At a glance
- This is a volunteer opportunity with Projects Abroad. Devxchange will assist you in choosing the right fit, raising funds with your own campaign page, issuing tax receipts to donors if project meets CRA criteria as a charitable activity. Devxchange will also assist you in onboarding with Projects Abroad.
- Add practical veterinary medicine work experience to your resume by observing and learning directly from local vets.
- Work at a veterinary clinic in Brasov, or a dog shelter on the outskirts of the city.
- Get real insight into the day-to-day life of a vet, and how they interact with pet owners.
- Live with a Romanian host family, and seize the opportunity to explore Eastern European life.
Details
- Assist local vets with medical procedures
- Help take care of the animals
- Reassure pet owners
Includes/Excludes
Food and accommodation
- Food (three meals a day)
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Full induction and orientation by an experienced staff member on arrival
- Transport to and from your work placement
- In-country support and 24-hour back-up from our team of full-time local staff
- Emergency assistance from our international emergency response team
- Project equipment and materials, including access to our database with thousands of resources
- Training and workshops from our experienced local staff
- Regular social events and community activities with other volunteers and interns
- Access to our local office with internet connection
- Certification of project completion
- Access to our alumni services and discounts
- Visa support and advice
- Fundraising support, including your own personalized fundraising website with DevXchange
- Tax Receipts for your donors if activity meets CRA criteria for charitable activity.
- Pre-departure preparation by your own specialist Volunteer Advisor
- Personalized MyProjectsAbroad website, with all the information you need about your project, accommodation and destination
- A free cultural awareness course
- Membership to our volunteer social media groups, to share information and to get in touch
- Support to help you complete registration or internship documents, if applicable
Not Included
- Flights
- Visa Costs (where applicable)
- 10% Admin fee for donations involving tax receipts.
Itinerary
Do you love working with animals? Are you planning on a career in veterinary medicine? Then this project is perfect for you! This internship will add value to your CV, and give you plenty to talk about in interviews and essays.
If you don’t have previous experience, don’t worry. You’ll have a supervisor to guide you, and we encourage you to get involved and ask questions. If you’re proactive and enthusiastic, the vets will be more than happy to help you learn as much as possible.
Our Veterinary Medicine placements in Romania run year-round, and you can join at any time for a minimum of one week. We recommend staying longer so you can learn as much as possible.
You will have loads of opportunities to gain veterinary medicine work experience in Romania, by working alongside local vets. Here are some of the tasks you will help with:
- Assist local vets as they perform basic medical procedures
- Help take care of the animals under the vet’s care
- Deal with pet owners and help reassure them during an emotionally trying time
Your day will start with a healthy breakfast around your Romanian host family’s table. From here, you will head to the animal shelter or veterinary clinic using public transport. On your first day, Projects Abroad staff will be there to show you the way.
Your work day typically starts around 8am and finishes at around 5pm. The mornings are usually reserved for general surgery where locals bring their pets to be treated. During these times you will learn how to handle animals and reassure their owners. You’ll observe how a diagnosis takes place and how vaccinations are given.
Once you’ve finished with that, you will be able to help out with other necessary tasks. This might include cleaning, running errands, or assisting with some administration.
After a morning of hard work, you will get an hour and a half’s lunch break. If your host family lives close by, you can head home to eat and rest for a bit. Alternatively, you will be able to enjoy a packed lunch at the shelter.
If you’re based at the animal shelter, your afternoon shift will include spending some time with a number of the dogs. You could take them for walks and train or socialise them.
As 5pm draws closer, you may help feed shelter animals or, if you’re working at a clinic, those that are staying overnight.
Evenings and weekends are your free time to explore. Make the most of your time in this magnificent country by going on weekend excursions with fellow interns and volunteers. Also, enjoy plenty of meals with your local host family and spend time conversing with them. It’s the very best way to learn more about their life and culture.
Brasov
You will be based in the ancient city of Brasov. With its terracotta-coloured roofs, gothic spires, medieval gateways, baroque buildings and pedestrian friendly streets, it’s almost like a fairy tale come to life. Although it may seem quaint and almost old-fashioned at first sight, the city is bursting with modern hustle and bustle.
Your working day will be spent at either a veterinary clinic in the city or a dog shelter on the outskirts of Brasov. The dog shelter is understaffed, and they need extra pairs of helping hands.
Evenings and weekends will normally be your free time to explore.There are always other Projects Abroad interns and volunteers around and plenty to see within Brasov and the Transylvania region in your spare time.
You will be living with a host family during your stay. They will introduce you to Romanian culture, traditions, and food. Be sure to make the most of your time with them to learn as much as possible about local life.
Food and accommodation
You’ll stay with a host family in Brasov. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Romania and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Free Time and Leisure Activities
Volunteering in Romania will give you a unique taste of life in Eastern Europe. With a diverse range of activities, you’ll find plenty to do during your free time.
This is the ideal destination for architecture lovers, with stunning, old buildings lining the streets. The Biserica Neagră is one example of haunting gothic architecture, with its stone walls blackened by a fire that raged through the area in the 17th century.
It’s not just the buildings that are worth checking out, but the streets as well. More specifically, you can squeeze your way through one of the narrowest streets in Europe!
It’s worth taking a weekend trip to Transylvania to visit Bran Castle, the home of legendary Count Dracula. While you’re there, you can tour ASTRA Museum and delve into the magical world of Romanian folklore.
You’ll likely be amongst many other volunteers during your trip. This gives you the option to explore either on your own or in a group.
