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Trunks & Tails Rescue

4.8(58 reviews)
Experience
Volunteer
Destination
Thailand
Duration
3 to 12 weeks
Ages
18 to 85

15 others looking at this too. Next opening is Feb 2025, with limited spots.

Book now, pay later. Cancel anytime.

Trip overview

Thailand has been a mecca for adventurous travellers for decades. Home to infamous Full Moon Parties, tropical beaches and jungles, and an amazing climate all year round. And on this trip you’ll make a real difference to the adorable street dogs and abused elephants of Thailand. 

Break out of your day-to-day routine and embark on an adventure that will make the world a better place and help you grow as a person. 

On this all-inclusive volunteer trip, not only do you get to live and volunteer with a trusted partner organisation in Thailand. When you go with Global, you get:

  • Volunteer project placement – Guarantee your spot at our screened and vetted project partner in Thailand. Start your volunteer journey without spending months searching for a reputable organisation on the other side of the world. 
  • Comfortable accommodation – Relax in a shared room in a volunteer house. Complete with TV, free WiFi, a laundry, and a two-minute stroll from the beautiful beach. For the elephant portion of the project, you’ll stay in accommodation on-site. 
  • Meals – Enjoy 3 vegetarian Thai meals a day during your elephant rescue project. 
  • Cultural experiences – May include a Thai cooking class, visit to Phraya Nakhon Cave and local orphanage, trip to Kui Buri National Park, and a Buddhist meditation. 
  • + way more!

Can you picture it? You’ve just finished your stint at the dog rescue project. It was satisfying enough feeding and nurturing these abandoned dogs. But seeing their joy when you take them to the beach for an adventure was priceless. 

Now you’re headed off to the next portion of your project – where you’ll get up close and personal with previously abused elephants as you help them with their recovery. 

For a lot of people, visiting Thailand and being taken in by locals is a bucket-list experience.

Although most people don’t get the chance to experience something like this. Contributing to meaningful change to stray dogs and abused elephants in one of the most popular travel destinations in the world is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

And when you book with Global, you book with the best. You get the full experience for a fraction of the hassle. Your volunteer placement and accommodation is sorted before you leave, so you know exactly what you’re getting into.

Inclusions

Tap to expand

Volunteer project placement
Dedicated Trip Coordinator
Pre-Departure Guide
Trip visa guidance
Personal Travel Concierge
Return airport transfer
Comfortable accommodation
‘Welcome to Thailand’ orientation
Project supplies
Meals
Local cultural experiences
Global Emergency Line
Certificate of completion
Ongoing local team support
gWorld access
Social
Global Academy
Marketplace deals
$250 off your next trip
Global Academy

Qualification

To qualify for this trip you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be between 18-85 years of age
  • Be a citizen of an eligible country
  • Have no criminal convictions in the past 5 years

Get more info!

Got questions or need to know more? Ask us here, we're online 24hrs Mo-Fr.

Trip details

Our Trunks & Tails Rescue Volunteer trip in Thailand is designed to get you volunteering overseas in a safe and fun environment and with a genuine and rewarding purpose.

Our expert team and local partners take care of everything you need to start making a positive impact, from volunteer placement to accommodation and ongoing support throughout your entire journey.

Whether you’re doing gap year volunteering or taking a volunteering holiday from work, you’ll arrive in Thailand with the confidence that absolutely everything has been pre-arranged for you.

You’ll be able to jump straight into your volunteer duties, relax into the chilled Thai lifestyle and start making new friends with all the logistical details sorted, from airport transfers to accommodation.

Channel all your energy into immersing yourself in your volunteer placement, as well as taking time to get to know the local area. Roam through Chiang Mai’s picturesque cityscapes, swim in Khao Tao’s deep water and try the local cuisine instead of sweating the logistical stuff - that’s exactly why we’re here.

Feel confident and proud you are contributing much-needed help to a meaningful cause and save yourself the time, money and even the risk of being stranded in a foreign country by having us on your side.

Make your time count on this life-changing opportunity to volunteer in Thailand and arrive home knowing you've made a lasting and positive impact on the lives of stray and mistreated animals. 

Requirements 

To qualify for this trip, you must be able to undertake laborious duties.

What extra costs will I have? 

Flights, travel insurance, visa, vaccinations, criminal background check, souvenirs & spending money.

Purpose & impact

Animals get the short end of the stick most of the time. 

On this trip, you’ll be helping previously abused or abandoned street dogs and elephants recover so they can enjoy their lives. 

On any trip to Thailand, you’ll probably notice that stray dogs are a problem. They’re starved, abused, and may form feral packs that put everyone in danger. 

This is why Rescue P.A.W.S, our partner organisation for the street dog rescue portion of your trip, is doing such important work. And it’s why they need your help. 

