Field report Volunteering at Finca Noah (Samona)

I spent a week volunteering at the beautiful Finca Noah in July 2021.
With a lot of heart and passion Farah and her team do a great job on Mallorca.
Finca Noah is hardly to be compared with an 'animal shelter', as you know it from other places. There is a lot of emphasis on (absolute!) Cleanliness, the animal enclosures are generously laid out and furnished with attention to detail.
In the meantime, more than 100 animals have found a (temporary) home at Finca Noah, which involves a lot of work.
Farah has high expectations of itself and its employees that the set standard is maintained. Animal welfare is always in the foreground.
So 2x daily in the enclosures and all around, on the entire finca area, made clean. In addition to feeding, petting, walks with the dogs or occasional rides (for saddle-firm volunteers ☺) is accordingly above all a lot of cleaning on the program - also times away from the animal enclosures. I found this quite exhausting, especially as I am not used to the physical work from my other office life - especially in the summer heat of Mallorca. You have to be aware of that!
The work is nevertheless worthwhile, because the animals give you a lot in return. It is unbelievably beautiful to see how previously homeless/ill/abused animals regain their zest for life, gain trust in people and can finally be placed in a loving home.

Surroundings & Living at Casa Jeannine
Finca Noah is a bit out of the way, but in a beautiful location.
Shopping facilities are available nearby (about 10 minutes away by car). If you don't rent a car, it's best to bring some groceries with you on arrival. With a rental car you are of course flexible and independent - otherwise you have to organize yourself accordingly.
I decided not to rent a car, because between the morning and evening round on the finca is not excessively much time to drive around the island. So I explored the surrounding area by bike in my free time.
There are beautiful bays in the immediate vicinity (reachable by bike in 5 minutes; I could use a bike from the finca during my stay).
With Casa Jeannine, the volunteers have their own little house, which is also lovingly furnished and offers everything you need in a small space (including its own kitchen). If you don't feel like cooking yourself, you will find restaurants in Cala d'Or or, for example, a small beach bar at Cala Sa Nau (in the immediate vicinity of the finca).

Overall, it was a very valuable experience for me and I am taking home many great memories.
I would recommend volunteering at Finca Noah to anyone who loves animals, can lend a hand and is not too shy to get their hands dirty.
Great respect to the team of Animal Police for your super commitment and thank you very much that I was allowed to make this experience - keep it up ☺!