Sometimes animal shelters are perceived as sad, dismal places. But some of them are very much doing their best, and what's more, some are just outright adorable.

I need not preach just how evil abandoning an animal is (and thankfully in Finland, it's illegal), and don't want to depress you. So here, have some adorable animal shelters from around the world.

 

De Poezenboot

Many Amsterdam people like cats. Almost all are aware that due to the damp, hard-to-keep-clean nature of the canals, you either have cats or you have rodents.  Most bars and snack shops will have a cat to scare them away. But there was one hotel I worked at, geared toward rich foreigners -who just didn't want cats around. Every evening the place was covered in a living carpet of mice, and there was little we could do. Cats get adopted, thus De Poezenboot is mostly a tourist attraction and a stopover for the cats who do have a mouse-murdering future to look forward to. Essentially, it's a canal boat chock full of happy cats. Adorable.

 

Torre Argentina

The situation of the Roman cat is not quite so cushy as that of the Amsterdam one. Still, the weather is not bad, and it must be admitted few cats get to live in a place this magnificent, even if it is a ruin. Located in central Rome in the famous Torre Argentina ruins, the Torre Argentina no-kill shelter rescues street cats who, after they're vaccinated and fixed, get to live in the ruin where they're fed daily.  It is possible to distance-adopt one and receive regular pictures & updates!

Istanbul rescue whose name escapes the author

Most of municipal animal rescues in Istanbul are frankly infamous. Still, this one is uplifting, as despite the enormous stray population, and very little resources, the vet working here is doing everything she can to help as many animals she can. The place is littered with tripod cats, blind cats, teeny tiny puppies -receiving any and all care the staff can offer. As opposed to the other shelters in this article, sending donations is not possible due to the place's municipal status -but volunteering is possible. It's rather different from your usual tourist experience, spending a day washing dogs with skin disease, but it is heartening to know that while the situation of all the strays you will see if you visit Istanbul is difficult, it is not hopeless, and you can help.

Cihangir - Cool for Cats

While the situation for stray animals in Istanbul is frankly not great, sometimes they just get lucky. An emigrant from the UK, Hilary Sable has taken it as her duty to help street cats in the area of Cihangir. Assisted by the vets at Anipoli veterinary clinic, the street cats of this neighborhood can expect to get some vaccinations, medical treatment and regular meals -funds are collected by karaoke- and quiz nights. Cihangir -Cool for Cats also sports a large volunteer network, and it is possible to adopt from them: Zeno, born in a Cihangir street corner, is currently asleep, exhausted from a heavy meal, in a flat in Helsinki.

International Animal Rescue Goa

Now, these guys face a whole different set of challenges from anyone else on this list. Shelter resources are short here as everywhere, but the list of species to be rescued is not. The cows that wander freely everywhere regularly need winching out of wells, plastic bags removed from their many stomachs, care after various traffic accidents and mishaps... but while cows are plentiful, alongside cats and dogs of course, they're by no means the strangest. Monkeys, birds, lizards, snakes abound, and these guys seek to offer assistance to all. This would make an eye-popping tourist attraction, but for the fact that only limited visits are possible for people who don't have rabies vaccinations. Considering getting rabies shots in India is rather cheap, I'd almost recommend it just so you can visit.

Of course they also do more normal animal rescue work -if you must pet a stray while in Goa (it's officially not recommended) choose one with a blue collar; this is the sign International Animal Rescue has vaccinated it for rabies.

 

Many of us have seen miserable street animals while on a holiday, and felt bad that there's nothing one can do. But in many countries, maybe most, it is possible to find a shelter to volunteer at or even adopt from if one just looks hard enough, and the stories of all these adorable animals can have a happy ending!