The Street Dog Rescue program is the most physically demanding and emotionally challenging volunteer placement we offer in Peru. This isn’t playing with puppies for Instagram photos. This is hard, dirty, sometimes heartbreaking work rescuing and rehabilitating street dogs who would otherwise die on Cusco’s streets from starvation, disease, injuries, or abuse.
Let’s be absolutely clear about what you’re signing up for: you will clean up more dog feces and urine than you ever imagined possible. You will get muddy, scratched, possibly bitten by scared dogs. You will fall in love with animals who might not get adopted. You will witness suffering that breaks your heart. You will work physically hard at altitude until you’re exhausted. And you will question whether any of this makes a difference against the overwhelming problem of thousands of street dogs in Cusco.
If that paragraph made you want to choose a different program, good – we just saved you from a terrible mismatch. But if you read it and thought “I can handle that, and it sounds worth it,” then keep reading because this might be exactly the volunteer experience you’re looking for.
Our street dog rescue project operates a shelter facility outside Cusco city center where we rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome street dogs who have no other options. We typically care for 40 to 60 dogs at any given time, ranging from puppies to senior dogs, from recently rescued traumatized animals to long-term residents waiting months or years for adoption. The shelter operates entirely on donations and volunteer labor – without international volunteers providing daily care, we couldn’t rescue and care for as many dogs as we do.
The street dog problem in Cusco is massive and depressing. An estimated 5,000 to 8,000 street dogs live in the city, with more in surrounding areas. They’re born on streets, abandoned by owners who can’t afford them, or descendants of generations of street dogs. They eat garbage, suffer injuries, contract diseases, and die young – average lifespan of a street dog in Cusco is maybe three to five years compared to 10-15 for dogs in homes.
We can’t rescue them all. We can’t solve the systemic problem of animal overpopulation and abandonment. What we CAN do is rescue individual dogs in critical condition, provide medical care and rehabilitation, socialize them for adoption, and find them homes – either locally in Peru or internationally in countries with better animal welfare infrastructure. Over the past decade, we’ve rescued and rehomed approximately 1,200+ dogs. That’s 1,200+ individual lives saved, which matters even if it’s a drop in the ocean of the larger problem.
Your role as a street dog rescue volunteer is providing the daily care, exercise, socialization, and love that keeps rescued dogs healthy and adoptable while they wait for homes. You’re also the labor force that allows the organization to function – cleaning kennels, feeding dozens of dogs twice daily, walking dogs for exercise, administering medications, and helping with medical care under veterinary supervision.
The work is real and essential. Dogs need care every single day regardless of weather, holidays, or how volunteers feel. You’re not just helping out when convenient – you’re becoming part of the essential operations keeping 40-60 animals alive and healthy. That responsibility matters, and we need volunteers who take it seriously.
We work with dogs of all sizes, breeds, temperaments, and conditions. Some are friendly, socialized, and easy to handle. Others are fearful, aggressive from trauma or pain, or have serious behavioral issues requiring patient rehabilitation work. Some arrive nearly dead from starvation or injuries. Others are healthy but just needed rescue from street life before bad things happened to them. You’ll work with the full spectrum of animal rescue reality.
The emotional impact is significant. You will bond with dogs knowing you’re leaving Peru in weeks or months while they might wait much longer for homes. You will invest in difficult dogs’ rehabilitation, then watch them get adopted by someone else. You will lose dogs despite best medical efforts. You will see the results of human cruelty and neglect. This requires emotional resilience and mature coping strategies.
But here’s what makes it worth it: the moment when a terrified, aggressive dog finally trusts you enough to let you pet them. Watching a dog who arrived skeletal and sick transform into a healthy, playful animal over weeks of care. Getting the message that a dog you worked with extensively just got adopted and is thriving in their new home. Knowing that your labor directly contributed to saving lives that would have been lost.
This program operates as part of My Peru Destinations, meaning you have the backing of an established Peruvian organization with local support. Our coordinators visit the shelter regularly, address concerns, and provide 24/7 support for the challenges you’ll face. You’re not alone in this difficult work.
