The project runs Monday to Friday in and around Lisbon. Your first day is dedicated to an induction in Lisbon, where you’ll meet the local team, learn about the shelters, and receive a full orientation before starting your volunteering placement on the following day.

No two days are exactly the same, as activities depend on the needs of the shelters and the animals. However, a typical day as an animal care volunteer might look like this:

8:00 – 10:00: Breakfast at your accommodation
10:00 – 13:00: Morning volunteering shift at the animal shelter
13:00 – 14:30: Lunch break
14:30 – 18:00: Free time to relax, explore Lisbon, join activities, or take Portuguese lessons
18:00 – 20:00: Afternoon volunteering shift at the shelter (if required)
20:30 – 21:00: Dinner
20:00 – 22:00: Evening shift (only on some days, depending on shelter needs)

Shift times may vary from day to day depending on the specific requirements of the shelter, particularly for feeding, walking, or cleaning routines. You will always be informed in advance of your schedule so you can plan your free time around your volunteering activities.

• Willing to work hard
• Positive attitude
• Proactive, motivated and flexible – tasks are not necessarily allocated to you, you have to ask and offer
• No previous experience is required, as you can be trained on-site
• Able to speak and understand English
• Willing to learn some Portuguese

Oyster assesses projects carefully to ensure that they offer high standards of animal welfare and environmental practice. We also check that volunteers understand key points of good practice before working with animals. To find out more, see our animal welfare policy.

Outside of your volunteering shifts, you’ll have plenty of time to explore everything Lisbon has to offer. In your free time, you can enjoy the city’s relaxed coastal lifestyle, historic neighbourhoods, and vibrant culture.

Popular activities include:

• Exploring the sights of Lisbon, from its old town streets to viewpoints and waterfront areas
• Visiting the beautiful town and castle of Sintra, a UNESCO-listed area just outside the city
• Going surfing along the nearby Atlantic coastline
• Trying diving or other water-based activities
• Learning Portuguese through optional lessons
• Taking day trips for wine tasting, caving, guided city tours, and more

Whilst late-availability is possible, we would advise booking as soon as you can to guarantee your ideal dates. Our projects are very popular and spaces can fill up several months in advance, especially for the months of June to September.

• Lisbon enjoys on average 300 days of sunshine per year
• The wettest months are October – February
• Temperatures from November – February are about 9 – 15 degrees celsius
• Temperatures from March – October are about 15 – 30 degrees celsius

We would recommend budgeting approximately £50 a week for free time activities.

There are cash machines located all over Lisbon, and there is one just a few minutes walk from the volunteer house. You should take at least two cards with you, and let your bank know that you will be going away.

Typically you won’t need a visa for stays up to 3 months. You should make sure your passport is valid for the duration of your stay.

Most of our volunteers are independent travellers and you will become part of a group of people from around the world here. It is fine to travel with friends or as part of a small group too however- more the merrier!

The simple answer to this question is, yes absolutely!

It is important to bear in mind however that this may not be like other holidays that you have taken. Remember that you are volunteering in Portugal, and this means that you will be put to work! This sort of holiday is a world away from sun loungers and cocktails, with our volunteers often heading home tired but immensely satisfied. If you think that you will need a bit of relaxing time on your trip too, do make sure to factor this in when your time on the project is complete.

Animal abandonment places significant pressure on shelters across Portugal, with many organisations in and around Lisbon working beyond their capacity to care for the dogs and cats in need of support. These shelters rely heavily on volunteers to help provide consistent care, attention, and safe environments for vulnerable animals.

By joining this project, you become part of a practical effort to improve animal welfare at a grassroots level. Your time helps ensure rescued dogs and cats receive essential daily care, including feeding, cleaning, exercise, and social interaction that supports their emotional wellbeing and rehabilitation.

Volunteering in animal care is also a meaningful way to spend a gap year, holiday, or career break. It allows you to gain hands-on experience in shelter environments, understand the challenges of animal rescue work, and contribute directly to improving the lives of animals waiting for adoption, while also experiencing life in Portugal.

You should visit your doctor or travel nurse to find out what vaccinations you will need. Your routine vaccinations will need to be up to date. You should follow your doctor’s advice.

Please see the Fit for Travel website or the UK government’s travel advice page for Portugal.

Doctors, pharmacies and hospitals are located within 5 – 20 minutes of the accommodation.

Portugal has been listed as the third safest country in the world. You will be living in the thriving city of Lisbon, in a leafy residential neighbourhood. There are similar crime levels in Lisbon to any city in the world, and you should keep an eye on your belongings when you are out and about.

You wll be working with local volunteers at all times.

There is free wifi provided at the volunteer house. You will receive a free local SIM card on arrival if you would like to use 3G. Make sure that your phone is unlocked before arrival so that you can use the local SIM card.

We would suggest that you download the App Whatsapp prior to arrival so that you can be added into the volunteer group once you are in Lisbon.

There is good phone reception in Lisbon.

You will need a European plug.

Portugal is on the same time zone as the UK and Ireland – GMT and BST.

Supervision will be fairly intensive during the first few days, when you will receive a thorough induction and work-related training. Once you are comfortable with things, you might not always have a supervisor working alongside you, but there will always be staff and other volunteers around to help, and you will always be accompanied for any high risk activities.

Staff at Oyster’s head office and in-country will be responsible for your safety and welfare while you are at the project. This will start from the moment you are picked up from the airport until the end of your project. Before and after these times, you will be outside Oyster’s responsibility and should make sure that you act safely and avoid risk. This is also true if you choose to leave the project during your time off. We will give you plenty of guidance and advice about this.