On the island of Aruba, you may see an unusual sight: wild donkeys. Once the primary mode of transportation on the islands, donkeys have struggled to adapt to modern life on the island. Today, the Aruba Donkey Sanctuary  rescues and rehabilitates the local donkey population. And volunteer help is always needed. Tune into Peter Greenberg Worldwide this weekend for more information about this and other voluntourism opportunities.

Donkeys were once the main form of transportation in Aruba, but as the island’s car culture grew, it was a common occurrence for donkeys to be found injured or killed alongside the road.

In 1997, the non-profit Donkey Sanctuary was founded with a simple mission: save the donkeys!

Volunteers are a major part of the organization’s mission. It’s a hands-on experience: working with the animals, assisting with office administration, or even leading group tours. Plus, volunteers not only get to know about the history of the sanctuary, but also get to know the donkeys from what they eat to their social behavior.

Volunteering at the sanctuary is simple. There are no volunteer fees, but donations are always accepted. Both short and long-term positions are available.

Some of the volunteer activities include:

• Tour guide – Give tours to visitors and educate them about the sanctuary.
• Assist the vet – Gain hands on experience at a veterinarian’s office.
• Sanctuary maintenance – Work outside either feeding the donkeys, cleaning stalls or helping clean surrounding areas.
• Article writing – Like to write? As a volunteer,  you can even participate in writing articles about your experience and about the sanctuary itself.
• Event promoter -Assist the donkey sanctuary with promoting special events to the community.

All you have to do is click here and fill out an application form.   You then e-mail your application to desiree@arubandonkey.org or call +(297) 5841063.

For more information on the volunteer opportunities at the Aruba Donkey Sanctuary, click here. 

By Camilla Rambaldi for PeterGreenberg.com

Image Credit: Tina Nole