We strongly recommend at least 4 weeks commitment for animal rescue volunteering, ideally 1-8+ weeks. Dogs need consistency, and the work is physically exhausting enough that it takes time to build stamina and competence. Short-term volunteers create more work for staff than value, and bonding intensely with dogs then disappearing after two weeks can be harmful for animals who’ve already experienced abandonment.
Your actual day-to-day life as a street dog rescue volunteer in Cusco follows a physically demanding routine that’s similar every day but never boring because dogs are unpredictable:
Morning Options (7:00 AM – 12:00 PM):
If you’re combining animal rescue with Spanish classes (which some volunteers do though it’s less common than with teaching or social work programs), your mornings are Spanish study from 9 AM to 1 PM. Then lunch, then afternoon at the shelter.
Most animal rescue volunteers skip Spanish classes and work full days at the shelter because the physical labor is so demanding that adding morning classes creates exhaustion. Typical animal volunteer schedule is arriving at shelter around 8:00 or 8:30 AM and working until 3:00 or 4:00 PM, then returning home completely exhausted.
Arrival and Morning Feeding (8:00 AM – 9:30 AM):
You arrive at the shelter to absolute chaos as 40-60 dogs hear cars arriving and start barking excitedly because they know food is coming. The noise is genuinely overwhelming initially – dozens of dogs barking in enclosed space creates sound level that physically hurts your ears. You adjust over time, but mornings are LOUD.
Morning feeding involves:
This seems straightforward until you’re doing it with 50 dogs, many with special dietary needs, some requiring medications mixed into food, others needing to be fed separately due to aggression or health issues. The logistics are complex and the physical labor of carrying heavy food bags, distributing dozens of bowls, and washing everything is genuinely tiring.
Kennel Cleaning (9:30 AM – 12:00 PM):
This is the hardest, dirtiest, most essential work. Every single kennel and dog run must be cleaned daily, meaning:
With 40-60 dogs producing waste constantly, this is hours of physical labor. You’ll be bending over continuously, lifting heavy waste bags, getting wet from hosing, and dealing with smells that are genuinely unpleasant. Your hands will be raw from cleaning solution, your back will hurt from bending, and you’ll be covered in mud and probably worse.
This work is not optional or for “other volunteers.” Everyone does kennel cleaning. It’s the foundation of keeping dogs healthy because dirty living conditions cause disease. The volunteers who try to avoid this work or half-ass it create problems for everyone and for the dogs’ health.
Laundry and Facility Maintenance (Ongoing):
Dog blankets, towels, and bedding need constant washing. Facilities need maintenance. Supplies need organizing. Food storage areas need cleaning. These ongoing tasks fill time between other activities and keep the shelter functional.
Lunch Break (12:00 PM – 1:00 PM):
Usually eaten at the shelter or nearby. You’re too dirty to go anywhere nice for lunch. Most volunteers bring packed lunch or buy something simple nearby, eat quickly, and rest before afternoon activities because you’re already tired.
Medical Care Assistance (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM):
Several times weekly, veterinary staff visit the shelter or work on-site treating dogs with medical needs. Your role includes:
This work requires careful attention because medical errors harm dogs. You’ll learn to give pills, apply wound care, recognize symptoms of illness, and assist with basic veterinary procedures under supervision. It’s valuable skill-building but also responsibility because dogs’ health depends on accurate care.
Dog Walking and Exercise (2:30 PM – 4:00 PM):
Every dog needs exercise and socialization outside their kennel. You’ll walk multiple dogs throughout afternoon, either individually or in small compatible groups. This sounds fun (and parts of it are) but it’s also physically demanding and requires skill:
Dogs who’ve lived on streets often pull hard on leashes, jump, or react to stimuli. Walking a strong 30-kilo dog who’s excited and poorly leash-trained requires physical strength. You’ll walk uphill at altitude, managing dogs while breathing hard yourself.
Some dogs are afraid of everything and need patient encouragement to walk at all. Others want to fight every dog they see. Some are perfect walking companions. You’ll learn to read dog behavior and match your handling to each individual dog’s needs.
