Over the past ten years, VOSD has grown into the world’s largest no-kill sanctuary and hospital. The VOSD Sanctuary and Hospital, which has the City of Dogs, is a purpose-built space for over 1,400 dogs.
VOSD is located on the outskirts of Bengaluru city. We are an oasis of a dog sanctuary, in the heart of rural India. The air is fresh, the landscape is lush green and the sunsets that paint the entire sky – are not filtered through city smog! So if you are looking to escape the city, celebrate a special occasion, or simply experience a once-in-a-lifetime stay amongst hundreds of rescued dogs – look no further than VOSD!
While there are innumerable other dog rescue shelters, there’s no other place quite like VOSD in India and the World. We are a permanent home for hundreds of rescued dogs who now live safely and happily here. It’s so hard to sum up what VOSD is like, so we opened our gates for you to experience it yourself!
Guests who have visited VOSD have been moved emotionally, some have cried, some have been inspired, some never left and joined our family permanently! So unless you visit and experience the magic of VOSD yourself, you’ll never know in what way this experience will move you.
Before you come to VOSD, you only need to love dogs and have a big heart – to make room for the hundreds of dogs you will fall in love with here! Each dog here has a name and a story that led them here. Our dogs come in all shapes, sizes, colours and forms – some have 3 legs, some 2 and some only 1 leg. Some have visible trauma like bullet scars and some have internal fears. But, all our dogs are happy and resilient – you have to see it to believe just how much!
VOSD is a busy Sanctuary & Hospital one where dogs live for life. Dogs come with severe injuries, dogs who might not make it despite our best efforts, dogs who have only ever seen the bad side of people, and is home to hundreds of special needs dogs. You will see dogs make miraculous recoveries, dogs who go from being terrified to thriving on human affection, and dogs that learn to trust and love back.
The initial introduction can be overwhelming to some of you. The best step is to focus on what you can do to help so focus on the action of providing loving comfort and care.
When You Arrive
When you first arrive at VOSD, you will be given a tour around the VOSD Sanctuary & Hospital to give you an idea of what to expect and how you can help.
A coordinator will then meet with you and create a personalised schedule for you to follow, with some variations each day, making sure that you know what you can do to help and when.
Watch the dogs feeding to check for any change in behaviour and oversee cleaning of their premises.
Ensure clean water supply in individual kennels/enclosures. Flag any power outages that may need to be fixed.
Check for signs of disease or distress in the VOSD dogs.
Take dogs out for regular exercise at the agility park.
Focus on, socialise and nurture our dogs individually.
Take old dogs out for a swim – to ensure they get adequate exercise.
At VOSD, we have 2 rooms available on a twin-sharing basis. You will also have access to shared facilities i.e. a common kitchenette, toilet, bathroom, washing machine, stove, and microwave. You can choose to stay overnight for 1, 2, or 3 nights and we accept donations to cover the expenses of your experience. Your stay includes 3 meals a day at the VOSD Canteen i.e. breakfast, lunch, and dinner; along with tea/coffee during breaks.
Get a glimpse of VOSD Sanctuary and Hospital – our facilities and our family of rescued dogs.
Experience a 2-day getaway like no other. You could opt for a weekend or 2 weekdays.
Want a long weekend escapade?
You can spend 3 days surrounded by dogs – a dream come true?
Once your travel is confirmed, we will share the details of how to get to the Sanctuary from Bengaluru city or the Airport. We are approximately an hour away from Bengaluru city. You could choose to drive to the sanctuary, or VOSD can arrange for transportation from Hebbal; else you could book an Ola / Uber outstation taxi from Bengaluru city or the airport. Once you are booked to stay with us, we can help you make the necessary local travel arrangements.
The VOSD Sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Bengaluru and there is not much to do around the Sanctuary. Our overnight stay package rates do not include local travel to and from the Sanctuary to the city. At an additional charge, VOSD can arrange for transport for you, else you could book an Ola / Uber outstation cab from Bengaluru.
Yes, there is no admittance without a prophylactic dose of anti-rabies (3 shots taken on Day 1, 3, 5 before exposure) and tetanus (valid for 6 months). In India, you will get this injection at any hospital for roughly Rs 1000/shot ($15). This is a standard procedure and a precautionary measure for your safety, since you will be in the midst of hundreds of rescued dogs.
It is mandatory to receive an invitation from us if you wish to stay with us. We have only 2 rooms available for guests to stay at the Sanctuary and therefore, only a prior booking can ensure availability for your dates. Please write to us at info@vosd.in if you would like to stay with us, along with your preferred dates and ID proof.
Unfortunately, we do not permit children at the Sanctuary. A lot of the dogs at the Sanctuary have endured severe trauma before they were rescued and therefore we have strict processes and experienced handlers who know how to best interact with them. Children would not have been exposed to such dogs before and therefore, lack the experience and understanding for such an interaction. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, we cannot allow children to visit.
Guests are welcome at VOSD all year round, 365 days a year. Therefore, we would recommend checking the weather for Bengaluru for the dates you intend to stay with us. Generally, given the lush tree cover at the Sanctuary, evenings tend to be slightly cooler than the temperatures highlighted for Bengaluru.
Wear what you are comfortable being active in. Try to wear full-sleeved shirts and pants – dogs will jump on you and may scratch bare hands and legs. Try and wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty in. We recommend closed shoes since this is a working place. It’s a good idea to bring sunscreen if you are not used to the sun in the winter and summer seasons. If you are coming during winter, a jacket for the evenings is highly recommended.
Monetary donations are always preferred to allow us to best plan and manage our resources. Please have a look at the donations page for up-to-date details about specific items we need.
Please be mindful that VOSD Sanctuary and Hospital is a home to hundreds of rescued and abandoned dogs. Dogs here have survived human cruelty, trauma, accidents and so much more. While all dogs are extremely loving in general, please do not expect all the dogs here to simply be like your own pet dog. Please trust and strictly adhere to the advice, recommendations, and instructions given to you by the VOSD staff members – this is for your safety and the safety of our dogs. The well-being of our dogs and our staff is paramount. If your behavior is found unsuitable, we reserve the right to admission at all times.
We would be delighted to have you join us for longer than 3 days! If you wish to stay with us for longer, you can also get a more hands-on experience of VOSD by opting for our Volunteer program. Volunteers can stay at VOSD for a few weeks or a few months – depending on what you’d prefer. Do have a look at the Volunteer page on our website for more details and when you are ready, do write in and apply. If you’d like to work with us permanently, have a look at our current vacancies here.
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