Follow up your love for animals with facts by becoming an ENPA volunteer. The National Animal Protection Authority is constantly looking for people who intend to dedicate time, energy and passion to the cause of animal welfare: from protection to care, from assistance in the event of abandonment or mistreatment, to the fulfillment of adoption practices, to promotion of information and awareness campaigns on the subject.

But what are the requirements and availability required, and who to contact to demonstrate your interest? Here is the main information to become an ENPA volunteer.

Becoming an ENPA volunteer, requirements and availability

Age of majority and absence of criminal convictions . These are the only two requisites required, from a legal point of view, to become part of ENPA, the oldest Italian protectionist body, as a volunteer.

The other desired ones are of a personal nature and refer to the necessary commitment that the interested party intends to put at the service of the assignment: a responsible personality, willing to work in a team, to dedicate a few hours of the week (usually a minimum of 3 hours) to association and at evening meetings . The end? Helping to rescue thousands of abandoned, lost, injured or distressed animals every year.

How the ENPA is organized

In Italy there are over 130 ENPA offices, in which about 1700 volunteers work.

To become one in turn, it is possible to consult the list of offices in the area, in order to identify the closest one.

If the reference for our city or area uses a website, it will be possible to fill in an online form (the questionnaire available on the ENPA Milan portal is an example) to proceed with the application. Otherwise, it will be sufficient to contact the managers by phone or email to obtain the relevant information.

Once these first steps have been completed, potential volunteers are required toattend a training course (related to welfare, animal care and interaction with humans) and pass a trial month , at the end of which effective collaboration can be started.

Assignments and forms of collaboration

The activities that can be assigned to an ENPA volunteer range from the care of animals of different species (dogs, cats, but also rodents, reptiles or other specimens of exotic animals) to secretarial services, to the promotion of exhibitions, fairs and events.

The forms of collaboration vary according to the territory, the size of the office and the needs. In general, for complex organizations such as the Milanese one, there are four distinct forms of voluntary collaboration with the Section: 

• operators: they take care of the switchboard service and telephone consultancy, the recovery of sick, injured or endangered animals and the assistance to the animals guests of the hospital wards;
• collaborators: they are dedicated to assisting animals that are hospitalized in the hospital wards of the headquarters, without carrying out rescue activities;
• assistants of the veterinary clinic: support figures for veterinarians on duty;
• promoters: they are involved in the organization of fundraisers, promotion events, demonstrations, food collections. 

How it was born and what are the objectives of ENPA

ENPA (National Body for the Protection of Animals) is the oldest and one of the major Italian animal welfare associations. Founded in 1871 by Giuseppe Garibaldi , it was strengthened until it spread widely throughout the national territory. It is a private association, recognized as an “Environmental Protection Association” by the Ministry of the Environment.

Specifically, ENPA deals with:

• protect and defend animals , while enhancing nature and the environment;
• carry out activities for the protection of animal rights  by promoting solidarity, volunteering and social gathering, including through educational action in schools of all levels, and the carrying out of cultural activities;
• promote the improvement of legislation relating to the protection of animals and the protection of their welfare;
• take care of the establishment and management of animal care and shelter structures ;
• welcome animals abandoned by their owners  – in particular dogs – in their facilities, taking care of the assignment to new families who take care of them.