Životinjski Kutak is an information center for all things related to animals, and it was created in collaboration with Zagreb City Zoo and animal city shelter -Dumovec. Its main cause is to raise awareness about taking care of animals especially those that are abandoned and need to find a happy home.

Where is it & what can you do there?

Životinjski Kutak, or in direct translation, the Animal corner is placed in Vlaška 105, halfway to the city center and Zagreb Zoo. What I personally love the most about this project is that there’s always something going on in there. You can attend informative lectures by workers of Zagreb Zoo or just hang out with animals from Zagreb city shelter – Dumovec - which are always ready for playing and cuddling with anyone who shows them affection.

For example, every Wednesday from 10 am till 6 pm you can enjoy hanging out with exotic animals like snakes, scorpions, spiders etc. from the Zagreb Zoo. It is a great chance to see these exotic animals which you don’t have a chance to see every day. The programme is called Wild Wednesdays and is completely free for all interested. It is equally interesting for kids and adults. I took my 5-year-old nephew to one of these and he was absolutely thrilled to see exotic bugs close up. It’s a nice way to spend some quality time with your little ones and learn and see something new along the way. So, I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for some interesting places to visit while in Zagreb.

Also, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 am till 6 pm there is a new guest in the center – a dog from Dumovec shelter with whom you can play, take for a walk and if you 'fall in love', adopt and give it a home full of love which they all desperately need. It is a great way, for people who don’t have a dog but are huge animal lovers, to spend some time with these beautiful beings and get a first-hand experience what it’s like to walk them, feed them, etc.

As an animal lover myself, I absolutely love the whole idea behind this project because it is a known fact that Zagreb animal shelters are overcrowded, and, this way, animals in need have a greater chance of being adopted right on the spot by people who are genuine animal lovers.

Image credit: Darija Ilić

Raising awareness one paw at a time

In my opinion, it is really important to constantly raise awareness of what kind of commitment it is to have a pet. As we know, pets are not toys, and you can’t just get rid of a dog because your child got bored of it after two months. Unfortunately, many dogs that end up in shelters are there exactly for that reason which breaks my heart. Because of that, I love special educational programmes which Životinjski Kutak offers to students between ages 9 and 12 where they can learn how to take care of a pet and other useful information about animals in a fun and creative way.

Image credit: Darija Ilić

I think that these projects are a perfect way of reminding people that if you do want to have a dog or a pet in general, you don’t need to buy it. Many of these beautiful creatures are waiting for you in Zagreb’s Dumovec shelter and Životinjski Kutak. You can be sure, if you do decide to adopt one, it will be grateful, but the love you’ll receive back is a true lifetime gift which is something that any dog owner will confirm. 

So, if you find yourself in the Zagreb city center, visit this warm place and give some love to the lovely animals there and amazing people who take care of them daily.

Header image credit: Darija Ilić

Author: Darija Ilić