Viva! Poland

Viva! Poland is a non-profit organisation dedicated to animal protection and the promotion of compassion, responsibility and respect for all living beings. For more than 20 years, we have worked to improve the lives of animals through rescue operations, public campaigns, education and advocacy.

Our work includes rescuing and caring for animals in need, operating an animal sanctuary, exposing cruelty through investigations, educating children and adults, and promoting plant-based living as a solution that benefits animals, people and the planet. Through education and campaigning, we inspire positive change and work towards stronger animal protection laws and greater public awareness.

Viva! was founded in the UK in 1994 and in Poland in 2001 (and later in Uganda) by Juliet Gellatley and we are united by a shared vision of a more compassionate and sustainable world.

While Viva! Poland leads projects and campaigns across the country, Viva! UK helps strengthen international cooperation, raise funds and build global support for animal protection. Donations made to support projects in Poland directly fund our rescue work, investigations, education programmes and campaigns for lasting change.

Rescuing Animals

Every year, Viva! Poland helps animals who have suffered neglect, abuse, abandonment and exploitation. Through rescue operations, veterinary care, rehabilitation and adoption programmes, we give animals a second chance and help build a society that treats them with compassion and respect.

Korabiewice Animal Sanctuary

Since 2012, Viva! Poland has operated the Korabiewice Animal Sanctuary, one of the largest and most recognised animal sanctuaries in Poland. Located between Warsaw and Łódź, the sanctuary provides a safe home for dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, birds and other animals rescued from neglect, abandonment, fur farms and industrial exploitation.

The sanctuary was established after Viva! Poland uncovered severe animal cruelty at the site and successfully intervened to save the animals living there. Since then, it has been transformed into a place where animals can recover, live in safety and receive lifelong care when adoption is not possible.

Today, more than 300 animals live at Korabiewice. The sanctuary provides specialist veterinary treatment, rehabilitation, behavioural support and adoption services. It also serves as an educational centre, welcoming volunteers, schools and visitors who want to learn more about animal protection and compassionate living.

Over the years, hundreds of animals have found safety and new homes through the sanctuary, while thousands of supporters and volunteers have helped turn Korabiewice into a symbol of hope for animals in Poland.

Animal Rescue and Interventions

Our intervention teams respond to reports of cruelty, neglect and illegal treatment of animals across Poland. We rescue companion animals, farmed animals and horses, work closely with law enforcement authorities and pursue legal action against offenders.

Over the years, Viva! Poland has secured dozens of convictions in animal cruelty cases while helping countless domestic and farmed animals escape abuse and neglect. Our interventions not only save lives but also help establish legal precedents that strengthen animal protection throughout the country.

Adopciaki

Adopciaki is our foster-home programme that helps rescued dogs and cats prepare for adoption. Animals receive individual care in temporary homes where they can recover physically and emotionally before moving into permanent families.

The programme has helped large numbers of rescued animals successfully transition from neglect and abandonment into loving homes, giving them a chance to start a completely new chapter in life.

Protecting Horses

Horse welfare has been one of Viva! Poland’s most important long-term areas of work.

Save the Horses

Ratuj Konie (Save the Horses) is one of Poland’s most recognised horse rescue initiatives. We rescue horses from slaughter, intervene in cases of neglect and abuse, provide medical care and rehabilitation, and find safe adoptive homes.

Over the years, the campaign has helped save thousands of horses and has grown into one of the largest horse rescue programmes in Central Europe. More than 160 rescued horses have been successfully rehomed through the adoption programme.

We campaign against the transport of horses from Poland to slaughterhouses across Europe. These journeys can last for days and subject animals to extreme stress, exhaustion and suffering.

Years of campaigning have helped bring the issue into mainstream public debate, increased public awareness of the horse meat trade and strengthened scrutiny of horse transport conditions both in Poland and across Europe.

Morskie Oko Horse Campaign

For many years, Viva! Poland has been involved in efforts to improve conditions for horses used on the famous route to Morskie Oko in the Tatra Mountains. We monitor welfare conditions, participate in official discussions and advocate for alternatives that do not rely on animal labour.

