We built a shelter
How it all began
For years we gathered experience, fostering dogs and doing training. One thing led to another, and in 2014 we decided to build a fully-fledged shelter with everything it needs. Our shelter meets all veterinary regulations, fits beautifully into the Lhotky area, and is a pleasant place not only for the dogs but also for visitors. It sits in the woods away from civilization, so the dogs don't disturb the neighboring villages — and they get their peace and quiet too.
Setting up the shelter the way we imagined it wasn't easy. To meet all the required standards, we gradually built a quarantine with 5 separate boxes, an isolation room for acute cases, veterinary facilities consisting of two treatment rooms, hospitalization boxes and a laboratory, an office, and of course pleasant outdoor spaces with runs. After more than 10 years of hard work, we did it. Thanks to that, the shelter can safely and comfortably house up to 27 dogs at a time — and we're able to care for up to 100 dogs a year.
The shelter building
Like it or not, the building is the heart of it all. Without it there would be no quarantine, no treatment room, nothing. So it needs to be kept in good shape. Our shelter building has stood
quietly in the woods since 1972. In 2023 it was renovated and gained an extra floor, which now houses the shelter's veterinary facilities.
The reception room
The reception room is our multifunctional workspace. It serves as the shelter office, where we answer the phones and handle all the paperwork. This is where we'll sit down with you if you decide to adopt one of our dogs — and if everything works out, this is where you'll receive the contract and your new buddy's vaccination card. Last but not least, it's where our caretakers come to rest, have a coffee or eat lunch.
Quarantine
Certain measures are essential for the shelter's animal hygiene — setting up a quarantine area is one of them.
Every newly admitted dog goes through quarantine. It joins the other animals and becomes available for adoption only once we know it shows no signs of illness and has been vaccinated. This reduces the risk of infection spreading.
Isolation
It sounds awful — like solitary confinement for the naughtiest dogs. The opposite is true. Isolation is a safe place for truly acute cases: females giving birth, dogs with mange, or any other case where it isn't medically wise to place a dog among the unvaccinated animals waiting in quarantine.
The treatment room
It may not seem like it, but the treatment room is an important part of the shelter. Dogs often need minor or quick treatment that can be handled without calling in a vet or rushing to the clinic. And treating a dog outside in a freezing kennel is no fun for the dog or for us. We've equipped our treatment room so it can also be used for regular care and bigger procedures performed by a vet.
Hospitalization
Hospitalization is where our patients can spend the necessary time after procedures, warm and undisturbed — for example until they fully wake up from anesthesia.
The laboratory
This little corner is where the diagnostic magic happens. On the spot and without delay, we get immediate information about blood, organ values, CRP and other readings that matter for diagnosis and treatment.
The main run
The outdoor spaces matter most to the dogs — they're their temporary home. Ours consist of two parts. The first is the main run with 15 kennels ready even for cold weather, and a shared space full of greenery that provides pleasant shade and keeps noise and dust down. The other part is a separate run where the dogs can let off steam
and cuddle with the caretakers.
Veterinary intake
This is where we meet as part of the neutering program. Among other things, we make our facilities available to nearby organizations and municipalities for neutering stray cats. The intake room is used to hand over information
and take care of the necessary paperwork before the procedure itself.
Who's behind the look of the building and its surroundings?
Architect of the renovation and extension: Ing. arch Ondřej Falc
Interior design: Ing. arch. Tereza Valošková
Garden design: Bc. Michaela Zemánková
