall pregnant they, or the pups, are often abandoned as the owners can’t afford to provide for an entire litter. Dog shelters are seen as important institutions to help manage street dogs that commonly suffer from hunger, infection and injuries, however they are not funded and rely on the help of volunteers to operate.
As an Animal Care volunteer you will assist in the daily running of non-profit dog shelters, which provide a loving home to many dogs that would otherwise be on the street. Tasks include:
- Dog walking
- Bathing and grooming
- Feeding
- Playing games
- Administering vitamins
- Cleaning and general upkeep of the shelter
- Adoption campaigns to help give dogs a permanent home and free up shelter space for other dogs.
Why do Animal Care volunteering in Lima with IVHQ?
When you volunteer with animals in Peru - Lima you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Helping stray and abandoned dogs from the streets of Lima
- Assisting local initiatives to rehabilitate and rehome animals
- Developing your communication skills
- Gaining animal care experience
- Immersing yourself in Peruvian culture
- Exploring the stunning mountains and ancient ruins of Peru
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- Volunteers aged 16-18 are required to provide IVHQ with parental consent in order to participate on the program, and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
Apply For FreeNot sure which program to join?
Peru photo gallery
Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course credit”I loved every minute of it and want to do it more regularly, trying different programs and destinations. Try it, just for a week, you won’t regret it ”
Mollie, British, 28
Read reviews from Animal Care volunteers in Lima
See more reviews
Location
Lima, Peru’s capital city, is perched along the country’s Pacific coast. As the biggest city in Peru and one of the largest in South America, Lima is an important hub of culture, commerce, finance and politics. It’s also got a long history dating back to Pre-Columbian times as well as a strong Spanish influence and both of these can be explored in the many museums, art galleries, churches and ancient historical sites dotted around the city.
IVHQ’s Lima projects are set in and around the city, near the tourist hotspots of Barranco and Miraflores, wildly different in nature but both known for their beauty, great food and buzzing nightlife.
Arrival and orientation
The program orientation begins on the first and third Monday of each month and volunteers need to arrive into Lima on the day before orientation.
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM). Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee. We recommend that volunteers under the age of 18 travel internationally with a notarized letter from their parents to support their documentation.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Lima. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation. If you are traveling in Peru prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Lima on the day before your program orientation, or you can make your own way to the program site.
Orientation is hosted by our local team at the volunteer house in Lima. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date. It covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Lima – an introduction to Peru, Peruvian customs, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities in Peru, and an introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
Volunteer schedule example
First Day
On the first day of the volunteering placement, you will be escorted to the project by our local staff and introduced to the staff at the project you will be working with.
Weekdays - A typical day would be as follows:
| 6:00 AM | Breakfast at the volunteer house or homestay. |
| 7:00 AM | Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. |
| 12:30 - 1:00 PM | Volunteers finish placement and return to their accommodation. You will be provided with a packed lunch to eat at your convenience. |
| 2:00 - 6:00 PM | Volunteers are free to prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing. If volunteers are taking Spanish language lessons, they will usually take these in the afternoon. Some placements may take place in the afternoon. |
| 6:30 - 7:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer house or homestay. |
Weekends
During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually just relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Lima and Peru. Popular activities include paragliding from the cliffs of Miraflores, visiting the Pachacamac Ruins south of Lima, climbing to the top of the Huaca Pucllana Pyramid, surfing the coastal waters of Miraflores and Barranco, and sandboarding in Huacachina of Southwest Peru. Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield to visit other parts of Peru such as Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Looking for more ideas of things to do in Peru - Lima? Check out our Lima Travel & Tours page!
Accommodation and WiFi
You’ll stay in a family-hosted volunteer house or in a homestay. Bedrooms have single and double beds and volunteers can expect to share a room with one to three other volunteers. Living is comfortable and there is electricity and running water in the volunteer house and the homestays. Bedding is provided and you just need to bring your own towel and toiletries.
If you would like a more private setting, homestay experience and private room upgrades are available to book once registered for the program. From $115 per person per week, these upgrades place volunteers in smaller homestays with a local host family and a maximum of 1 to 2 other volunteers.