As a volunteer, your duties are varied and change depending on the needs of the animals. 

But some things you could be doing with street dog rescue include: 

  • Making sure all your furry friends are well-fed and their enclosures kept clean and comfortable.
  • Taking the animals for some exercise and fun by taking them for a refreshing and invigorating walk on the beach.
  • Helping out the local stray dog packs by providing food at designated drop points.
  • Raising awareness about stray animals and how to help them through community outreach campaigns.
  • Assisting the veterinary team with animal check-ups, administering medication and even surgeries if you are interested.

In Thailand, elephants are working animals. Unfortunately, these working conditions aren’t always ideal and some elephants spend their lives abused, chained up, and treated poorly. 

The Elephant Rescue Project – our partner organisation for the Elephant portion of your trip –  is on a mission to give these abused elephants a second chance at life, showering them with love and giving them living conditions they actually love. 

Your duties at the Elephant Rescue Project in Chiang Mai may include: 

  • Ensuring the environment is optimal for elephant habitation.
  • Helping prepare yummy elephant food in the elephant kitchen.
  • Taking elephants for walks.
  • Creating and leading enrichment and rehabilitation activities.

Accommodation & meals

Once you touch down at Bangkok International Airport in Thailand, a driver will be waiting to take you straight to your volunteer accommodation in Khao Tao, south of Hua Hin. 

Your accommodation for the Street Dog Rescue portion of the trip is in a shared room in a volunteer house. It’s fully equipped with a TV, free WiFi, laundry facilities, and is a two-minute stroll away from the beach. 

The Elephant Rescue Project also provides accommodation. And if you volunteer for more than 4 weeks, you’ll get to stay with the Karen tribe in a shared tribal hut.

Trip itinerary

Before you leave

 Your volunteer placement – including accommodation – is confirmed and organised before you leave home.

Arrival

When you arrive at Bangkok International Airport, a driver will be waiting for you. You’ll be taken straight to your initial accommodation at a shared volunteer house in Khao Tao.  Take some time to relax and settle in, get to know your new friends, or explore the area.

Day 2

 It’s orientation time! Join the other volunteers in getting an insight into Thailand’s history, customs, and culture. You’ll get a chance to sharpen up your culinary skills in a Thai cooking class. You’ll learn how to make a traditional Pad Thai and Papaya Salad for that special someone back home.  You can also take a trip into the mystical Phraya Nakhon Cave, dotted with walking trails, mangrove forests, and limestone islands. If you go deep enough, you may even find the tiny temple bathed in sunlight from the skylight above it. 

Day 3

Time to get stuck into your volunteer duties. Your duties are varied and could change from day to day. You can be sure you’ll be improving the lives of street dogs in Thailand and will get plenty of time for walks on the beach and other adventures with your new furry friends.

Week 1-2

You'll spend the first half of your trip at the dog rescue, and then it’s time to move onto your placement with the Elephant Rescue Project in Chiang Mai. If you choose an uneven amount of weeks (such as 3 or 5), you will spend a week more at the dog project than the elephant project. Here, you’ll be helping abused elephants recover and reintegrate into normal elephant life. You can expect to feed the elephants, clean their enclosures, improve the infrastructure of the facilities, and help educate the community about conservation education.

Ongoing

The longer you volunteer, the more involved you’ll get. Those who volunteer past 4 weeks will get to walk with the elephants in the jungle and get the opportunity to stay with the Karen tribe in a communal tribal hut.  Your evenings and weekends are free, giving you plenty of time to explore everything Thailand has to offer.  You’re already living close to the beach, so you can work on your tan anytime. Or you could venture further afield and explore the jungles of Thailand. Or hop on a quick flight to a neighbouring country to keep your adventure going.  Once your placement is over, you can choose to stay on in Thailand to explore what else it and the surrounding areas have to offer.  Hop onto gWorld – our social app for Global Travellers – and link up with other travellers to explore the region together. You could even join a bucket-list Global Getaway with other Global Travellers. Whatever you choose to do, we can help make it easy.  We’ll be in touch with you throughout your stay. If you ever need advice or support our team is available to answer your questions. And our 24/5 emergency support line will help with urgent matters.  Don’t go alone. Go with Global.

Why choose us

When you travel with the best we take care of pretty much everything so you don’t have to. You’ll arrive totally prepared with a plan of action and trusted people helping you along the way. 

Our volunteer trips are designed to help you make a real change in critical causes around the world. All while experiencing off-the-beaten-path locations with passionate locals.

Our goal is to save you time, money, and stress while eliminating the risk of returning home early. Here’s how we do it: 

We’re on your side from the moment you get started. 

You’ll be assigned a dedicated Trip Coordinator. They’ll guide you through the next steps and answer all your questions.

They’ll also help you with the pesky visa. No guesswork – only the right paperwork, approved the first time, in your hands before you leave. 

