Culturally speaking in Latin America, dogs and cats are not looked upon as integral members of the family the way they are in many other countries. This often leads to neglect and abandonment. The projects we work with promote the value of preservation, of both species diversity and their natural habitats. The projects also protect the animals and provide medical treatment, shelter, rehabilitation, training, and re-release into the wild when appropriate. Animal Care volunteers may be placed at an animal shelter, a veterinary clinic, or an exotic animal refuge. Volunteers may have the opportunity to work with animals such as dogs, cats, crocodiles, snakes, geckos, turtles, and a variety of domesticated animals. 

Depending on the project, volunteers may be asked to:

• Bathe and/or groom the animals
• Provide basic obedience training
• Clean cages, feed animals, maintain the project area
• Help during feeding time
• Play with and walk the animals
• Support the treatment of injured or sick animals
• Observe surgeries and assist in pre-operative and post-operative care
• Release or return healthy, recovered animals
• Assist with small construction projects
• Photography and fundraising
• Educational programs in local schools including conservation work
• Join spay/neuter programs and/or rabies vaccination clinics

At animal care projects, work may be physically demanding at times. Please note that due to availability and seasonal needs at our projects, we cannot guarantee any particular type of facility. Rest assured, there is a big need for volunteer assistance at these projects and your presence is valued.

The majority of our projects are located in and around Manuel Antonio. Travel time varies widely from project to project and volunteers should expect to spend 20-40 minutes traveling each way. The city bus system is generally the most effective and cheapest way to get to and from your project, although taxis are also widely available. For the first visit to the project, volunteers are taken by a Maximo Nivel representative using the local transport and given additional information about how to get to and from the project. Local bus rides are very affordable and a one way trip will rarely cost more than ₡390 (about $0.75).