Support a Cat and Dog Shelter in Uvita, Costa Rica

Name: Support a Cat and Dog Shelter in Uvita, Costa Rica
Brand: Jamso Trainee GmbH
SKU: 253448
Rating: 5 (3 reviews)

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Location

Costa Rica
- Uvita

Length

3 to 24 weeks

Project Types

Building Projects Wildlife Conservation Homeless Refugee Relief Veterinary Service

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Program Details

Language

Spanish

Age Min.

Age Max

Timeframe

Year Round

Housing

Guesthouse Host Family Hostel

Groups

Small Group (1-15)

Travel Type

Budget Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price

990

Price Details

Airport Pick Up to the bus station in San Jose
Local support (German, Engish, Spanish)
12/7 Emergency Number
Accommodation in a volunteer house
2 typical meals a day - as well during the weekend
WIFI at your accommodation

What's Included

Accommodation Airport Transfers Meals Wifi

What's Not Included

Activities SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: Apr 29, 2025

Last Reviewed: Dec 21, 2019

Wish List

5 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Combine your passion for animals and desire to give back by helping abandoned street animals in Costa Rica. You can help look for a new, safe and beautiful home for stray dogs and cats by volunteering with Jamso Trainee.

This program is managed by a local NGO in Costa Rica that aims to improve the situation of the animals living on the streets.

Help provided by volunteers is always greatly appreciated as there is a lot of work to keep the program running. Many families in Costa Rica do not have the knowledge of Animal Welfare, especially in feeding. That's why it is so important to educate families who would like to get an animal as a family member. Animals are only mediated when the family has the correct surrounding for the cat or the dog.

Your tasks as a volunteer may include: carinf for street dogs and cats (combing, taking dogs for walks), cleaning cages, supporting sterilization procedures, distributing food for animals.

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Program Highlights

Feed and walk the animals
Care for street dogs and cats
Witness cats and dogs find their forever home
Most volunteers are between 18-25 years old
Live in an international team and take part in activities such as surfing, going to the beach, to the waterfall, excursions in your free time

Program Impact

Help take care of street cats and dogs and support rescue activities in Costa Rica. Find a new home for helpless animals.

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

based on 3 reviews

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Rating Spread Volunteer

5 rating 100%
4 rating 0%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Impact 5
Support 5
Fun 5
Value 5
Safety 5

Good for Groups, Solo Travelers, Couples

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

I had a wonderful experience with Jamso Trainee. I was especially impressed with the personal one-on-one guidance from the moment I inquired to the moment I boarded my plane. They really make an effort to make sure you are getting the trip you signed on for and are comfortable and ready. I got an airport pick up and stayed first night at a host family. On next day got the transfer to the bus station and my way to Uvita. Uvita is a cozy town, where you can go to waterfalls, beach and bars & restaurants.
The host family who run the volunteer house is very friendly and welcoming. During my stay there all the volunteers got along great. The project itself is just awesome. They do really a lot for the dogs and cats. I can highly recommend this project! Thanks to Angela for the great organization.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

Gallo Pinto - never ate before, very tasty. The ticos do eat at the morning. For me it was great for lunch ;).

I've spent 2 weeks volunteering at an animal shelter in Costa Rica that rescues neglected animals from the pazific area and gives them medical treatment, food, shelter and a whole lotta love. It was hands down the best use of my time and energy. The people you'll meet are so incredibly welcoming and warmhearted and the animals are so hungry for love and attention. I stayed at a volunteer house with like-minded volunteers from around the world. It is great knowing so many people from around the world. Costa Rica itself has so much to offer and Wildlife and nature is so magic. If you're having doubts about going to Costa Rica, I've been there, probably everyone here has. It certainly takes courage to step outside of your comfort zone but I urge you to do it because it will be one of the most memorable experiences of your life!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I would stay longer. This 2 weeks where an amazing time, next time I love to stay at least 4 weeks.

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Everyone was so helpful and welcoming. I would definitely go with them again!!! I highly recommend to go with Jamso Trainee, this way you can discover the costarican culture through the amazing staff there and also make new friendships with the other volunteers. I stayed at Hazel´s home with other volunteers and she is my sweet tica mum. I defintly will miss her. She was taking care of all of us and made this experiance more sprecial. I loved to eat Gallo Pinto (tipical breakfast: rice and beans), but she also offered us pancakes or cornflakes with banana. During my free time I went to see beaches of Manuel Antonio and I did a 3 day tour to Volcano Arenal. Definitly can reccommend to do this it was amazing. Thanks for the best experience ever!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

It was amazing to see how many people do help the dogs and cats. I remember as Scooby came to the project total skinny and really bad condition. So happy to see that people take care of them and after some weeks they looking great and most find really fast a new warm home.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I was searching for a smaller company where I have one contact person who don't change and it was the best decision. All information on Jamso Trainee page is very clear and the communications were easy; apart from this, they help smaller NGOs and people who want to do a difference for the animals (dog and cats) in Costa Rica.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Jamso Trainee gave me a lot of helpful information on what to bring to Costa Rica, what to do, where the accommodation is and all contacts. This information is very helpful and online. Really great that I was able to have access to all information 24/7. Flights I planned of my own and Jamso Trainee organized my pick up. Accommodation, food, projects, all this was very good organized. I even got on the first day (Monday) a pick up from the project at my accommodation.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

You can take some Spanish classes before arriving. I really can recommend this. I did 4 weeks of Spanish and after this amazing project. It helped me so much to get in touch with locals. Jamso Trainee is very flexible; they also offer 1 week of Spanish what I really liked.

Costa Rica itself: be relax, don't think things are like in your home country; be open to new things, then you will enjoy Costa Rica a lot!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

In the morning, you start with a great typical Costa Rican food such as Gallo Pinto, Empanadas... The host also makes pancakes and cereal with fruits some days.

Afterwards, we walk to the project and the shift started at 8-11 am. After that, we go back to the volunteer house or to the beach ;)

In the afternoon, I helped sometimes as well with the shift from 3-5 pm, but it wasn't regulation to help two shifts. Like this, I had a lot of free time to discover Costa Rica.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear is crawlies such as spiders... I was happy I didn't see any of it.

In this, Jamso Trainee did provide as well information - that we go to a tropical country and that we need to have a look that all is clean. We always followed, so I was very relaxed. I heard from people going to the rainforest that there are more spiders, but never went myself there.

How to make the first days without Spanish?

During your language school, you will have cooking classes. And you know people are so happy and definitely it works, even if you will understand in the beginning just a little bit. For this, it is very good that transport is provided from the airport and to Uvita. As well without any Spanish, you can come to this project, as there are always other travelers with language skills which help - like me.

About Jamso Trainee GmbH

Jamso Trainee is placing volunteer around the world for more than 7 years. Most of our projects are NGO´s or started by privat people who passionate about making a difference in developing communities. Jamso Trainee brings small organizations such as in Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Bali, South Africa, Thailand, Greece, Spain and Tanzania...