Your Personal Travel Concierge will help with flights, insurance, and any add-ons you’d like for your trip. These are real humans too – no robots here. 

We maintain relationships with a huge network of screened and vetted partner organisations all over the world. We know they’re trustworthy and that you’re in good hands because of all the successful trips Global Travellers keep having with our partners. 

Our team is well travelled so you can rely on our experience. We’re with you every step of the way. 

Join 75,000+ travellers – giving us 10,000+ 4 & 5 star reviews – by choosing Global to make your travel dreams come true. 

Most travellers book their trip 6-12 months in advance. Dates are flexible, but spaces are limited. So if you’re serious about volunteering in Namibia, don’t delay. 

With our Book Now, Decide Later feature, you can get started with a small deposit today, and take a full year to choose your dates. 

We’ll take over from there, helping you with visas, flights, accommodation, and setting you up with our partner in Namibia. 

This is the trip for you if you’re after the ultimate volunteering experience in Namibia, complete with everything you need and 24/5 support.

Click the red button to check dates & prices.

Reviews

Kinga D
Very professional and friendly, easy to communicate with about any questions or concerns, get excited for you, have an easy to use website, highly recommend ❤️
Sadie D
Amazing service by the team especially Jacob. Walked me through step by step would be involved.
Megan H
This is a great service that really explains how they work in full detail.
Jaemie S
Kate and Ashley have been so super helpful in organising everything for me & answering any questions I had related to the trip itself and the travelling. Over the phone they both sound bubbly and enthusiastic which I love because this is a very exciting trip for me! Everything on the website is easy to use and GWorld is very handy for keeping everything I need to know in one place - can’t wait to go in October!
Michelle P
Wonderful!!

New on the 'gram

Frequently asked questions

Why are you the best company to choose?

As the world’s leading gap-year and "work & travel" company, we pride ourselves on providing a premium service for Global Travellers. Choose from a variety of awesome experiences worldwide, and let us assist you with visas, pre-departure preparations, flights, insurance, and tours. Throughout your journey, our cool tech features will support you every step of the way. As a Global Traveller, gain access to gWorld, our personalised app designed to enhance your travel experience. Keep important documents and trip details handy, and take advantage of exclusive Marketplace deals, a vibrant social network, language learning resources, side trips, meet-ups, and more. It's like having all your favorite travel apps merged into one, but even better! But our support doesn't end there. With four international offices, over 100 dedicated staff members, a 24/5 emergency team, and the backing of over 90,000 Global Travellers who have turned their travel dreams into reality with us, rest assured you're in good hands. We also proudly boast the most and best reviews in the biz, and maintain a massive following on our social channels including Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Embark on your next adventure with confidence and ease. Join us and discover the world in a meaningful way!

Are flights & insurance included?

While we would love to include flights and insurance in our trip packages, it is not feasible to have a fixed price due to the diverse destinations, trip durations, and individual coverage needs of our travellers from around the globe. However, once you register for the trip, we will assign you a dedicated Travel Concierge. They will work closely with you to arrange the ideal flights and insurance tailored to your specific adventure. Rest assured, our team is here to ensure you have a smooth and hassle-free travel experience from start to finish!

Why do I have to pay to volunteer?

The trip fee covers all the essential trip inclusions that ensure you have a meaningful and safe volunteering experience. It includes comprehensive pre-departure support to assist you throughout your journey. Once you arrive at your destination, the fee covers transportation, accommodation, and in most cases meals and some amazing excursions you'll do alongside other international volunteers. This comprehensive support is essential to provide you with a positive and secure volunteering experience, which is of utmost importance to us. Your trip fee allows us to ensure your well-being while making a meaningful impact, and it contributes to the sustainability and effectiveness of the volunteer projects we support.

Will I receive guidance and support before starting the volunteering trip?

Absolutely! Before starting your volunteer placement, you will receive comprehensive pre-departure support, which includes project-specific information, cultural orientation, and advice on preparing for your journey. Additionally, most trips include on-site training and an orientation to ensure you are well-prepared and confident in your volunteer role.

How do I choose the right volunteer trip for me?

With so many incredible options, we understand that selecting the perfect volunteer trip can be tricky. That's why we recommend booking your favourite one, and your dedicated Trip Coordinator will guide you through the project details. They will consider your interests, skills, desired location, and the impact you want to make. If we find another trip that better suits your preferences, we can easily swap you over to ensure you have the ideal volunteer experience. Rest assured, we're here to help you find the right fit!

How long should I volunteer for?

We offer flexibility in our volunteer trips, allowing you to choose the duration that best suits your schedule and desired experience. While most volunteers join us for 3 or 4 weeks, our trips accommodate durations as short as two weeks or as long as 12 weeks, and even extended stays. The choice is yours!

