Our volunteers are essential to our operation and for Cabanita to work as effectively as it does and to have the record of rehomings it enjoys is categorically down to the number of dogs and cats per handler. We aim at a ratio of no more than 7/8 dogs per handler which normally allows for every dog to be walked daily outside the shelter in the nearby rural surroundings This ratio also allows for socialising time in the kennels and/or in the free-range parks. This can only be economically done with a large number of volunteers.
We do have a few daily local volunteers but one of our main features is that at any one time we can accommodate a large number of volunteers in four portacabins and a house. The vast majority come from The International WorkAway Scheme. These volunteers get free accommodation in return for about 6 hours work per day over a 5 day week, however they often spend much of their off-time socialising with the animals either in the kennels and/or even in their rooms.