WiFi is available to volunteers in both the volunteer house and homestay accommodation.
Meals
Breakfasts generally consist of tea and coffee, toast, local breads, cereal, condiments, ham and cheese. Lunch is usually served at your accommodation and is traditionally the main meal of the day and some families only cook one meal to be served for both lunch and dinner. This will usually be a plated hot meal such as pasta, stews, vegetables and rice. Volunteers staying in a homestay may find some variation in the menu provided.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $275 Equivalent to $39/day |
| 2 weeks | $488 Equivalent to $35/day |
| 3 weeks | $700 Equivalent to $33/day |
| 4 weeks | $835 Equivalent to $30/day |
| 5 weeks | $974 Equivalent to $28/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,114 Equivalent to $27/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,404 Equivalent to $25/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,684 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 12 weeks | $1,964 Equivalent to $23/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Discounts on language lessons
- Discounts on travel and tour add-ons
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, public transportation to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Lima generally find US$50 - $100 per week to be sufficient for expenses, such as snacks, in-country tours, and Spanish language lessons.
- Anyone volunteering during the week before Christmas will have a one-off surcharge of US$70 added to their file when registering, for Christmas activities within the community.
Recommended activities and tour add-ons
We believe that no volunteer adventure would be complete without experiencing the natural wonders of your host country. That’s why we offer a range of awesome adventures and tours in Peru, exclusively available to IVHQ volunteers in Lima as affordable add-ons.
Volunteers in Lima traveling on to Cusco also have access to a whole range of tours and add-ons in Cusco, including Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain and more!
Below are just a few of our most popular Peru tours, please contact us or your Program Manager to find out more or to see the full list.
- Lima - Market Tour - $70 (price based on a minimum of 2 people on tour)
- Lima - City Tour - $70 (price based on a minimum of 2 people on tour)
- Lima - Full Day Bus Tour - Paracas - Ica - Huacachina - $175 (small group tour upgrades available)
- Cusco - Rainbow Mountain Hike - US$65
- Cusco - Machu Picchu Overnight Tour & Backpacker Hostel - $340 (upgrade options are available)
- Cusco - Zip Lining in Sacred Valley - $65
- Cusco - Whitewater Rafting - $64
- Cusco - Lake Titicaca Overnight Tour & Backpacker Hostel - US$130
How to book IVHQ’s recommended add-ons: Once you’ve paid your registration fee to secure your place on the Lima program, you’ll be able to book Lima and Cusco add-on tours via your MyIVHQ account. These will be visible in your preparation checklist.
Spanish language lessons
Spanish language lessons are available for all volunteers regardless of their ability. IVHQ strongly recommends these for all volunteers, unless they are fluent in Spanish. If volunteers have little or no Spanish ability and are volunteering for a period longer than 2 weeks, they should strongly consider these courses, so they can work and communicate with all parties more effectively during their program. These language lessons can be pre-booked by the hour via your MyIVHQ profile and the class schedule confirmed on your arrival in Lima at your program orientation. The language lessons are tailored to each volunteer’s current level of Spanish. The cost is very affordable and offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers at $20 (approximately $20) per hour for a private class.
Check what's required to visit Peru
Check out the widget below to find out what the Covid-19 restrictions and visa requirements are for Peru, based on your country of residence.
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Essential country information
| Capital | Lima |
| Population | 32 million |
| Languages | Spanish |
| Currency | Nuevo Sol (PEN) |
| Time zone | UTC-05:00 |
Weather and climate: Peru, unlike other equatorial countries, does not have an exclusively tropical climate; the influence of the Andes and the Humboldt Current causes great climatic diversity within the country. The coast has moderate temperatures, low precipitation, and high humidity, except for its warmer, wetter northern reaches. In the sierra, rain is frequent during summer, and temperature and humidity diminish with altitude up to the frozen peaks of the Andes. The jungle is characterized by heavy rainfall and high temperatures, except for its southernmost part, which has cold winters and seasonal rainfall.
Latest blog posts
Other projects you may be interested in
