Volunteering with RAK Animal Welfare Centre
About RAK Animal Welfare Centre
The Ras Al Khaimah Animal Welfare Centre (RAK AWC) is a non-profit within the Government of Ras Al Khaimah. It opened in 2010 as a small, volunteer-run rescue shelter and has grown into a centre that helps homeless pets and promotes responsible pet ownership across the UAE. It sits in Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah.
It is a busy place. As well as adoptions, the centre runs a veterinary clinic, a trap-neuter-return (TNR) programme and education programmes. It also has a dog park, which it describes as the largest outdoor dog park in the UAE, plus a dog swimming pool and grooming. In early 2025 Khaleej Times reported that the centre was caring for more than 1,000 cats and dogs, some of whom had waited years for a home.
What volunteers do
Volunteers help with daily operations and care for the dogs and cats. A big part of that is socialisation: time spent with animals so they grow more relaxed and easier to rehome. Volunteers also join events, coffee mornings and activities such as the RAK Half Marathon.
The centre also runs community programmes, including Dog Day Out, which takes shelter dogs on outings, and a Cat Wellness Programme with feeding stations, neutering and vaccination for community cats.
Who can volunteer
- Volunteers must be 16 or older.
- The suggested commitment is a couple of hours a week.
- The centre looks for self-starters who take initiative after an introduction, are committed to the animals and work well with staff and other volunteers.
- Under-16s can visit and socialise with animals with a parent or responsible adult, or help by collecting newspapers, toys and treats, or by organising a school fundraiser.
New volunteers get a tour of the centre, a job description and a manual of basic procedures. After 30 hours you receive a certificate of appreciation, which is handy for students and CVs.
How to get involved
- Download the form. Complete the volunteer application on the Volunteers page.
- Email it in. Send it to rakawc@psd.rak.ae.
- Meet the team. The centre will contact you to arrange a meeting and a tour.
- Come along. Adoption and volunteering hours are Saturday to Thursday, 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 6pm. The centre is closed on Fridays.
Fostering and adoption
To adopt, read the Before You Adopt page, then fill in the adoption form at the centre. Staff interview you about your lifestyle, home and family, introduce you to some animals and help you find a good match. Bring your family and anyone who will spend regular time with the pet. On the day, bring copies of your passport, Emirates ID and tenancy contract, plus cash or a card. Adoptable animals are fully vaccinated, microchipped and neutered. Fees are not published online, so call or email for current prices.
Fosterers must be 21 or over and offer a safe, temporary indoor home. Any pets you already have should be vaccinated and neutered, with rare exceptions. You share photos and notes on the animal’s personality, talk with screened adopters and bring the animal to meet-and-greets. See the Foster page for details.
Other ways to help
You can donate goods or money through the Donations page, or look at sponsorship under Support Us. Sharing the centre’s posts and coming to its events also makes a difference. At past adoption events, the centre has asked visitors to bring blankets, towels and dog leads.
Good to know before you go
- The vet clinic and the adoption area keep different hours, so check which you need.
- If you cannot make the usual hours, call the centre to ask about another time.
- Wear closed shoes and clothes that can handle paws and dust.
- Bring water and sun protection, particularly outside the cooler months.
- Check @rakawc for adoption days and events before you plan a trip.
Contact and links
- Website: rakawc.com
- Volunteers: rakawc.com/pages/volunteers/6
- Adoption process: rakawc.com/pages/adoption-process/4
- Email: rakawc@psd.rak.ae
- Phone: 07 243 3184 or 056 357 6908
- Volunteer and adoption questions: 056 357 6013
- Address: Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah
- Instagram: @rakawc