Beyond physical exercise, walks are crucial socialization time building dogs’ trust in humans and preparing them for adoption. The one-on-one attention during walks creates bonds and helps fearful dogs become confident.
Socialization and Training (Ongoing throughout day):
Throughout the day, you spend time with dogs on basic training and socialization:
This work is less physically demanding but requires patience and consistency. Dogs learn slowly, and progress can be frustrating. But socialization dramatically improves adoption prospects because even wonderful dogs won’t get adopted if they’re too fearful or poorly behaved.
Afternoon Feeding (4:00 PM – 4:30 PM):
Second feeding similar to morning: prepare food, distribute, monitor, collect and wash bowls, ensure all dogs ate appropriately.
End of Day Tasks (4:30 PM – 5:00 PM):
Evening:
Return to homestay or accommodation completely exhausted, filthy, and probably smelling like dog. Shower, change into clean clothes (you’ll need dedicated “shelter clothes” that you don’t mind destroying), eat dinner, and collapse. Some evenings you’ll have energy to socialize with other volunteers. Many evenings you’ll just want to sleep.
Weekends:
The shelter operates seven days weekly and dogs need care every day. Typically volunteers work 5-6 days weekly with one or two days off. You’ll coordinate with other volunteers and staff about coverage. Weekend days off are precious for rest, laundry, and recovering your energy for another week.
Special Activities (Variable):
Some weeks include additional activities beyond daily care:
The Reality Check:
This schedule is genuinely exhausting. You’ll be more physically tired than you expect, even if you’re athletic. Working at altitude while doing manual labor compounds fatigue. Your body will hurt the first week. You’ll develop muscles and calluses. You’ll adapt, but it’s not easy work.
The dogs make it worthwhile. Their excitement when you arrive, the trust that develops over time, watching fearful dogs transform into confident animals – this emotional reward sustains you through the physical hardship.
Street dog rescue has specific requirements because the work is physically and emotionally demanding:
Minimum Age: 18 years old. The physical labor and emotional maturity required make this adult work. No exceptions.
Minimum Duration: 2 weeks absolute minimum, 4+ weeks strongly recommended.
Here’s the honest reality: the first week you’re learning everything, building physical stamina, and just becoming minimally competent. Week two you’re actually useful. If you leave after two weeks, you provided minimal net value and bonded with dogs who then lose another person from their lives.
Four to eight weeks allows you to become genuinely skilled at the work, build deep relationships with specific dogs, see progress in behavioral rehabilitation you contributed to, and make meaningful impact. The longer volunteers (6-12+ weeks) become the experienced core that trains new volunteers and provides continuity for the dogs.
We accept two-week commitments reluctantly and only because we’re desperate for labor. But please, if you can possibly stay four+ weeks, do it. It matters enormously for the dogs and for the quality of your experience.
Physical Fitness and Stamina Required. This isn’t a checkbox requirement we can verify, but it’s essential. Ask yourself honestly:
Can you lift 15-20 kilos repeatedly? Can you spend 6-7 hours on your feet doing physical labor? Can you bend over hundreds of times daily cleaning kennels? Can you walk multiple large, strong dogs who pull on leashes? Can you work in heat and cold while getting wet and dirty? Can you handle physical work at 3,400 meters altitude?
If you have back problems, knee issues, limited strength, or poor cardiovascular fitness, this work will injure you or be impossible to sustain. You don’t need to be an athlete, but you need basic physical capability for manual labor.
Emotional Resilience. You must be emotionally capable of:
If you’re prone to depression or emotional overwhelm, carefully consider whether you can handle this work. Animal rescue is emotionally heavy, and we need volunteers who can sustain themselves psychologically while doing it.
Genuine Love for Dogs and Commitment to Animal Welfare. This seems obvious, but we need to say it: you must actually care about dogs and their wellbeing, not just view them as content for your volunteer experience.
Dogs sense authentic care versus performative interaction. Your motivation matters. If you’re here primarily for Instagram content, resume building, or because you think it’ll be easier than teaching programs, reconsider. The dogs deserve volunteers who genuinely care about their welfare.
