Discover what it’s like to be part of our mission — straight from those who lived it.
It is hard to describe how rewarding the 3 weeks we spent at Julianna’s sanctuary were, as we learned so much, experienced a whole range of interactions with the animals and enjoyed working with Ekala (The Sanctuary Manager).
The sanctuary is fantastic, easy to travel to from Bogota and such a loving place to be. The animals all benefited from the work we were able to do. The care and dedication that Juliana, Paul & Ekala put in was evident everywhere.
These are an inspirational group of people, who are so easy to work with and learn from. Ekala is such a kind, patient and caring person it made every task enjoyable and we had fantastic conversations over mealtimes.
I cannot recommend volunteering at this sanctuary enough!
I spent one week as a volunteer at Juliana’s Farm Sanctuary, and it was such a rewarding week. I paid for the program including the meals, but not the Spanish course that is offered. Juliana, her husband Paul and the manager Ekala are all incredibly warm people who really make you feel welcome and useful in the work to improve conditions for farm animals.
The farm is small but on it lives a great range of different animals who all have their unique stories. When working as a volunteer you get to meet all of them and to spend unlimited time getting to know them. There is really nothing more effective than that to connect with the animals.
The work- mainly consisting of feeding and cleaning the animals’ areas + various smaller tasks- is always done in a relaxed environment, and you get to enjoy the work and the animals as you do it. Also, if you’re ever in doubt about something or have any questions they are all happy to answer them or assist you. At times, I actually felt I could have done more than I did, as there was quite a bit of spare time when I expected there to be more to do in the volunteer program. However, I only had a week there and I understand there is a limit to the responsibility you can gain in such a short amount of time.
In general there is such a lovely atmosphere on the farm, it is really a projection of this group of people’s hard work and the genuine wish to better the lives of animals, to share knowledge about the conditions of farm animals and to make people connect with them. It is a beautiful home- both for the humans and the animals living there- surrounded by green hills and fresh mountain air. And the food Juliana and Paul cooks is simply delicious, so tasty and rich you really appreciate and enjoy every time to eat!
I had such a great and important time at Juliana’s Farm Sanctuary, and would, without a doubt, recommend volunteering there to anyone with a love for animals or to anyone with an interested in learning more about farm animals. Thank you for the experience and my memorable week at your farm!
Kristine with Paul and the founders of the Sanctuary, Ekala and Juliana.
I spent a wonderful 3 weeks at the sanctuary and wish we had not had flights booked to go home. I would have otherwise stayed much longer! From the moment we came to visit to see if this would be a suitable volunteer program for us we felt so welcome and this continued throughout our time there. Juliana, Ekala, and Paul care so much for the sanctuary’s many residents and their dedication, passion and commitment are very clear. We got hands-on experience with many of the animals but were also able to pick and choose tasks that we felt comfortable with (for example I have never been around cows or bulls before so felt a little apprehensive at first).
The workload is very manageable and we had a good deal of spare time but we found other projects we wanted to work on independently too. It is a very relaxed atmosphere and we always felt able to ask as many questions as we wanted. We really felt like our efforts were very much appreciated and were making a real difference.
I feel like I have gained a lot of knowledge and a stronger connection to animals and nature in general. I loved getting to know all the personalities around the place and became very attached to all of the residents! I know that I will definitely be back and will start saving asap. We left feeling very inspired by the efforts of everyone and happy in the knowledge that the animals at Juliana’s sanctuary will always be safe and loved from now on.
Danielle and Gaura
I was very blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer at Juliana’s Animal Sanctuary. As a veterinarian, I was able to perform dozens of physical exams for wellness checkups and offer treatment plans for several sick members of the family. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work with a variety of species that they care for.
Juliana and Paul are two of my favorite people in Colombia! From the moment we met, they treated me with the utmost care and respect, and we had an absolutely wonderful time together. Their main caretaker is also a true pleasure to work with. Our days went by smoothly, and our work was accomplished without any stress.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to lend a helping hand and get more exposure to animal healthcare. The good company alone is worth the trip. I am happy to still be in communication with the sanctuary, and I suspect that we will see each other again and again.
Caitlin and Pola the pig
I was lucky enough to spend a week over the Christmas period here at Juliana’s Animal Sanctuary and I had a magnificent time there.
From the get go I was made to feel completely at home in the beautiful house at the sanctuary, given my own room with private bathroom and access to the kitchen (ahhh, what a blessing to have access to a blender and food processor… So much “nicecream” was made 😀 ).
It is obvious how much Juliana, Ekala and Paul truly care for each and every one of the animals in their care- these animals are finally getting the love and respect they so very much deserve and that is such a lovely night to see.
My duties were very enjoyable; preparing food for and feeding various animals, cleaning out some of the animal shelters, raking the gorgeous pig Paola’s back for fun (she really loves that :D) helping revitalise grazing areas for the cow and bull and in my free time giving some love to those adorable stray dogs!
There was plenty of free time in-between duties which I frequently spent cycling around this amazingly beautiful barrio- a very very bike friendly place 🙂
All in all, I’d very much recommend volunteering here, not only do you make a real difference to the running of the sanctuary and the well-being of the animals, it’s also a place to regain your hope in the human race as you see the amazing work and attitude of Juliana 🙂