What ages are most volunteers?

The ages of our volunteers can vary depending on the project, but we have a wide age range. Our volunteers typically range from 18 years old to 85 years old! Our Trip Coordinators ensure that all volunteers are vetted before embarking on their journey. While age may differ, what unites our volunteers is their shared passion for travel and their dedication to making a positive impact in the community or wildlife conservation efforts they are involved in. Regardless of age, anyone with a passion to contribute and explore is welcome to join our volunteer trips.

Is it safe to volunteer overseas?

Safety is our utmost priority, and it drives our thorough trip planning process and comprehensive inclusions. With a successful track record of safely sending tens of thousands of travellers overseas since 2008, we prioritise your well-being throughout the journey. Before you depart, we provide full support, ensuring a smooth and secure experience. Upon arrival, we take care of every detail, including secure airport transfers, comfortable accommodations, usually meals, and dedicated project supervision. Additionally, our 24/5 emergency line ensures immediate assistance whenever needed, providing peace of mind throughout your entire volunteer experience.

Why should I book now?

After the last unexpected disruption to travel caused by the..c word..people are now more eager than ever to venture out and explore the world, determined not to miss out on any experiences. Global Work & Travel works on a first-in-best-dressed basis. Booking earlier ensures that you don’t miss out on the best intake, season, placements and more! We recommend our travellers take 6-12+ months to plan their trip for a reason - to make sure you’ve got everything organised perfectly, stress-free. As a Global Traveller you’ll get exclusive access to gWorld, our personalised app where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global. This is where you will find exclusive Marketplace Deals, a unique social network to connect you with other like-minded Global Travellers, access to our Academy with an ever-growing range of skills & languages, and so much more. Think all of your favourite apps merged into one, but like, better? Why not give yourself something to look forward to by booking that trip!

Can I travel with a friend or partner?

Yes you can! Simply tell your Trip Coordinator after booking that your friend is also going and they can link your profiles. For most of our trips we should be able to have you and your friends placed together or nearby. Meaning that you can live, work, play & travel together! But wait there's more! Not only can you travel the world with your besties at your side, you can also earn some extra cash towards your own trip just by referring your friends to Global Work & Travel. You can learn more about the great referral rewards program inside your gWorld account once you join. And for those who decide to go-it-solo, we’ve made it easier to meet other Global Travellers in the same region as you. Just like any other social platform, you’ll be able to interact, share, chat and meet with some really cool people who are doing trips just like you!

Can I bring my pet along?

At Global Work & Travel, we share a deep love for animals and fully understand the special bond you have with your pet. We recognise the challenges of embarking on a trip without them. Due to travel restrictions, requirements, and limited pet-friendly accommodations among our host organisations, we regretfully cannot facilitate their inclusion in the journey. However, many of our customers choose to entrust their pets to a family member or friend, embark on their adventure, and return home to wagging tails and furry cuddles.

What happens if I need to cancel my trip?

We know that life can get in the way of travel, so all our trips come with a great deal of flexibility. In most cases, if you cannot travel on your selected date, you can place your trip on hold to deal with whatever is holding you back, and continue in the future without incurring any penalty. You may also have the option of transferring to an entirely different trip and destination as well, or even transferring your trip to a friend or family member. In the event that you need to outright cancel your trip, if you give us 84* days notice you can do so with only a 50% cancellation fee. Your refund of the balance will come in the form of a Store Credit which you can put toward any other trip that we offer, including tours through third-party providers, as well as holidays through DealsAway.com, and is valid for 2 years from date of issue. As international travel can be complex, your options are based on the progress of your trip organisation and our support team can assist you in finding the best solution for your needs.

How it works

1. Choose a trip style

Find your dream experience & destination, then secure your spot with a flexible & low deposit. Activate your gWorld to unlock some cool perks. Well done! The hardest part’s over!

2. We become friends

Book a time to meet your dedicated Trip Coordinator who knows all the ins & outs of your trip. They’ll be by your side and working behind-the-scenes to pull everything together.

3. Time to go!

We’ll get your tickets, accommodation & transfers ready. Our in-country team or partner will have everything prepared & waiting for your arrival. Get on the plane with no worries!

4. Global support

Never stress, knowing we’re there with you when you need us with ongoing & unlimited local team support. And just in case, we’ve got an emergency team on stand-by, 24 hours, Mon-Fri.

Still have questions?

Why go Global

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Worldwide support

Know that someone is always ready to assist throughout the journey & they’re only a call, tweet, comment, text or double tap away, 24/5.

We're the experts

With over 10 years in the industry and a team of over 90 passionate pros, you can bet we know our stuff better than anyone else.

Partner network

We have over 1,200 partners around the globe, so we have access to plenty of exclusive opportunities to make your trip the best it can be.

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