Comfort with Dirt, Mess, and Unpleasant Smells. You will be dirty constantly. You will smell like dog. You will get peed on, pooped near, drooled on, and covered in mud. Your clothes will be destroyed. If you need to stay clean and presentable, this is the wrong program.
Ability to Follow Instructions and Safety Protocols. Working with potentially aggressive or fearful dogs requires following safety protocols exactly. You must:
Volunteers who think they know better or ignore safety protocols get hurt and cause problems. This isn’t your personal dog park where you do whatever you want.
Spanish: Basic Level Helpful but Not Required. Unlike teaching or medical programs, animal rescue doesn’t require strong Spanish because you’re working with dogs, not communicating complexly with people. Basic Spanish helps for coordinating with Peruvian staff, and you’ll learn quickly through immersion. But language isn’t a barrier to doing this work effectively.
No Special Skills or Experience Required. You don’t need veterinary training, professional dog handling experience, or animal care credentials. Enthusiasm, physical capability, and willingness to learn matter more than prior experience.
We provide training on handling dogs, recognizing health issues, proper cleaning procedures, and everything else you need to know. Come ready to work hard and learn, not with assumptions that you already know how to do everything.
Flexibility About Conditions. The shelter isn’t a luxury facility. It’s a functional rescue operation in Peru operating on limited resources. Expectations to adjust:
If you need perfect conditions or complain constantly about how things should be better, you’ll be miserable and make everyone else miserable too.
Vaccinations and Health:
Mandatory Travel Insurance: Comprehensive coverage including medical care for potential dog bites, scratches, or other injuries. We can recommend appropriate insurers.
Our Street Dog Rescue program includes everything you need for successful volunteer experience:
Accommodation with Peruvian Homestay: Private bedroom with vetted host family in residential Cusco neighborhood. Homestays provide cultural immersion, meals, and family environment that balances the emotionally intense shelter work. All families personally selected ensuring safe, clean, welcoming homes.
Volunteer house accommodation available as alternative if you prefer more independence, though homestays offer better support network for emotionally challenging work.
Meals – Breakfast and Dinner: Included with homestay. Home-cooked Peruvian food with your host family. Lunch is your responsibility – most volunteers pack lunch to eat at shelter or nearby since you’re too dirty to go to restaurants mid-day.
Airport Pickup: Our team meets you at Cusco airport with sign and provides transfer to accommodation. No navigating alone or taxi stress.
Comprehensive Orientation: First 2-3 days include:
Placement at Street Dog Rescue Shelter: Clear information about shelter location, how to get there, schedule, expectations, and what to bring daily (work clothes, closed-toe shoes, water bottle, lunch).
Supervision and Support from Experienced Shelter Staff: Peruvian staff manage shelter operations and supervise volunteers. You’re never alone figuring things out – experienced people are available for questions, training, and handling difficult situations with dogs.
24/7 Coordinator Support: Local Cusco-based team available around the clock for emergencies, concerns about working conditions, emotional support for challenging experiences, or any needs that arise. WhatsApp contact with coordinators who respond quickly.
Training on Dog Behavior, Handling, and Care: Ongoing skill development throughout your placement. Learning to read dog body language, handle different temperaments, recognize illness symptoms, provide basic medical care, and work safely with diverse dog populations.
Access to All Necessary Supplies and Equipment: Cleaning supplies, food, medical supplies, leashes, collars, toys – everything needed for dog care is provided. You don’t need to bring or buy anything except work clothes you don’t mind destroying.
Certificate of Completion: Official documentation specifying dates, hours, nature of work performed, and evaluation. Useful for veterinary school applications, animal science programs, or personal records demonstrating commitment to animal welfare.
Pre-Departure Information: Before leaving home, comprehensive materials covering:
Optional Add-Ons:
Spanish Classes: Available if you want to combine animal rescue with language learning, though less common than with other programs because shelter work is so physically exhausting. Morning Spanish classes (9 AM-1 PM) would mean shorter shelter days (2-5 PM) rather than full days.
