Head out of Saigon to the east on the road towards the border with Cambodia and you come into the village of Cu Chi. This of course, is famous as the location of the Cu Chi Tunnels, where Vietcong fighters hid from the American forces in the Vietnam War. Just three miles past the entrance to the tunnels you will find the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station. This wonderful animal sanctuary run by a superb organisation, is responsible for rescuing many animals from captivity.
It is a common occurrence in Southeast Asia to find animals in less than perfect conditions. Otters, pangolins and even bears are kept in wholly inappropriate conditions in many locations in city centres. The people here, rescue these unfortunate animals and nurse them back to health, in many cases they manage to reintroduce them to the wild.
The station can be found at 50 Road No. 15, Cho Cu Ha near to the An Nhon Tay crossroad. Admission is free, but they do ask for people to leave a donation. Every dollar spent here is a dollar well spent.
It is possible to volunteer for work, either on a daily or a weekly basis. Many people who do have spoken of the positive experience as being life changing. Animal welfare in Southeast Asia is not always what it should be. The world of these dedicated individuals is helping to redress the balance in this most worthy of causes.