Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital Volunteer and Foster Care Programme
by Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals (BSDPHA)
Hands-on animal care experience
50 participants
Year round volunteer and foster care programme at a Mumbai animal hospital, open from age 12 with parental consent required under 18.
Mode
In-Person
Fee
Free
Duration
Ongoing programme with no fixed end date; volunteers hold a recurring slot for as long as they continue
Format
Individual
Time needed
One to four hours a day or per week, chosen at sign-up; hospital volunteer hours are 10 am to 5 pm every day
Eligibility
- Age range
- 12 to 17 years
- Location
- Nationwide
The hospital's volunteer form states the age must not be below 12 years. The volunteer page states that anyone under 18 must have signed parental consent or be accompanied by a parent, and a parent or guardian must countersign the form. No residency rule is published, though taking part requires attending the Parel hospital in person.
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Benefits
- Direct hands-on care of animals recovering in a working hospital
- Fostering litters of puppies, kittens or birds at home
- Working alongside the veterinary team, ward staff and livestock supervisors
- A choice of roles from dog walking and grooming to photography and office support
- A flexible commitment of one to four hours a day or week
Skills your child builds
Key dates
- Enrollment
- Open all year
Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals, Mumbai, Maharashtra
How to apply
- 1Visit the hospital to collect and complete the volunteer form
- 2Attach a photograph to the completed form
- 3Attach a copy of a rabies vaccination certificate from the last five years
- 4Obtain a parent or guardian signature if under 18
- 5Familiarise with the hospital's activities before being assigned
About this opportunity
The Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals runs an ongoing volunteer and foster care programme at its Parel hospital in Mumbai, where volunteers help care for dogs, cats, horses, cattle and birds admitted for treatment.
The hospital's volunteer form sets the minimum age at 12 years. The volunteer page states that anyone under 18 must have signed parental consent or be accompanied by a parent, and the form requires a parent or guardian signature alongside the volunteer's own. Applicants visit the hospital in person to complete the form, attach a photograph and attach a copy of a rabies vaccination certificate from within the last five years.
Volunteer roles include fostering litters of puppies, kittens and birds, walking dogs on weekdays and weekends, grooming dogs and horses, assisting at the dog kennels, acting as a canine companion and photographing the animals and the team. An office based track covering website administration and social media is also offered. Volunteers choose a commitment of one to four hours a day or week and may name the weekdays that suit them.
Volunteer hours at the hospital are 10 am to 5 pm every day, and the hospital reports more than 50 active volunteers from across Mumbai. Volunteers sign a liability waiver acknowledging that working with animals carries a risk of serious injury, and the hospital states that arranging one's own inoculation is the volunteer's responsibility.
What your child will do
- Fostering litters of puppies, kittens or birds
- Walking dogs on weekdays and weekends
- Grooming dogs and horses
- Assisting at the dog kennels and acting as a canine companion
- Photographing the animals and the hospital team
Mentors & faculty
Volunteers work alongside the hospital's veterinary team, livestock supervisors and ward staff, with each ward supervised by a Mukadam who orders the day's treatment priorities.
Academic details
Difficulty: Introductory
What's covered
Volunteers learn animal care through supervised practice on the wards rather than a taught syllabus, starting with a familiarisation round of hospital activities.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum age to volunteer, and what applies to those under 18?
The volunteer form sets the age at not below 12 years. Anyone under 18 needs signed parental consent or must be accompanied by a parent, and a parent or guardian must countersign the waiver and medical release.
How much time do volunteers commit each week?
Volunteers choose one, two, three or four hours a day or week and may name preferred weekdays. The hospital asks for a regular slot, noting that irregular attendance hampers the progress of the animals assigned to a volunteer.
What health precautions does the hospital require?
A rabies inoculation received within the last five years is required, with a copy of the certificate attached to the form. The hospital states that arranging inoculation is the volunteer's own responsibility.
Can volunteers choose which animals they work with?
Yes. The form asks volunteers to mark which of horses, cattle, dogs, cats, birds, puppies and kittens they are comfortable handling, and to pick preferred roles such as dog walking, grooming or caring for puppies and kittens.
Is there an option that does not involve handling animals?
The form offers an office based track for those more comfortable in an office environment, covering website creation, administration and social media work for the hospital.
What does fostering involve?
Foster volunteers take litters of puppies, kittens or birds into their own home and care for them until they are strong enough to be rehomed. It is listed by the hospital as one of its volunteer opportunities.
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