Weekend Activities: Access to weekend trips to Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, and other destinations through our tourism company at volunteer rates.
NOT Included:
Street dog rescue program pricing is personalized based on your specific duration and preferences. We provide transparent quotes with no hidden fees.
How Pricing Works:
Contact us with:
We respond within 24 hours with exact quote showing what you’ll pay and what’s included.
Factors Affecting Price:
Payment Terms:
Price Transparency: Everything in “What’s Included” is covered in quoted price. No surprise fees. If it’s not listed as “not included,” it’s part of your cost.
Extensions: About 85% of animal rescue volunteers extend beyond initial commitment because they bond with dogs and want more time. Extensions use same rate structure for additional weeks. Give one week notice before planned end date to arrange.
Value Comparison: Our all-inclusive approach includes accommodation, meals, airport pickup, orientation, training, supervision, and support in one transparent price. Compare this to programs charging separately for each component plus placement fees and hidden costs.
For Specific Quote: Email [contact] or WhatsApp [number] with your dates and preferences. We send personalized quote within 24 hours.
Contact us for exact pricing for your situation.
How many dogs will I work with? The shelter typically has 40-60 dogs at any time. The population fluctuates as new dogs are rescued and others get adopted. You’ll become familiar with all the dogs but likely bond most closely with 5-10 specific dogs whose personalities match yours.
What breeds and sizes are the dogs? All types: small breeds, medium mixed breeds, large dogs, puppies to seniors. Peruvian street dogs are usually mixed breeds with various temperaments and appearances. Some are scared and gentle, others are energetic and strong, some are calm seniors. You’ll work with the full spectrum.
Are the dogs dangerous or aggressive? Some are. Dogs rescued from streets may be fearful, protective, or aggressive due to trauma, pain, or survival instincts. We have protocols for working safely with difficult dogs. You’ll learn to read dog body language and recognize when dogs are stressed or potentially reactive. Experienced staff supervise work with challenging dogs.
That said, most dogs are friendly once they understand you’re helping them. The “dangerous” reputation is often fear-based behavior that improves with patient handling.
Will I get bitten or injured? Possible but not guaranteed. Scratches from dogs’ nails are common. Minor bites from fearful dogs happen occasionally. Serious injuries are rare because we have safety protocols and supervision. Following instructions and respecting dogs’ boundaries prevents most injuries.
This is why rabies vaccination and travel insurance are required. If you do get bitten, we have protocols for medical care and wound treatment.
What medical conditions do the dogs have? Variety of issues:
You’ll learn to recognize symptoms and assist with treatments under veterinary supervision.
Can I adopt a dog? Yes, if logistics work. International adoption requires:
Many volunteers want to adopt every dog they love. Very few actually can due to logistics and costs. Don’t come planning to adopt unless you’ve seriously researched requirements and costs for your country.
What happens to dogs who don’t get adopted? Some dogs live at the shelter for years waiting for homes. We provide lifetime care for unadoptable dogs (severe medical issues, behavioral problems that make adoption unsafe). This isn’t ideal but it’s better than death on streets. Very rarely, dogs with hopeless medical conditions or dangerous aggression might be humanely euthanized – these decisions are made by veterinarians and management, never volunteers.
Is the work really as hard as you describe? Yes. Maybe even harder than we can adequately convey. If you’re not prepared for genuinely difficult physical labor, you will be shocked and possibly quit. We’re not exaggerating to scare you – we’re being honest so you arrive with realistic expectations.
What if I can’t handle the physical work? Communicate immediately with staff and coordinators. Sometimes we can adjust duties for volunteers with physical limitations, assigning more socialization and less heavy cleaning. But animal rescue fundamentally requires physical labor, so limitations significantly reduce your value to the program.
How do I cope with the emotional difficulty? Strategies that help volunteers:
What if I fall in love with a dog who doesn’t get adopted? Extremely common and painful. You’ll bond with dogs, invest in their rehabilitation, spend hours with them, and then leave while they’re still waiting for homes. This is one of the hardest parts of rescue work.
