Because there is always an excuse to lend a helping hand while you’re on holiday.
Over the last week, I was tasked with hosting 35 Americans – a group of best friends from all walks of life on their first trip to Croatia together. Their itinerary, which was primarily focused on adventure tourism and active days, began in Zagreb and traveled through Italy, Slovenia, and Istria before they made it down to Dalmatia where they picked up a luxury cruising yacht called the Casablanca.
While scavenger hunts, scootering, canyoning, and ATVs were all part of the program, the group also made an effort to couple their activities with a touch of compassion – and they chose to lend their humanitarian hands on the island of Korčula.
The group arrived in Korčula on the especially scorching afternoon of August 2nd. Picking up bikes for a ride around the island was always in the plan, and the group made sure their first stop on the ride was the Society for Animal Protection ‘Papagalo’.
Papagalo is run by a group of young and passionate animal lovers who maintain an abandoned house just outside of Korčula’s old town. Currently housing 9 dogs and around 30 cats, the society protects animals that have been abandoned by giving them shelter, care, food, and love.
During their visit, the group was asked to help fetch water in buckets (the property itself does not have any running water), they washed and brushed all of the dogs on the property, cleaned their dog houses and rugs, picked up the surrounding rubbish (and feces), took them on walks, and repaired a broken fence at the entrance to ensure the animals could not escape as easily.
An example is Rex, an older dog who was moved into the shelter after his owner passed away.
Smiles stretched across the faces of all volunteers, and the animals will surely have a home in their hearts forever.
You can find more information about Papagalo here.
