Sobolew ‘Happy Dog’ Shelter Closed, 146 Dogs Moved

The news in Polish

1. schronisko  (n.)
   miejsce, gdzie czasowo przebywają zwierzęta lub ludzie potrzebujący opieki, np. bezdomne psy i koty ↩︎
2. stan  (m.)
   sposób, w jakim coś lub ktoś się znajduje w danym momencie, np. stan zdrowia, stan techniczny ↩︎
3. tymczasowy
   taki, który jest tylko na jakiś czas, nie na stałe ↩︎
4. weterynarz  (m.)
   lekarze, którzy leczą zwierzęta ↩︎
5. władza  (f.)
   osoby lub instytucje, które rządzą i podejmują ważne decyzje w państwie, mieście itp. ↩︎
6. adopcja  (f.)
   przyjęcie kogoś, np. dziecka lub zwierzęcia, do swojej rodziny i opiekowanie się nim jak własnym ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Where were the 146 dogs taken after the ‘Happy Dog’ shelter was closed?

Question 2: Who is checking the health of the dogs after they were moved?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
schronisko  (n.)	animal shelter
stan  (m.)	condition
tymczasowy	temporary
weterynarz  (m.)	veterinarian
władza  (f.)	authorities
adopcja  (f.)	adoption

Read the full story

The controversial “Happy Dog” animal shelter in Sobolew, in east-central Poland, has been closed by the authorities and all dogs have now been removed from the site. According to official information from the Mazovian Voivode (the government’s regional representative), 146 dogs were evacuated from the facility.

The decision to shut down the shelter was issued on 24 January by the District Veterinary Officer in Garwolin, who ordered immediate closure and banned the owner from running similar facilities in the future. The animals were then taken away over the next two days by veterinary inspectors, supported by the police and numerous animal protection organisations.

During the operation, several groups reported very poor conditions in which the dogs had allegedly been kept. Activists on the scene described many animals as severely underweight, sick and injured. Near the kennels, they say they found sticks bearing traces resembling blood, which, in their view, suggested that some dogs might have been beaten. Veterinary checks are now under way to assess the true state of the animals’ health and to document their conditions.

Animal welfare organisations have stated online that the evacuation took place in chaotic circumstances. Groups such as OTOZ Animals and other foundations reported that the protest at the shelter gates “escaped control”. According to their accounts, private individuals entered the site, taking dogs on their own initiative, sometimes without first confirming identities or checking microchip numbers. Some activists also claimed they experienced difficult cooperation with local officials and police. These descriptions, shared on social media, present the event as emotionally charged and at times disorganised.

The police, however, communicated that officers were present to maintain safety for both people and animals during the intervention. They emphasised that the evacuation followed the official decision of the veterinary inspectorate and that the operation was intended to secure all animals before transferring them to new facilities. Media reports note that, while there is general agreement that the dogs had to be removed urgently, opinions differ on how well coordination and crowd control were handled at the scene.

Authorities have confirmed that the 146 registered dogs from Sobolew have been sent to a shelter complex in Wojtyszki in the Łódź region, operated by the Institute for Animal Protection. At the same time, some animal charities say they took dozens of dogs into temporary homes, foundations and other shelters. Because of the hectic situation, inspectors and NGOs are still comparing lists to establish exact numbers and locations of all evacuated animals.

The case has drawn widespread attention in Poland. National media, local residents and many celebrity supporters, including singer Doda, highlighted what they described as “dramatic conditions” in the Sobolew shelter. Photos and videos shared online of exhausted and injured dogs provoked strong public reactions and calls for stricter oversight of animal facilities.

In response, the Mazovian Voivode Mariusz Frankowski has requested a detailed explanation from the District Veterinary Inspectorate and the local authorities. He wants to know why, despite earlier alarming signals about the shelter, decisive action was taken only now. The municipal authorities in Sobolew and the veterinary services are expected to submit comprehensive reports on how the situation developed and which inspections were previously carried out.

The national government has also reacted at a broader level. The Ministry of the Interior and Administration, together with the Mazovian Voivode, has launched a programme of unannounced inspections of animal shelters across Poland, conducted by the Veterinary Inspectorate. These surprise checks, which began in January 2026, are planned to be held on a regular basis to monitor living conditions, hygiene and veterinary care in shelters.

Under Polish law, gminy (municipalities) are responsible for providing care for homeless animals and may supervise shelters they work with. At the same time, the Veterinary Inspectorate is charged with official control of animal welfare and sanitary standards. The Sobolew case has raised questions among commentators and activists about how these shared responsibilities function in practice and how quickly institutions react when warning signs appear.

For now, attention is focused on the health and future of the evacuated dogs. Veterinary teams are performing thorough examinations, recording microchip data and starting treatment for the most serious conditions, such as malnutrition, tumours, hernias and infected wounds reported by local media. Animal organisations are publishing pictures of the dogs online, hoping that some former owners might recognise them or that new families will offer adoption or temporary foster care.

The closure of the Sobolew shelter has therefore become not only a local intervention, but also a national test of Poland’s animal protection system. The coming weeks are expected to bring more official findings about what happened in Sobolew and whether additional changes to inspection procedures and shelter supervision will follow.

Info: ‘Polish Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Polish’, a language school offering various types of online Polish courses, where we share updates, materials, and guidance to help learners with Polish learn.