Volunteer with cats and dogs in Barcelona

Planet

The project
This project is all about caring for rescued cats, many of which were strays, and helping to try to rehome them. It is illegal to euthanise animals in Catalonia, so increasingly animals are becoming homeless (when owners die or can no longer care for them), becoming displaced (stray animals are now having to survive in the city for themselves as the built up area expands) or being dumped by the side of the road (often kittens). This project provides a home for the animals, and the ultimate aim is to rehome them.

Your accommodation
The accommodation that you will stay in makes every effort to be as sustainable as possible. There are solar panels which provide the electricity and heating, and the modern design allows for a minimum amount of heat to be wasted. Additionally, there are solar tubes with a mirror system which allow the bathrooms to always have natural light during the day without the need to turn on the light; there is a rainwater collection system and grey water reuse system.

Protecting the world
We are passionate about encouraging our travelers to be kind to the environment as they travel. Each participant receives advice about how to care for the environment whilst they are away. This includes water usage, how to avoid single use plastic, and electricity usage.

We insist that all participants bring their own water bottles when they travel with us, and clean free water is always available. We have even created a water bottle that can be purchased before departure and encourage people to use it at all stages of their journey including at the airport, on flights and whilst on their project. We are striving for all of our projects to be free of single use plastic.

People

Helping the local economy
The project also helps the local economy. Our participants spend money on food and leisure; rent is paid to the local landlord. All participants join a tour of Barcelona which is led by homeless people, who receive a fair wage which can be spent on food and accommodation. Not only does this help local people who are blighted by poverty, it encourages sensitivity and understanding. The hostel is a social enterprise, so a big part of the profit goes towards social projects that it runs.

Where possible, money is invested in the local economy and local staff are employed. We are passionate about supporting the local community, as without them, our projects could not run.

Cultural sensitivity
Our pre-departure briefing includes a special session entitled ‘Responsible Tourism’ where we discuss cultural differences and sensitivities as well as advising volunteers on appropriate conduct. People a briefed on what is considered polite in terms of eating, greeting and dressing. It is encouraged that all volunteers learn some Spanish prior to departure, and they get a helping hand whilst out there as well.