Work Days – Volunteer at the Shelter
Work Days 2026:
Sat., May 2nd
Sat., May 30th
Sat., July 18th
Sat, October 10th
more to be announced
Please register via our Work Days-Form.
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Back in 2024, we launched our Work Days as a new way to get hands-on experience volunteering at an animal shelter, in addition to our existing Care Days:
Where do Work Days take place?
Animal Care Austria Work Days happen at our partner shelter in Kiskunlacháza, Hungary – about a two-hour drive from the Austrian Nickelsdorf border crossing. The shelter houses roughly 350 dogs and 40 cats at any given time.
What happens at a Work Day?
Work Days mix practical shelter work with plenty of socialization and quality time with the animals. The tasks change each time, but here's what you might be doing:
- Scrubbing kennels and food bowls
- Taking dogs for walks and helping socialize dogs and cats
- Insulating dog houses with hay before winter hits
- Deep cleaning dog houses in summer
- Repairing kennels (patching holes, fixing fences, etc.)
- and a whole lot more
We show up as a volunteer crew to help the short-staffed shelter tackle its never-ending to-do list and make life better for the animals. And yes, that absolutely includes giving them love and attention – Work Days build in lots of time for exactly that!
We'd love to have almost anyone who wants to pitch in. Just know that the work can get pretty physical, so you'll need to check these boxes:
- You're 18+ (or 14+ coming with a legal guardian)
- You have some experience with dogs and/or cats
- You're physically fit for manual labor
- You work well with others
- You've got a clean criminal record
These requirements protect both you and our animals.
Work Days take place on weekends – usually both Saturday and Sunday.
Heads up: volunteers are responsible for arranging their own travel, lodging, and covering all related costs. That said, we're always happy to help coordinate carpools and support with logistics in our WhatsApp group with everyone who's coming.
Donate money
Even though everyone involved donates their time, Work Days still cost us money. We've got to buy supplies to get everything done on-site. Since we're a nonprofit running on donations only, financial support is crucial. You can support Work Days via our online donation form or wire money to our bank account with "Work Days" in the memo. We appreciate your support!
Donate supplies
We also use Work Days as our chance to transport donations to the shelters. This includes dog and cat food, toys, transport boxes, towels, blankets, medical supplies and other essentials for the animals. If you would like to donate supplies, please reach out to our President Carol Byers by phone or email.
Social media love
Our Instagram and Facebook have become important channels for sharing our work and raising awareness for animal welfare topics. We rely on these platforms to get the word out about upcoming Work Days and find volunteers. Every time you share, like, or comment on our posts, you're helping us help animals in need.
However you're able to support our Work Days – your help is important and appreciated because real change is only possible when we work together.
Auf welche Art auch immer du unsere Work Days unterstützen kannst und willst – du leistest einen unschätzbaren Beitrag. Denn nur gemeinsam können wir etwas bewegen.
Thank you!
Please support this project with your donation.
Animal Care Austria donation account:
Raiffeisenbank Wien
BIC: RLNWATWW
IBAN: AT29 3200 0000 1127 4065
Please note: Your donation is tax-deductible only if you provide your date of birth, first and last name as recorded in the Austrian Central Register of Residents (ZMR).