About our shelter

Schronisko na Paluchu im. Jana Lityńskiego (Shelter) is an institution funded by the budget of Warsaw. In its current state the Shelter has been active since 2001.

The Shelter only accepts animals from within the confines of the capital city of Warsaw and from Piaseczno, Raszyn. Animals found elsewhere, or having their home elsewhere must be taken in by shelters or vets who are approved for the given area. Every community is responsible for homeless animals in their area and have a specific budget set aside.

At the moment we have about 650 dogs in our care. The number of cats varies between 30 in the winter, up to 200 in the summer. Every month (on average) we take in about 300 animals – 200 dogs and 100 cats. Despite this, from 2011 the amount of animals in the shelter has been decreasing. A great result.

How we work:

• Take all and any available action to take care of homeless animals, written in art.4 pkt.17 of the law of 21 August 1997 about the protection of animals, specifically in Warsaw.
• Provide education amongst the residents of Warsaw, specifically the younger residents, about how to care for animals and treat them with the respect they deserve.
• React when we hear that one of our adopted animals is being treated unfairly.
• Our vets will sterilise/castrate the animals to ensure that the population of homeless animals doesn’t escalate.
• Use all our means (internet, Facebook itd) to find owners or finding new owners and giving homeless animals to adoption for those who are interested and able to provide them with proper living conditions
• We work together with veterinary inspectors and Sanepid to ensure our animals do not have any infectious diseases (mainly rabies)

Our Adoptio Office

Animals are brought to the shelter by Eko Patrol ( a part of the Municipal Police of Warsaw). If the animal has a chip implanted, the municipal Police will contact the owner and that animal will not be admitted to the Shelter. If there is no possibility to contact the owner (eg. the data is not correct) then the office will send a registered letter (requesting to pick up the animal) to the address on the chip with a request for confirmation of receipt. If the owner does not accept the request the animal will be put up for adoption. Every animal arriving at the Shelter is checked for a microchip, registered, photographed and given an ID number. Then they will go through a full veterinary test, will have a microchip implanted (if they don’t already have one), will be written up in the Shelter’s records and will be vaccinated against contagious diseases and protected against fleas and ticks. From The Adoption Office the animal goes to quarantine for 15 days. Isolating a new animal from the rest of the animals at the shelter is absolutely paramount as we still don’t know their state of health. Even if, when we take in a new dog or cat, they don’t show evidence of an illness, this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have a communicable illness. The incubation time for illnesses and different and can last up to 14 days. After quarantine the animal is vaccinated against rabies. The quarantine period is also used as the time to find the owner of the animal. During this time the animal cannot be put up for adoption. All animals that we have taken in are to be found in the binder in the Office and on the internet http://www.napaluchu.waw.pl/ostatnio_znalezione/ (this page is updated daily at midnight), also on Facebook at Kwarantanna Schroniska na Paluchu (https://www.facebook.com/Kwarantanna-Schroniska-Na-Paluchu), so that we can help owners find their lost ones. Thanks to these tools 41% dogs brought into the Shelter find their owners (or the other way round). The Office for the Adoption of Animals also deals with the return of animals to their rightful owners.

One of the duties of the office is to ensure that the person who is claiming the animal is the rightful owner The Adoption Office also will give out information about possible adoptions, will carry out pre-adoption questionnaires. Also next to the Adoption office are 2 vet surgeries.

Carers: The Carers are responsible for looking after the animals day to day. They clean out the boxes, change the water, feed the dogs and cats, they ensure the dogs get on with each other, pairing the right dogs in boxes for example. They are allowed to administer tablets and help with the vets. On average each carer will look after about 70 dogs, and work according to a timetable. Each Region in the shelter has a fulltime carer and deputy. Feeding The dogs in the Shelter are fed once a day, always in the morning. The exceptions are dogs who are ill or on a diet, those who require a special diet. From April to October the dogs are fed dry food (Eminent)and tinned food, mainly Dolina Noteci. All year round our cats are fed with packaged cat food. During the winter months, dogs which live in unheated boxes get fed with cooked food and dogs in the „pavilions” continue with their diet of kibble. During the day the kitchen continues to warm water to give to the dogs in boxes that are not heated. We add a little cooking oil to the warm water to stop the water from freezing over.

Dog Hospitals

At the shelter we have 2 hospitals, a general hospital where we house the lab, operating theatres, Diagnostic rooms and boxes for the dogs. Volunteers who want to take a dog for a walk from this hospital must ask one of the members of staff. The second hospital is for infectious illnesses. Volunteers are not allowed in this hospital.

Cat Hospital

All sick cats go to this hospital. The biggest problem we encounter at the shelter with cats is Cat catarrh and panleukopenia. We also get kittens, not independent, and without their mothers. For these we have introduced a kitten kindergarden The Cat Sanctuary Here you can’t enter without the presence of a carer or a volunteer. You will not be allowed to touch the kittens as they will not have had their injections and will not be resistant to disease. This could threaten their life Puppies Puppies can be found in Regions 3 and 4. Please do not try and tough the puppies, they may not have had their injections yet and may not be resistant to illness. This could threaten their lives. 1%, financing OPP The Shelter is funded by the Warsaw City Council and as such is not registered for a 1% donation from your yearly taxes. However anyone interested can donate at the Adoption Office or through the bank account listed on our webpage. What is most important to us is finding forever homes for our four legged friend. If you wish to donate something material to the Shelter, a list of necessities is on our page „How to Help” Halfway houses The Shelter does not endorse or run „halfway houses” We would like you to adopt a pet in the full knowledge of what you are in for: care, responsibility (civil and financial). We have too many dogs to care for to run halfway houses as well.