Warsaw hosts more than 70,000 dogs and 29,000 free‑roaming cats, which together serve as the city’s natural sanitary guard, according to officials.
Free‑Roving Cats as the City’s Sanitary Watchmen
Warsaw’s 29,000 free‑roaming cats, managed by municipal arrangements, hunt rodents and small rodents, acting as a natural sanitary guard for the capital. Their presence is formally recognized within the city’s anti‑homeless‑animal program.
Jan Lityński‑Named Paluch Shelter: Warsaw’s Largest Animal Care Facility
Located on 3–4 hectares near Chopin Airport, the Shelter for the Paluch – named after anti‑communist activist Jan Lityński – occupies both city land and property loaned by the Airport Port Company. Since 2001 it operates under the City’s Anti‑Homeless‑Animal Programme and boasts extensive veterinary and residential infrastructure for hundreds of animals.
Its 2025 budget exceeds 23.4 million PLN, covering maintenance, veterinary care, food, and citywide intervention services. Modernised in 2005‑2006, the shelter now has 10 dog wings, including two quarantine and eight residential bays, all with heating and separate indoor–outdoor sections.
Daily Operations and Adoption Flow
On average, the shelter hosts 470 dogs and 150 cats at any given time. Around 200 new animals—approximately 100 dogs and 80 cats—arrive each month, with seasonal variations influencing the intake numbers.
Official records for 2023‑2024 indicate that each month, between fifty and over a hundred dogs and a similar number of cats are adopted, while many more animals are returned to owners after going missing.
Quarantine, Care, and Return Rates
Upon arrival, every animal receives an identification number, is photographed, medically examined, and implanted with a micro‑chip before being placed in 15‑day quarantine to observe for infectious diseases.
If no owner claims the animal, it moves to a residential wing where it is vaccinated, spayed or neutered, medically treated, and, if needed, given behavioral care. Thanks to mandatory micro‑chipping and City Police cooperation, about 41 % of pets brought to the shelter return to their owners.
Volunteer and Community Support
The shelter benefits from 21 volunteer groups—one for cats and the rest for dogs—who walk animals, work on behaviour, photograph, advertise adoptable pets, conduct pre‑adoption walks, and keep in touch with adopters. A separate photo‑volunteer collective produces images for online listings and promotional calendars.
An on‑site information and adoption centre, “Ochota na Kota” on Grójecka 79, offers a storefront view of several cats and provides full adoption procedures, volunteer information, and educational sessions for youth on cat care, missing‑pet protocols, and anti‑homelessness strategies.
Future Plans: Geriatric Pavilion and Eco‑Friendly Expansion
The city is constructing a new Geriatric Pavilion within the shelter, expected to house over 70 senior dogs and include veterinary clinics, rehabilitation rooms, and bathing facilities. The building will connect to the dog hospital and feature grassy exercise areas, shade structures, and small cooling pools.
Eco‑friendly designs comprise underground rainwater tanks, a green roof, and photovoltaic panels. The estimated cost is nearly 5 million PLN, with construction and site development aimed for completion by December 2024 and ongoing outfitting with necessary equipment and furnishings.
