Ever wondered what it’s like to work hands-on with exotic wildlife in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest? After 8 years in the veterinary industry, my partner Dan and I took the leap and headed to Peru for an unforgettable experience.
Like many people in this field, my passion for animals started at a young age – particularly for those creatures that are strange and wonderful. I’ve also always been captivated by tropical environments, likely due to watching countless David Attenborough documentaries on our natural world.
So, when Dan and I qualified as registered veterinary nurses, we wanted to find a project where we could combine our love for animals and conservation. That’s how we ended up in the Amazon Rainforest in Peru.
In September 2024, we travelled to Peru to volunteer at the Amazon Shelter, a rehabilitation centre that helps return animals affected by deforestation and the illegal pet trade back to the wild. Our time there was eye-opening and life-changing, blending hands-on veterinary work, the daily care of exotic animals, and learning about the huge challenges wildlife face in this region.
So, if you’re a veterinary professional or a fellow animal lover with no veterinary experience, let’s take a look at how you can find opportunities abroad.
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Amazon Shelter
The Amazon Shelter, located near Puerto Maldonado in Peru, has been running successfully for over 14 years under the passionate leadership of Magali. Due to deforestation, illegal pet trading, mining, and logging, many animals in the area require rehabilitation. The shelter has established itself as a vital centre for helping these animals return to their natural habitat.
After a 26-hour journey, we finally arrived at the shelter – exhausted but full of excitement. The shelter is beautifully rustic, with traditional wooden buildings, palm-thatched roofs, and enclosures housing a variety of animals.
Although the accommodation was basic, it had a welcoming community spirit, with all meals shared amongst the volunteers and staff. The shelter is set in the jungle, so expect to wave goodbye to some home comforts like air conditioning – and don’t be surprised if the odd jungle creature finds its way into your room. Lizards and praying mantids were common visitors!
There was a small veterinary clinic on-site, and the team was in the process of building a more advanced facility with an operating theatre, x-ray room, and consultation area, which will greatly benefit the animals in their care.
The shelter was surrounded by jungle trails and wooden bridges over streams, with the jungle canopy providing much-needed shade from the intense heat.
Wildlife is abundant – sloths, tamarin monkeys, tarantulas, and even the occasional squirrel monkey can be spotted nearby. We often found ourselves being watched by tamarin monkeys during our meals, and one evening a pink-toed tarantula joined us for a game of UNO.
Running of the day
Volunteering works on a rotation at the shelter, where the different animals and sections are covered by different volunteers and keepers. The shelter aims to allow volunteers to experience each different area including the nursery, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, parrots, squirrel monkeys, sloths and deer.
Veterinary trained professionals can also spend time working with the onsite vet. A particular highlight for us was carrying out an anaesthetic on a howler monkey who had injured their tail in the wild and needed a stitch-up. We also helped to care for a sad case – a baby sloth who had been electrocuted and was critically unwell. Sadly, the little sloth didn’t make it and served as a harsh reminder of the challenges that these animals face in a changing world.
Previously, a squirrel monkey required an enucleation (eye removal), so was recovering in a kennel before being introduced to an enclosure, and a possum and her babies were also waiting to be transferred to a new home.
A typical running of the day at the Amazon Shelter followed a set routine:
7am – Communal breakfast with volunteers and staff.
7:30am – Preparation of animal diets including fresh fruit, vegetables and vegetation.
8am – Distribution of diets to animals in your rotation.
8:30am – 12pm – Repairing, constructing and building enclosures or collecting leaves from the jungle for the monkeys. Veterinary work with the onsite vet.
12pm – Preparation of animal diets and cleaning from morning diets.
1pm – Communal lunch and rest.
2:30pm – 4pm – Repairing, constructing and building enclosures or collecting leaves from the jungle for the monkeys. Veterinary work with the onsite vet.
4pm – 5:30pm – Cleaning of the enclosures.
7pm – Communal dinner.
Life at the Amazon Shelter was both intense hard work mixed with laughter and relaxation in the evenings
It was amazing getting to work with the onsite vet and being able to share our knowledge. Dan and I worked with the vet students and discussed how the multi parameters work, showing them how to set them up and attach them to the patient.
It was incredible to work with exotic animals and learn how to provide them with the best care, with the hope to return them to the wild. We weren’t lucky enough to be involved in a release whilst we were at the shelter, but other volunteers that had been there longer were able to assist in the release of animals.
After work, we would often go for a swim in the river opposite, or have a nap before dinner in the hammocks. Evenings were spent sitting around the campfire, playing games with the other volunteers or spending some time at the bar at the lodge opposite.
Finding opportunities for veterinary professionals
If you’re wanting to find volunteering placements abroad, there are plenty of websites and Facebook groups which specifically advertise and discuss opportunities. We used a company called Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) to find our placement.
Established in 2003, the WVS provides veterinary services across the globe, from sending emergency packages out to clinics, to delivering expert training to veterinary professionals and of course, organising placements for veterinary professionals.
Using the WVS was a no brainer for us – not only do they support you throughout the process but they advise of essential information such as vaccinations required and send you a packing list of items that you may need. Plus, if you become a member you are covered by a travel insurance policy that covers you for working with animals.
Their website is brimming with volunteering opportunities across the world and you can filter placements depending on your qualifications and desired country.
Volunteering for animal lovers
Volunteering without any veterinary qualifications is still possible and is super popular. There are different organisations such as GVI, International Volunteer HQ and Gap 360. One thing I would say is do as much research on the rescue as possible to make sure that you are going to a place that is worthwhile whilst also matching your morals.
Reaching out to people online that have visited the same shelter may also give you a better insight into the experience, but speak to the organisation who is providing the trip to see if they can put you in touch with previous volunteers.
Whilst volunteering abroad is an amazing experience, don’t forget that there are thousands of charities across the UK that would also benefit volunteers. So, if your budget isn’t matching the dream, look at opportunities that are more local to you.
Final thoughts on volunteering
Our time spent at the Amazon Shelter was genuinely one of the most cherished experiences of my career. Whilst it was challenging on both a mental and physical level, it was so satisfying and empowering knowing that we have made a difference in the rehabilitation of animals in the precious Amazon Rainforest.
To anyone who may be considering volunteering opportunities with animals, I would advise to 100% add it to your bucket list. Be prepared for hard work, but a whole lot of satisfaction. Take the plunge and reach out to organisations who may be able to place you at your dream location.
Volunteering in the Amazon Rainforest was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If you’re passionate about animals and conservation, don’t hesitate – take the plunge, and you might just find yourself on a life-changing adventure!
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