(Image shows: Anne at the Bear Sanctuary with a dog that she rescued)
Anne Smellie Romania
At the time of writing, there were 49 bears in the sanctuary. A new enclosure is being built, for there are over 30 more bears in Romania that they know about that they want to help. The stories behind many of these bears are heartbreaking. Max, a 14 year old blind bear, was kept in a restaurant nearby for tourists to gawp over in his tiny cage- he had been blinded by his owners so that he would have a reduced chance of escape. There are many heart wrenching stories, but the important thing is that now they are happy. They are free to roam in their natural habitat, safe and well fed, protected from the humans that have tortured their very existence and exploited them to make money. And they look happy- they play together, chase each other, swim, climb trees and roam where they please.
But possibly the most exciting part is seeing the bears in the training area- these bears are the newest and so are kept separate to adapt and to be kept under observation. When they arrive you see them pacing up and down a 3 metre stretch, accustomed only to that small space, and then over time you see them branching out, exploring new terrain and eventually feeling comfortable in their new environment.
Some days you are free to roam the sanctuary as you please. One day Laci drove an hour out of his way to show me the mountain pass on which Jeremy Clarkson filmed Top Gear whilst I was here. Twice television crews were at the sanctuary, and twice I got fully involved, even appearing on one of the programmes, describing the work of the sanctuary and my role in it.
Anna McDermot Romania
(Image to the right is of Anna at the Bear Sanctuary)
I had an amazing time in the 3 weeks I spent in Romania, it was brilliant to experience a totally different culture and I felt like I was making a difference while I was out there.
Romania has the largest wild brown bear population in the whole of Europe and many bears live in the mountain (Mount Tampa) at the back of the flat I was living in (accommodation that Oyster provides).
The bear sanctuary has been opened since 2007, and it now houses over 50 bears in 3 enclosures which all have a pool and some forest areas with trees to climb, which they love to do!
The first thing I saw in the sanctuary was a bear in a tree!
Each day food was collected from the supermarket, which included meat, yogurts, fruit, bread and cake (which the bears particularly love!).
My main role was to sort through the food and unpack it into big crates ready to be lifted and thrown over the fences for the bears. On my first day I filled 30 black bin bags with bread and cakes!
The bears are very friendly and will come up to the fence and look at you, especially if you have food in your hand! They quite often like to sit up or stand up to see what’s going on outside the pen and they interact with other bears in the same pen.
The best advice I can give to future volunteers is to work hard, as the harder you work the more appreciated you are by the staff and the more you will get out of the experience.
Just enjoy it - It’s all good fun!
Unique Opportunities to Volunteer
in Animal Conservation and Welfare
Following the success of our Romania Bears project, Oyster Worldwide now has some unique volunteering opportunities for veterinary students and non-vets too. These should appeal to anyone who wants to care for sick or endangered animals in a very different part of the world.
This is a chance for people to work on projects that concentrate on the welfare and survival aspects of animals and are definitely not just tourist venues.
We hope you will register your interest below for details of these new and very original projects.
We now have several new opportunities that will be available from autumn 2010. If you want to go away before then we have some (limited) availability for volunteers summer 2010.
If you are interested in Oyster’s new placements with animals and would like to be kept up to date with developments, please fill in the box with your email address. We’ll promise to keep you updated and not to bombard you with emails!
What can I gain from this?
Even if you’re well-qualified it helps to make your CV stand out from the crowd. By choosing to do specific voluntary work abroad you will:
- Broaden your experience and see different ways of working
- Expand your skills and learn some new things on the job
- Improve your confidence
- Get to know another country and another culture
- Make new friends and come back with fantastic memories
Where are the projects?
You could work at a veterinary clinic, at a sanctuary for brown bears in Romania, a veterinary hospital in Jordan or a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or Costa Rica.
Our new animal projects are available from autumn 2010 and full details of projects are available mid-June. If you can’t wait until then do give us a call on 01892 770771 or have a look at our Romanian Bear project, now in its fourth year.
What would I be doing?
At a clinic you would work with domestic animals, most of which live very different lives to the pampered pooches you’ll have dealt with back home. At a sanctuary you would work with abused animals or endangered species. Your role would be to assist staff with the day-to-day care of the animals including feeding and observation work, as well as veterinary care. You’ll get a unique insight into the care of abused animals, some of whom have been physically or psychologically damaged by years of captivity.
The sanctuaries welcome volunteers who have no veterinary skills but who simply want to help out. We have already sent many unskilled but passionate volunteers with great success. There is always plenty to do and the staff are delighted to have the extra support.
You would get involved with feeding, monitoring and maintenance work, and maybe help with educational projects too.
How long are the placements?
Typically for 2-6 weeks but there are limited internship placements as well which may last up to 3 months.
Where will I live?
You will live with other volunteers in basic but comfortable accommodation in an area close to the clinic or sanctuary. You will have time off to explore, try new activities, experience the culture or just relax with other volunteers and local people.
Oyster Support
We arrange everything for you – your work, accommodation and transport – as well as providing ongoing support through our local rep.
Oyster will prepare you thoroughly before you leave and support you while you are out there. You’ll be met by our local representative on arrival, who will get you settled into the project and be there to help with any problems.
Specific Opportunities for Veterinary Students
Some of our animal projects have specific opportunities for veterinary students. You’ll be able to put your skills and expertise to good use, while learning a few new things on the job. In clinics you would assist a Centre's vet with diagnosis and procedures including neutering and spaying, help with educational projects and maybe even train undergraduates yourself!
Interested? Register your interest here!
