If you love animals, plan a trip to Zukczyn, where elderly and ailing animals are peacefully living out the end of their days. New ones are also being born. Because Zwierzaki nad Potokiem is a place where animals feel perfectly at home. Much of the credit for this goes to the hosts – Tom and Jack. Get to know their story.
Zukczyn is a small village in the Pomeranian region, in Zulawy. This inconspicuous place hides quite a large animal farm. Unusual, because it is very peculiar and multi-species. Here you will find, among others, ostriches, emu, horses, cows, rabbits, alpacas, nutria, chickens, sheep and many others. The hosts of this place are Tomasz and Jacek, passionate people with a heart for animals, but also a willingness to work very hard. That’s why you will often meet them on site – in wellies, with buckets or while cuddling their charges.
The history of this place began 5 years ago. Before that, Jacek was, among other things, a web developer, and Tomek lived near Wejherowo, was a breeder of exotic parrots and had three sheep. They were the first residents of the modest farm. Gradually, the animals began to arrive – first emu, then chickens. Eventually, land had to be bought and pens had to be built. When the small farm turned into quite an animal sanctuary, Tom’s mother suggested – how about opening the place to the public? That’s how Zwierzaki nad Potokiem was created, where you can be surrounded by animals, learn about their habits and feed them from your hand. It’s a place for whole families, where regardless of the weather, you can enjoy contact with nature.
Gosia the cow and the ostrich, which loves to warm up in front of the fireplace
In Zukczyn you will meet the cow Gosia, who steals the hearts of visitors because she responds to her name. Perhaps out of gratitude, since she was redeemed by Tom and Jack when she was going to slaughter with mastitis.
– Gosia’s cow is great. She was going for meat because after years of giving milk to people she got severe inflammation.We bought her out. It took a year to treat. We did so well that Gosia is not only doing great, but also lived to have offspring. She is such a cool and graceful cow that she can stay at the end of the meadow, but when I yell Gocha she always runs to me with joy – says Tom.
When we ask the owners which animals are particularly dear to them, they unanimously answer that all of them. Each of them has its own name, a different character and a story behind it. For example, there is Agnieszka the goat – she loves to jump into the car of visitors. She is very sociable and needs to be watched. There is a sheep Mela, who recently gave birth, and an emu Nandi, who is very afraid of fireworks. Once terrified, she escaped during New Year’s Eve, but luckily her owners found her in the immediate area. There’s also Mery the hen, who loves people, so for days she separates from her flock and “lives” in a cash house, where she sleeps, eats and lays eggs. But she is not the only animal on the farm that “befriends” its owners.
– When the harsh winter and very low temperatures came, we took Tosia the ostrich under our roof. The cold was deadly for her, so she waited out the worst period with us. How do you live with an ostrich under one roof? Normally! Just like with a dog. She was just waiting for it to be smoked in the fireplace. We take good care of our pets. I think they have it very good with us – adds Jacek.
After 5 p.m., when the space is already closed to visitors, the animals are released into the meadow so that they can move freely and be with each other, in their cheerful and multi-species company.
For more information, we refer you to the website: Zwierzaki nad Potokiem.
