A refuge for any dog in need.
When I think of Muttlands, I think: potential.
Quick facts:
Location: Rayong, Thailand
Facility type: Dog rescue & housing, associated with a mass spay mission
Opportunities: Seeking volunteers
Established in late 2023, my visit to the site in April of 2024 still sees it in the first year of development.
The vision for Muttlands is to be part rescue and sanctuary, part dog hotel and cafe. This means providing refuge for those in need (because remember, not every street dog needs ‘saving’) while sustaining itself through temporary housing for local dogs and community events.
As with any true sanctuary, the ultimate goal is to be empty - Muttlands adopts out any dogs they can, but will only accept homes that truly meet their needs.
Visit the Muttlands website.
This project highlight has been sponsored by:
VetVan Thailand
Muttlands is associated and shares a founder with Vet Van Thailand.
This mass spay mission targets some of the most unreachable areas in Rayong, providing medical care, vaccinations, and sterilisations to stray dogs and cats - sometimes sterilising over 100 dogs in a day.
They also offer free services to locals and temples who are otherwise unable to afford medical care.
Vet Van Thailand is supported and funded by the Soi Dog Foundation and Happy Doggo.
Volunteering at Muttlands
Muttlands accepts volunteers with a minimum commitment of 2 weeks. There is a fee to cover your food and accommodation - for me at the time of booking (April 2024) this was $10 per day.
The Experience
Volunteering at Muttlands is beautiful (even in the suffocating Thai heatwave I experienced it in).
You’ll help with:
the daily care of the dogs
feedings
leash training
playtime
giving basic meds.
But the number one job is to just give the dogs lots of love and affection. If you don’t like cuddles, play-time, and earning the trust of the shy guys, then this place won’t be for you.
There is often the opportunity to accompany the founder on a Vet Van spay clinic where you will get a real inside look into clinic work in a rural setting. For me, this was one of the most impactful experiences here and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to pursue a career in animal medicine.
Facilities & Area
Accommodation is basic, and you may share a room with one other volunteer.
Prepare for no AC, squat toilets, and potential water shortages if you go just before the rains are due to hit (April time). Wi-Fi is available in communal areas and sometimes reaches the rooms. Geckos reach all corners, so try make friends with them. Food was prepared each day by one of the staff members, and was always a treat. Vegan options were easy to order and there is kitchen access if you want more variety or prefer to prepare your own meals.
Rayong is a rural area and certainly not a tourist hub. Nearby there is a beach and all the basics you need in life, but I recommend renting a scooter if you want to get around as taxi apps such as Grab or Bolt are certainly not reliable. I didn’t explore the area much, choosing instead to largely stay on site and enjoy my time with the dogs. Volunteers who opt for longer stays go out more often for meals or to explore the town.
How to Support Muttlands
Follow Muttlands on Instagram for updates and to see which dogs could benefit from your help.
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This not only helps keep Muttlands afloat and ensure the dogs are getting the daily love and care they need, it’s also an amazing opportunity for you to be a part of a growing project and learn what it really means to care for street dogs in these rural areas.
I organised my whole volunteering experience with Muttlands through WorldPackers.
There are a number of animal based projects on this site that are either free to take part in or require a small fee to cover basic food and accommodation, making it a good option for long-term travellers. But this comes with a warning - WorldPackers may not fully vet every animal related project on their site. I recommend finding out the organisations name and doing your own research before committing to any project through here.
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You can donate to Muttlands through PayPayl and with US Tax Deductible Donations - full info HERE.
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Provide monthly donation of 1500THB to cover the care of a dog that stole your heart. Get in touch to find out more about this one.
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Although Thai residents are preffered, international adoptions ARE available for the right home and Muttlands has plenty of dogs in need of long-term, loving care. Get in touch is one of the dogs has stolen your heart.