Our work has contributed to numerous restrictions and welfare improvements in the transport system serving the route, significantly reducing the burden placed on working horses and increasing public oversight of their treatment.

Campaigning for Animals

Real change requires more than rescuing individual animals. We challenge the systems that cause suffering on a massive scale and work to transform public attitudes, corporate practices and government policy.

Stopklatka Investigations

Through undercover investigations, documentation and public campaigns, we expose cruelty in factory farms, slaughterhouses and other sectors of industrial animal agriculture. Our investigations reveal the reality behind closed doors and help drive public debate about animal welfare in Poland.

The evidence gathered by Stopklatka has contributed to the closure of several farms, livestock markets and slaughterhouses, while also generating nationwide media coverage and increasing pressure for stronger animal welfare standards.

Fur-Free Campaigns

For many years, Viva! Poland campaigned against the fur industry, exposing cruelty on fur farms through investigations, public awareness campaigns and political advocacy. We worked alongside citizens, experts and lawmakers to demonstrate the environmental, ethical and social costs of fur production.

Viva! Poland played a key role in the movement that ultimately led to the introduction of a national ban on fur farming in Poland, helping bring an end to one of the country’s most controversial animal industries.

Circus Without Animals

For years, we have campaigned for a legal ban on the use of animals in circuses. Through public outreach, educational campaigns and cooperation with local authorities, we highlight the welfare problems associated with keeping and transporting wild animals for entertainment.

The campaign helped shift public opinion in Poland and contributed to growing political support for restrictions on animal performances in circuses.

Bloody Christmas

Every year, millions of carp are sold and killed during the Christmas season in Poland. Through the Bloody Christmas campaign, we expose the suffering of fish during transport, sale and slaughter while promoting more compassionate holiday traditions.

The campaign has helped make fish welfare part of the national conversation and significantly increased public awareness of the treatment of carp during Christmas.

White Lies

The White Lies campaign challenges the image of the dairy industry presented through advertising and public messaging. We educate consumers about the realities of dairy production and encourage more informed choices about food.

The campaign has reached thousands of people and helped broaden public discussion about the treatment of cows and calves within the dairy industry.

Living Cargo

Through the Living Cargo campaign, we monitor livestock markets and animal transport across Poland. We document welfare violations and advocate for stronger legal protections for animals traded and transported within the agricultural system.

Our work has exposed numerous cases of neglect and contributed to increased public scrutiny of livestock markets and animal transport conditions.

Say No to Dolphinariums

Viva! has been working for years to end the exploitation of dolphins for entertainment and to protect wild cetaceans. The Foundation carries out inspections of dolphinariums, educates tourists, monitors tourism industry practices and cooperates with international partners. It has published Poland’s first comprehensive expert report on the use of dolphins in the entertainment industry.

Thanks to its campaigns, the construction of a dolphinarium in Poland was prevented, while several leading tour operators removed dolphinarium visits from their travel packages. Major travel portals also reviewed and revised content promoting dolphinariums, helping to encourage more responsible and ethical tourism.

Promoting Plant-Based Living

We believe one of the most effective ways to reduce animal suffering is by helping people discover plant-based alternatives and compassionate lifestyles.

Go Veggie for 30 Days

Our flagship vegan challenge encourages people to try a plant-based lifestyle for one month with practical guidance, recipes, nutritional information and daily support.

The campaign has attracted more than 200,000 participants, making it one of the largest vegan outreach programmes in Central and Eastern Europe. Every year, thousands of new participants join the challenge and the community continues to grow.

Tydzień Wege (Vegan Week)

Tydzień Wege is the oldest and largest vegan awareness campaign in Poland. Through public events, educational programmes, media outreach and community engagement, it introduces thousands of people to plant-based living every year.

In 2026, the campaign celebrated its 20th edition, becoming one of the longest-running vegan public awareness initiatives in Central Europe.

VEGE Magazine

VEGE magazine is one of Poland’s most recognisable publications dedicated to veganism, health, sustainability and ethical living.

For years, it has helped popularise plant-based lifestyles and compassionate consumer choices throughout Poland.

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