Inside Jakarta’s Biggest Animal Sanctuary

I just visited the largest dog shelter in Indonesia — the legendary Pejaten Animal Shelter in Jakarta — and I’ve never seen so many dogs in one place in my life. Over 2,500 rescued dogs, dozens of cats, monkeys, snakes, and nonstop stories of survival. This place is absolutely unbelievable. In this episode of evanjtravels, I meet Dr. Susana, a human doctor turned animal rescuer who accidentally founded what is now one of Indonesia’s biggest animal sanctuaries. For 16 years she has dedicated her life to saving stray dogs, abused pets, abandoned animals, and even wildlife — and her mission is more intense than anything I expected. We talk about: • Why Pejaten Shelter now houses 2,000–2,500 dogs • How strict the dog adoption process is in Indonesia • Why many dogs are surrendered (economy, divorce, family conflict) • The danger of dog meat and cat meat trade in certain areas • How they rescue aggressive dogs, trauma cases, and street dogs • How they feed, medicate, neuter, and rehabilitate hundreds of animals • What kind of help the shelter desperately needs You’ll see everything: ✔ affectionate kampung dogs ✔ special needs dogs ✔ abandoned pets ✔ a 7-year owner surrender ✔ puppies, cats, and kittens ✔ the monkey rehabilitation area ✔ snakes rescued and transferred to Bekasi Reptile Shelter This is one of the most emotional and eye-opening experiences I’ve had while filming in Indonesia. And if you’re thinking of adopting a dog, donating, or supporting animal welfare here, this video shows exactly how much good this shelter is doing. 👉 If you want to support Pejaten Shelter: They rely on donations for food, medicine, sterilization, blood transfusions, and daily operations. Donation options: QRIS / bank transfer / PayPal (shown in video). These dogs remember what it feels like to be loved — and they desperately need families. If you’re in Indonesia and considering adoption, Dr. Susana’s team will visit your home and make sure the dog goes into a safe environment with proper fencing and zero risk of abuse. Thank you for watching, and please consider sharing this video to help the animals at Pejaten. Like, subscribe, and leave a comment to support the mission. 00:00 – Entering Indonesia’s largest dog shelter (Pejaten Shelter) 00:25 – Meeting Dr. Susana, the founder of Pejaten Shelter 01:10 – Why she started a small shelter… and how it grew to 2,500 dogs 02:00 – Strict adoption standards in Indonesia explained 03:02 – Why many Indonesians surrender their dogs (economy, divorce, family conflict) 04:00 – Dog loves Rian / making friends with the shelter dogs 04:45 – Interview with a woman surrendering her 7-year-old dog 06:10 – Why Dr. Susana must visit every adopter’s home first 07:05 – The dangers of dog meat and cat meat trade in Indonesia 08:00 – Monkey rehabilitation + rescued wildlife at the shelter 09:15 – Snake rescues and transfer to Bekasi Reptile Shelter 10:10 – Is it dangerous to walk around with so many dogs off-leash? 11:00 – Touring the cat area + holding premature kittens 12:20 – Special needs cats and injured animals 13:40 – Pitbull rescued from abuse (24-hour cage story) 15:00 – Aggressive dogs section 16:10 – Kampung dogs vs mutts (which are more affectionate?) 17:00 – What the shelter needs most: donations & medical support 18:05 – Why adoption is treated like building a family 19:00 – Evan compliments the shelter & Dr. Susana’s work 19:45 – How to donate: QRIS, bank transfer, PayPal 20:30 – Final thoughts + support Pejaten Shelter 21:00 – Like, subscribe & share #PejatenShelter #DogShelterIndonesia #JakartaDogRescue #AnimalRescueIndonesia #evanjtravels #AdoptDontShop #IndonesiaDogs #KampungDogs #DogAdoptionIndonesia #StreetDogsIndonesia #RescueDogs #DogSanctuary #AnimalWelfare #CatRescue #IndonesianAnimals #travel #jakartavlog #indonesia