Animal Experience International - Barrie, Ontario

MasterChronis

I had an absolute blast in the wild life rehab facility in Perth Australia. I got to meet so many amazing animals from the smallest animals like the bilbies to the massive feathered friends of the emu's. The staff there were extremely friendly and made the trip that much better with Tash always being open to talk to and the two wonderful caretakers always being welcome to take me to the store during my time. I got to learn so much on the prep for animals and got to do things I never would have gotten to so if I had stayed local on Canada. I would recommend anyone go if they want to genuinely learn about foreign wildlife and if you have a passion for helping animals

Laura W.

My boss knows I love sea turtles and found Animal Experience International (AEI) had a trip doing sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica. My dad, sister, and I recently got back from a trip that we booked through AEI! Nora with AEI was amazing and answered all my questions every step of the way! She did a great job having everything organized with a very detailed manual about the trip, Costa Rica, and anything you may want to know. I felt very prepared for the trip! AEI worked with another amazing company in Costa Rica! We had a blast helping with different aspects and learning about sea turtle conservation!

Jess F.

I have done 2 solo excursions through AEI (Guatemala and Mongolia) and both were amazing! Nora and Heather do all the hard work to make sure you have a fun, safe and meaningful trip. Their hard work takes all the worry away from travelling and let's you enjoy the experience and new country. The experiences they have set up are incredible trips you will never forget! They work with reputable organizations to do work that directly benefits the animals while you are on trip (feeling, cleaning, educating, socializing). The hardest part of doing one of their expeditions is trying to choose which one to do!!

B L.

Traveling to Mongolia and spending time observing the Takhi in the wild was a once in a lifetime experience. Seeing the remote and beautiful landscape made me very glad that I chose to make the long journey. Living in a Ger and being among the people who put their all into protecting and caretaking Histua National Park was an honor.
Nora and Heather are doing excellent work not only for the animals and conservation, but for helping eco volunteers like myself feel safe and secure . I recommend them highly for anyone wishing to travel with purpose.

Guess what!!!
This is a review from the trip I took to Hustai National Park in 🇲🇳 Mongolia
Which was the 2nd trip that I took with Animal Experience International.
The photos that I posted today are actually from Costa Rica 🇨🇷.
I just got back from 2 weeks at the Latin American Sea Turtles site.
What a wonderful experience it was for me.
Traveling solo was a breeze with all the help and quidance from Nora and Heather.
It was a very fun to meet up with other volunteers who were also volunteering through AEI.
The work could be challenging at times because it was so hot and humid.
Thats ok tho...because we are working for a good cause.
Assisting with sea turtle research, helping to restore the mangrove forests and pitching in to keep the community area and surrounding ocean litter free.
The beautiful scenery, friendly atmosphere and amazing wildlife were all bonuses!
Also the host family took excellent care of me. I've been treated so well.
I would recommend this volunteering opportunity to anyone interested in having an adventure that is a little challenging, very rewarding and fun!.

S P.

The whole experience was stress free. From the onset, Nora and Heather were helpful and so knowledgeable. They made every step of the process amazing!
Once we arrived I loved that someone was waiting to drive us to the Wildlife Rescue Centre. The centre gave a great orientation and all the staff were so friendly. My favourite part of the day was providing enrichment activities to the parrots! It was incredibly rewarding to make a difference in these birds and animals lives. Thank you for all the wondering memories!

Janet S.

This was a wonderful experience. So well organized and Nora always answered my questions no matter how inconsequential they may have seemed. I would do another "experience" with AEI. They are professional, organized and the placement I was at had nothing but good things to say about Nora and AEI!

Lauren E.

I just got back last week from Guatemala where I was in the two-week veterinary program at ARCAS.

What an incredible experience! Whether you’re thinking of volunteering or taking part in the veterinary program, I cannot recommend AEI enough!

I made lots of new friends and connections from all over the world. In addition to my program’s responsibilities, we also cleaned, fed and provided enrichment for the animals at the centre which included but was not limited to macaws, parrots, toucans, hawks, kinkajous, wooly opossums, squirrels, porcupines, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, capuchins, coatis, peccaries, pacas, turtles and crocodiles.

It’s been weird coming back to Ontario and not hearing the macaw or howler monkey calls throughout the day! Or seeing the sky turn dark and have three minutes max to get your rain jacket, poncho or find cover from the ground-shaking thunderstorms! Or seeing wild spider monkeys swinging through the jungle above your head!

I learned about AEI back in 2019 when I met Dr. Heather Reid and listened to her lecture about wildlife rehabilitation and volunteering abroad. Soon after, I got in contact with Nora who was extremely punctual, kind and knowledgeable. With COVID-19, the trip was pushed back repeatedly but Nora never gave up and gave frequent updates on the possibility of rebooking my dates. She reassures and addresses any concerns you have about anything related to your trip. I already knew where I wanted to go and Nora helped me make it a reality! Despite flights not being included, Nora gave excellent recommendations on who to book flights with and where to stop over. She gave a comprehensive packing list and manual which was helpful in being prepared for the culture and environment change. As a young woman and having never travelled by myself, I was extremely nervous but AEI was always there for me every step of the way!

There was some slight miscommunication between the centre and AEI about specific packing items, housing and internet accessibility, however, overall, the trip was an absolute adventure and a once in a lifetime experience!

Kristen W.

I recently went on the sea turtle experience with my sister. We had a great time! The prep prior to the trip was pretty easy and stress free.