Strategies: stay in contact with shelter for updates, consider financial support even after leaving, recommend the dog to potential adopters in your network, accept that you made their time at shelter better even if you couldn’t personally give them a home.
Can I take days off if I’m exhausted or emotionally overwhelmed? Communicate with staff. Dogs need care every day, so we need reliable volunteers. But we also need healthy volunteers who aren’t burned out. Taking occasional mental health days is reasonable, especially for longer placements. Frequent absences or unreliability creates problems for everyone.
Is it safe for solo female volunteers? The shelter work itself is safe. Commuting to/from shelter requires normal Cusco safety awareness (take reputable transport, don’t walk alone in unfamiliar areas after dark). Many solo female volunteers do animal rescue successfully. Your homestay provides safe home base and support network.
Where exactly is the shelter located? Outside Cusco city center, about 30-45 minutes by combi or taxi. We provide exact location and directions during orientation. Most volunteers take combis (shared vans) which are cheap and frequent.
What should I wear for shelter work? Old clothes you don’t mind destroying:
Bring clothes specifically for shelter that you separate from your regular clothes. You’ll be filthy every day and some stains don’t come out. Don’t bring anything you care about.
Can I bring supplies or donations for the shelter? Small useful items appreciated: dog toys, grooming brushes, leashes and collars, flea/tick treatments. Coordinate with shelter management about specific needs rather than bringing random items that might not be useful. Financial donations are often more helpful than physical items because they can buy exactly what’s needed.
How do I get to the shelter each day? Most volunteers take combis (shared vans) from Cusco center to the shelter area, then walk short distance. Costs about 2-3 soles each way. Some volunteers arrange shared taxi with other volunteers. We provide detailed transport instructions during orientation.
What if I want to switch to a different volunteer program? Communicate with coordinators. Switches are sometimes possible but understand that leaving animal rescue creates staffing gaps for the shelter. We encourage working through initial challenges before deciding it’s not for you, since many volunteers find week two dramatically better than week one after they’ve adjusted.
Does this work actually help or just make me feel good? Genuine question. The work helps IF:
It’s potentially unhelpful if:
Am I taking a job from a Peruvian worker? No. This is volunteer labor that the organization couldn’t afford to pay for. The shelter operates on minimal budget and can’t hire enough staff to care for 40-60 dogs without volunteer help. You’re enabling more dogs to be rescued, not displacing workers.
What happens to the shelter after I leave? Continues operating with local staff and next rotation of volunteers. Your individual contribution matters during your time there, but the organization doesn’t depend on any single volunteer. This is established rescue operation that predates your arrival and continues after you leave.
Should I promote the shelter on social media? Promoting adoptable dogs is helpful – share their photos and stories to help them find homes. Avoid:
Can this count for veterinary school or animal science programs? Many schools accept animal rescue experience as relevant extracurricular or animal care hours. We provide comprehensive documentation. Check with your institution beforehand about requirements. We’ll support documentation needs but can’t guarantee credit – verify first.
Ready for genuine animal rescue work that’s challenging, exhausting, and deeply meaningful?
Street dog rescue in Peru isn’t glamorous volunteering. It’s hard physical labor, emotional challenges, and confronting animal suffering that results from poverty and cultural attitudes you can’t change. But for volunteers who genuinely love dogs, who can handle difficult work without complaining, who understand impact happens one animal at a time, this is among the most rewarding experiences possible.
The dogs need you. Their survival literally depends on volunteers providing daily care. Your work matters in concrete, measurable ways: lives saved, suffering prevented, animals who find loving homes instead of dying on streets.
If you’re ready to work hard, get dirty, love animals who might break your heart, and contribute meaningfully to animal welfare in Peru, we need you.
Contact us to discuss street dog rescue volunteering, get personalized program information, and start your journey toward meaningful animal rescue work in Cusco.
Part of My Peru Destinations – committed to ethical animal welfare, supporting local rescue efforts, and creating opportunities for volunteers who genuinely want to help rather than just experience working with dogs.
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