7 signs that an animal project is NOT ethical (and no one tells you)

Do you want to help animals by volunteering?

Then read this carefully.

Because on the ground, things are not always as beautiful as they seem.

I worked for several years as an animal caretaker and volunteer. I’ve seen incredible projects - committed, truly impactful…

But I’ve also seen the opposite.

Animals used to attract volunteers. Practices presented as “normal”… when they shouldn’t exist.

And the problem is, most people don’t even realize it.

Serval enclosure pool before / after cleaning. Maintenance that hadn’t been done for quite some time.

What I saw on the ground

I was supposed to join a wildlife rehabilitation center in Costa Rica as a coordinator.

On paper, everything seemed perfect.

But as soon as I arrived, something felt off.

There were a lot of volunteers… far too many.

By talking with some of them, I realized they were all paying a significant amount of money to be there. And most importantly, the majority had no experience with animals.

Very quickly, several things caught my attention:

• interactions with dangerous animals, without clear explanations

• non-existent hygiene protocols (same equipment used for all enclosures, without disinfection)

• too much time spent on unnecessary details… and not enough on the animals’ real well-being

One evening, there was even a karaoke… just a few meters from the enclosures.

At that moment, I understood: this place wasn’t organized around the animals. It was organized around the volunteers.

I stayed for 3 days.

Then I left.

In another project in South Africa, I was hired as a manager… without being trained by a qualified person on-site.

The person supposed to supervise me had no knowledge of rehabilitation or even of wildlife.

There too, I realized how much some projects lack structure… and how much animals can suffer because of it.

Here are 7 signs that should immediately raise red flags

1. You can touch, feed, or pose with the animals

If you’re encouraged to feed, carry, or take photos with wild animals…

→ it’s not harmless.

It creates in the animal:

• stress

• dependency on humans

• loss of natural behavior

A wild animal is not an experience!

2. Animals are accessible at all times

An ethical sanctuary limits human interactions.

→ If any volunteer can approach the animals at any time :

that’s not protection.

That’s exposure.

3. The project sells a “unique experience with animals”

“Get up close with animals”

“Unforgettable moments guaranteed”

→ Be cautious.

A serious project talks about:

• care

• rehabilitation

• constraints

Not “fun”.

The field is not Instagram!

In a serious center, every detail matters — including meal preparation, tailored to the needs of each species.

4. There is no real rehabilitation goal

A proper center has a clear objective:

→ treat

→ rehabilitate

→ release (when possible)

If animals remain confined without a clear explanation…

ask questions.

5. The project relies entirely on volunteers

Yes, many projects operate with volunteers.

But if everything depends on them:

there’s a problem !

An ethical project does not rely solely on temporary people.Animals should never become a business model.

6. You are replacing qualified staff

→ If you are providing care without proper training

→ If you are given responsibility without supervision

that’s not normal.

A good project :

• supervises

• trains

• protects both the animal and the volunteer

7. You feel something is off

This is the most important one.

→ If something feels wrong… even if you can’t explain it…

listen to yourself.

I’ve seen volunteers continue because they thought they were “helping”…

when the situation was not ethical.

Your intuition is a signal!

Not all projects are equal

Having good intentions when doing animal volunteering is not enough.

Because without the right information… you can, despite yourself, take part in harmful practices.

But the good news is: truly ethical projects do exist.And they need committed people.

Do you want to be sure you’re making the right choice?

Because even with good intentions…

you can still make the wrong one.

That’s exactly why I created Vaya Planet.

After several years in the field, I now select only truly ethical missions and support each person in finding a project that fits their profile.

→ No animal tourism

→ No false promises

→ Just serious, committed, meaningful projects

If you’d like to talk about it, I take the time to understand your project before suggesting anything.

You can book a call here :