Horrible experience with no help from IHQ

** Please do not forget that IVHQ is not a non-profit organisation. You pay for an advertised product, you are suposed to get what was advertised.

I was the 3rd person on this project. The second person, with whom I was volounteering, also witnessed how the project was not built and not AT ALL described as one their website*****

IVHQ Proposed me to make the project a better place for what I do not have the expertise. That is not what I paid for nor applied. Had I not complained, IVHQ would not have known the conditions of this project. The project was not built when I got there. I was sold: Brooming, walking, showering dogs, adoption campaning, playing with dogs. Nothing posted on their website was effective when I got there. It was a traumatic day. Yes I stayed a day, and left. As anyone should of. Nobody should encourage such a fraud. I was offered to change project even if they asked was were my abilities relied to THIS and ONLY project before getting there.

I did recieved emails, that's it. No refund, no compensation for the false advertisment.

The CEO accused me of expecting conditions such as in Canada which is absolutely ridiculous. This is typical intimidation and out of context.

IVHQ prey on young people who will be intimidated by such a big organisation.

Here is the email I sent to IVHQ after what I witnessed/experienced. I would add that I recived NO help from IVHQ nor refund.

I am sending you this message to share my experience at the Animal Care project in Lima. First of all, I would like to specify that this message is not about the accommodation offered nor the geographical location of the project (Pachacutec). When I applied for the Animal Care program, I expected to help communities living in extreme poverty and their dogs. Unfortunately, after a day spent at the project, I and the other volunteer found that the conditions in which the dogs were living were unfortunately more endangering them more than helping. The dogs are locked up in an extremely unsanitary place: they live in their own feces and urine. Our work as volunteers consisted in cleaning the floor with a mop that was bathed in water completely soiled, full of excrement, thick and not changed for several days. We had to spread the water, full of excrement, all over the floor. The air inside the dog house is contaminated and extremely dangerous for dogs and humans. No soap or clean water is used to wash the floor and the person who takes care of the place, the daughter of the school director across the street, has no concept of sanitation and hygiene. The dogs, all sick, are locked up alone in their excrements breathing this contaminated air and sleeping on a floor washed with used water (filled with feces) and without being changed. Once the "cleaning" task was over, we went to the park to sit for the rest of the day. The person in charge did not need any help. She spent her time on the phone negotiating prices for the school services of the school run by her father and we just sat there. We asked to change the water so that we could at least clean the floor without further soiling it, which was refused. The water given to the dog is contaminated with urine and excrement and is not changed. We just Added more water and again, we were refused to change it. The dogs are not washed or brushed and seem to suffer from poor hygiene... During the hour at the park, the dogs were eating the garbage opening bags directly from the garbage. I asked if I should stop them to avoid contamination, and they answered to let them eat the garbage. In Pachacutec, hundreds of dogs roam the streets and eat the garbage. There is no difference between these dogs and the ones kept at the Project, except that the theses dogs are locked up once the vonlontaires have left until the next day, and sleep in their excrement. Most of them are extremely sick according to the appearance of their feces... The dogs would be much better off in the wild with bowls of food and water within their reach. The young woman who runs the place has absolutely no knowledge of the safety, hygiene and health of the dogs, or that of the human beings who could catch serious illnesses from being exposed to such a level of insalubrity. I understand her intention to help, but we are not talking about insufficient financial resources but about a lack of knowledge to manage such a project. Basic knowledge of health and hygiene would solve the situation. We were informed that we were among the first volunteers to work there. When I informed her of the situation, she replied that she had never had any such comments, but we were technically, after another volunteer, the first to witness this situation. It was an extremely traumatic experience for me, an animal lover and a person who cares about helping communities living in poverty. I applied for this program to help the dogs but unfortunately, I feel like I contributed to the abuse. I hav traveled quite a lot of time to communities of extreme poverty. An animal shelter requires very few resources other than a roof, water, soap and food. I left the program this morning out of respect for my values and the dogs. I was very satisfied with the service I received from IVHQ throughout the process and with the accommodation offered, but I do not think that other volunteers should be sent to the Animal Care program in Lima for reasons of health and respect for the animals. The help sent would be all the more necessary for the child care, medical and community programs. I intend to participate in future volunteer projects with IVHQ and in no way do I question the values of the company, but I believe that there was a lack of verification of the location. I would like to be refunded for the 7 weeks I paid for working on the project, and I strongly encourage you to review the organization of this project.