Stray Dog Café: Not for Profit, Just to Find Warm Homes for Homeless Dogs

Waf Cafe: Europe's First Coffee Shop for Stray Dogs

Waf Cafe, a coffee shop in Lille in northern France, has been getting a lot of attention lately—it is the first cafe in Europe created for stray dogs. Inside are plenty of large dogs, each of which has known abandonment, life on the streets, even abuse.

For the dogs that make it here, life changes completely: they get warm homes for the rest of their days. The need is real—in France, nearly 60,000 dogs end up on the streets every year, and about 80% of them are large breeds. People hesitate to adopt big dogs on a whim, worried they might be aggressive, and many of these animals are ultimately euthanized.

Unable to watch so many dogs meet the same fate, the cafe's owner founded a rescue center and partnered with several organizations to do her part. But the center's remote location meant few people ever heard of it, and adoptions were rare. After trying just about everything to raise awareness, she finally landed on the idea of letting the dogs mingle with customers in a cafe—hoping that close contact would break down people's prejudices against strays.

In the five years since it opened, the cafe has helped more than 90 stray dogs find adoptive families. It may not sound like much, but the cafe's publicity has introduced far more people to the rescue organization, and a growing number of them have joined the effort.

Coffee With a Cause

Visitors pay just 7 euros for unlimited coffee refills. The cafe's real mission is to help dogs find homes, using coffee as the bridge that connects people and animals. And the staff here aren't only human—several of the dogs are official employees too.

Meet the Canine Staff

This is Cindy, the 12-year-old "grandma" who serves as manager. Her specialty: scolding young people and noisy customers. Her hobby: meditating with her eyes closed on the sofa.

This is Tudou, named for his potato-colored fur. Specialty: stealing customers' waffles. Hobby: also stealing customers' waffles.

And this is Douzi, the leader of the pack. Specialty: keeping the other dogs in line during breaks and warmly greeting every customer. Hobby: eating, eating, eating, and more eating.

The Owner's Philosophy

As the owner puts it: "We cannot save every stray dog, which is exactly why I must take even more care in looking after every dog I encounter."

She also hopes that over a cup of coffee, visitors will learn about stray animal rescue—and that more people will choose adoption over buying. As she says, "Pets may not spend our entire lives with us, but they spend their entire lives with us."

Image source: Waf Cafe official website, Internet

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