Incredible 'Dog Village' in Poland Houses Shelter Pups in Their Very Own Tiny Cottages

In Poland, there's an incredible "dog village" that looks way better for the dogs than a typical shelter, and it's adorable, too.

On July 2, 2024, TikTok user Jenn (@thatgoodnewsgirl) shared a video of an adoption center's unique way of caring for adoptable dogs, and it such a good idea. Take a look!

Jenn introduces us to The Dog Village in Przemysl, Poland, in a quick minute-long video.

Related: 10 Tips on Adopting the Right Cat or Dog

"There's a dog adoption center where dogs live in colorful cottages, complete with their own yards," she says while a photo behind her shows the pups' impressive homes.

The adoption center uses the cottages in place of kennels or crates. Each home has air conditioning and is furnished with sofas, tables, and rugs.

It's an incredibly smart idea not only because it's cute but the dogs get their own space that mimics closer to what they'd have at home. A recent study showed that dogs that are housed in the same space as friendly dog companions get adopted faster. This is because dogs with less stress don't have red-flag behaviors that might be off-putting to potential new dog parents.

Looking at the dogs in this clip, they're all smiling and getting along, and it's a far less stressful environment than the cold kennel we typically see dogs waiting to be adopted living in.

"The on-site rehabilitation center also allows the Dog Village to take in more complicated cases that would not be able to get the care they need at a shelter," the video's caption explains.

"Because they will already be accustomed to a home environment, these dogs may be more likely to be adopted when they would otherwise be overlooked."

In the comments, people were all about this idea, too.

"If I won the lottery, I wouldn't tell anyone, but… there would be signs," one person joked.

"The dog village is wonderful," another person shared. "Wish it could be replicated everywhere."

"This is exactly what I would do if I ever got rich," admitted another.

"So proud of my country for this one," wrote another.

"This is so smart; my rescue dog had never been in a house before I got him and is still too scared of new flooring if we go to a pet store!" one person shared. "It took him months to be comfortable in our home we had."

How to Help Reduce Stress in Shelter Dogs

It's stressful for dogs who live in sheltered and need to find their forever home. Not only because they're often in the shelter with some sort of trauma--whether their humans weren't able to care for them anymore or they've been living on the street.

And then suddenly they're in a new environment, with rotating people, in a space that's often quite bland and cold. Plus a whole lot of new sounds and smells, and other dogs. It's a breeding ground for stress, and stress and happy dogs don't exist.

That's what makes this shelter set up so cool, and according to The Humane Society of the United States, taking fear out of shelters is really important.

"Providing good behavioral care in the shelter includes reducing fear factors, increasing creature comforts, and providing considerate, positive, predictable interactions and communication," they explain. "Science has taught us that severe stress and fear can lead to lifelong behavior problems and emotional suffering for animals."