A day at Dyreværnet: inside Denmark's historic animal welfare shelter
Step inside Dyreværnet with adoption worker Amalie Lohse-Lind as she shares the daily rhythm of the shelter, from early walks to late check-ins, and the work behind caring for Denmark's most vulnerable animals.
With Amalie Lohse-Lind, adoptionsmedarbejder and hundeansvarlig
Founded in 1898, Dyreværnet is one of the world's oldest animal welfare organisations. Their mission has stayed steady for more than a century, rooted in a simple idea: every pet in Denmark should have a good home. From their shelters, clinics and adoption work to nationwide emergency calls and collaborations with the police, the team steps in wherever an animal needs safety, treatment or a fresh start.
More than 500 animals are retrieved from welfare cases each year, and the mobile Frynseklinikker travel across Denmark offering free veterinary care to people who otherwise couldn't afford it. Some days the work is quiet and routine. Other days it is ten reports of neglected animals, a lost dog arriving at the door, or a rabbit surrendered by an owner whose life has changed.
To understand what daily life behind the scenes actually looks like, we spoke with Amalie Lohse-Lind, adoptionsmedarbejder and hundeansvarlig. She shared the rhythm of a typical day, the practical realities of caring for so many different animals, and the moments that stay with the team long after the doors close for the night.
Could you tell us what a typical day looks like at Dyreværnet?
The first two employees arrive at 6:30. We begin with a good morning round to all our animals, where we check that everyone is okay and has access to water. We have dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, and sometimes also hamsters, rats, mice and other rodents. After the round, all our dogs need to be let outside to go to the toilet. They are either placed in one of our outdoor play pens or taken for a short walk. Meanwhile, we also give them their breakfast.
The morning routine ends at 8:00, and then another employee and a group of our lovely volunteers arrive. Between 8:00 and 12:00, all dogs are taken on a morning walk for about an hour by us and the volunteers. We also spend the morning cleaning the dogs' rooms and taking care of all the other animals.
At 10:00, two other employees arrive and help with both cleaning and dog walking.
At midday, a few of our dogs are fed lunch, and then we spend some time training and working with behavioural problems with dogs that need this. After we have eaten our own lunch, the dogs are taken for an afternoon walk that takes 30–60 minutes, depending on how busy we are. New volunteers arrive to help with the walks.
The morning employees leave at 14:30. At 16:00, the dogs are fed their dinner, and then between 16:00 and 17:30 they are taken out for the last walk of the day. This is a shorter walk, about 15 minutes.
Then at 17:30, we say goodnight to all the dogs, check that they have a full water bowl and give them a chew to help them settle in. Then everybody leaves and the dogs go to sleep.
Around 21:30, another employee arrives to check that everybody is still okay. This employee gives all the dogs access to their outside kennels if they need to relieve themselves. After an hour, we say a final goodnight.
What's the first thing that happens when you arrive in the morning?
We arrive at 6:30 and begin with saying good morning to all the animals and checking that everybody is okay.
How many animals are usually in your care, and what kinds of cases do you see most often?
It varies a lot, but usually we have around 30 dogs divided into four groups: dogs for adoption, dogs in boarding kennels, neglect cases removed from their owner by us, and dogs that are placed by the police (strays, neglect cases, and dogs where their owners are either in hospital or in prison).
We have around 20–30 cats, both kittens and adults. We have around 10 guinea pigs and 15 rabbits.
How do you help nervous or newly arrived dogs start to settle in?
We try to place them in a quiet area, and then it is only employees that handle them at first. We slowly get them used to walks etc. If they are very nervous, we give them either supplements with a calming effect or medication.
What's one small detail of daily life at the shelter that people might not know about?
A lot of people have a very romantic idea of what it is like to work at a shelter, but it can be very hard work. We walk between 20 and 30 kilometres a day in all kinds of weather. Some dogs, especially the teenagers, jump on us, pull and stress bite. But of course, it is all worth it.
Can you share a recent story or moment that stayed with you?
Last year we received a former shelter dog from Ukraine that had a lot of emotional scars. He was very reactive towards traffic and other dogs and struggled a lot. We worked very hard with him and spent a long time trying to find the perfect home for him.
He stayed with us for almost a year, but then in September of this year, his perfect match finally showed up. She drove one hour several times to meet him and showed so much patience with him.
We just received an update from her, and he is doing so well now. His reactivity is almost gone, and he is best buds with her two other dogs. It makes all the hard work worth it.
What's the most rewarding part of the work, and what's the toughest?
The most rewarding part is when we finally find that perfect match for a dog that struggles with some behavioural issues and has been here for a long time.
The toughest part is those rare occasions when we are unable to help a dog and must put them down. Usually this is dogs from neglect cases that are too sick. They have finally been rescued and deserved to live the best life now.
How does your team unwind or recharge after busy days?
We make sure to talk things through if it has been a very tough day. Sometimes we will hang out outside of work.
If someone reading this wanted to help, what's the most useful thing they could do?
They could donate their time as a volunteer or give a monetary donation so we can continue our work.
Is there anything specific you'd like more people to understand about animal welfare or adoption in Denmark right now?
Some people think that we can just show up at somebody's house and remove their animals if they don't treat them right, but unfortunately this is not the case. It is only the police that can do this, so we must work together with the owner and talk them into voluntarily surrendering their animals to us.
Christmas is often a time when people consider getting a dog. Is there anything you wish more people understood about bringing a dog home during the festive season?
Christmas is a lovely time for many families, but it can also be a stressful and busy period for animals. We always encourage people to wait until everyday life has settled before bringing a new dog home. A dog needs calm, routine and time to bond, and that can be hard to create during the holidays.
We do sometimes see dogs being surrendered in January, often because the decision was made too quickly or without enough awareness of the responsibility involved. Our advice is simple. Take your time, ask questions and make sure you are ready for the long-term commitment. A dog should never be an impulse decision or a surprise gift, no matter the season.