Paws, Hooves & Hearts – The only sanctuary for animals on Hvar Island

Meet Jana, the woman whose heart holds 40 cats, 7 donkeys, 5 dogs, and one pony. Paws, Hooves & Hearts is Jana’s mission brought to life: to build a place where every animal in need can find safety, care, and love.

Sometimes it doesn’t take much — a little attention and some basic vet care — and an animal is ready for rehoming. But sometimes, the stories that reach Jana are far heavier. Many of the animals who arrive at the sanctuary have serious medical conditions. At the time of writing, one of Jana’s dogs, Max, is battling cancer, to whom she’s providing valuable end-of-life care. Another dog, Achilles, is working through a severe spinal condition. The medical bills pile up endlessly, but Jana is not one to measure her compassion in euros. For her, there’s no cost too high when an animal is in pain.

Another dog, Ozzy, came to Jana with severe health and behavioral issues after spending his entire life locked inside a house, deprived of even the most basic care – walks, affection, and regular vet visits. But the last time we visited, Ozzy was curled up beside Jana, cuddling like a puppy.

Word travels fast on a small island, so it’s no surprise that everyone on Hvar knows about Jana and her open door for animals in need. From time to time, someone leaves a sick kitten on her doorstep, knowing she might be their only hope.

Every animal at the sanctuary receives personal attention, even when it means going the extra mile (quite literally). When Max the dog arrived, he couldn’t walk with the others, so Jana would trek through the forest with the pack, return home, and then lace up again just for him.

For years, Jana devoted every spare moment to animals in need, funding their care largely on her own with some help from friends. Then, in 2024, Paws, Hooves & Hearts became a registered foundation, allowing her to accept donations from supporters around the world and, in turn, rescue even more animals.

The story began when a British woman, Jana Appleyard, moved from London to Hvar. When Jana first arrived, it wasn’t animals she planned to care for, but people. She and a friend opened a yoga retreat that also served as a bed and breakfast, which they ran together for eight years.

Like many visitors, she quickly noticed the island’s struggle: too many stray cats and too few helping hands.

Yet, even though there are more paws than hooves in the sanctuary today, it was four hooves that started it all.

When Jana heard that a donkey named Pano was going to be slaughtered for meat, she decided to rescue him. A woman from the big city, suddenly learning how to take care of an animal she knew little about and give him the life he deserved.

Pano wasn’t alone for long. Jana’s desire to help donkeys and other animals quickly made her well-known across the island. With every kitten she nursed back to health and every dog she showed love, word spread through Hvar about the woman who saves animals.

When the time came, Jana followed her heart once more, trading yoga mats for hay bales as she turned her focus entirely to the animals.

More donkeys began to arrive, each from poor living conditions, some having spent their lives tied to trees. Now, instead of being bound, they can roam freely across their spacious home, with Jana walking them through the hills and forests of Hvar.

The care and love Jana gives to every animal has turned Pano from the lone donkey into one of seven now living happily at the sanctuary.

Seven cats have chosen to live among the donkeys, while the rest have their favourite spots around the house, just like the dogs. Wherever you look, there are animals, bowls of food, or toys scattered about. It takes a lot of heart to turn your home into a haven for sick and abandoned animals, but if there is one thing Jana has in abundance, it’s love to share.

Today, the house that once welcomed guests has become something far more extraordinary. Forty cats and five dogs now curl up where guests once unpacked their suitcases, and just a few minutes’ walk from the house, the donkeys and pony graze in the meadow.

Altogether, the sanctuary shelters 176 paws, 32 hooves and 52 hearts beating under one woman’s care.

And Pano? Pano is still here, in the sanctuary he calls home. He wears his raincoat on stormy days, listens to Jana’s pep talks, and greets families that come to visit him on Hvar.

Like Pano, some of the furry residents have been here since the beginning, while others arrived only recently, with their own stories of struggle and hope. Some have recovered, while others are still on their way.

Pano the donkey and Zena the pony might be the ones most likely to steal your heart, but each and every animal here is treated with the same level of care and kindness.

From 5:30 in the morning until 10 at night, Jana’s dedication is the routine — not the exception.

Mostly, it’s Jana’s paws doing the work: feeding, brushing, walking, soothing, mending. But she’s rarely alone — volunteers are often part of the sanctuary too. They find Paws, Hooves & Hearts through volunteering platforms, and soon after find themselves on Hvar, with the quiet satisfaction of doing something that matters.

Volunteers from all over the world have experienced the rare peace of giving their time and love to animals in need — right here, in the quiet village of Dol, the heart of Hvar Island.

And we’re proud to say that our own paws are doing what they can to support Jana’s noble mission.

At Hvar Away, we believe that grassroots charities like Paws, Hooves & Hearts deserve more than just a scratch behind the ear… they deserve a proper belly rub!

Our co-founder, Elisha, always dreamed of having her own animal sanctuary, but somewhere between spreadsheets, villa calendars, and meetings, that dream drifted quietly in the background. So when she discovered Paws, Hooves & Hearts, it felt like finding a piece of that dream already underway on Hvar — and she knew she had to be part of it.

The charity is funded solely through donations from generous souls, and we’re proud to be its first business supporter, offering help where we believe it’s needed most.

Here’s what we’re doing as a sponsor of the foundation:

It might not be much, but it’s a start. It’s enough to lift a little weight off Jana’s shoulders and help remind once-abandoned animals what the true warmth of home can feel like. And as Hvar Away continues to grow, we plan to do even more to support her incredible work.

It feels good to give back to the island that has given so much to us.

You can help too. Even a small donation — one that you likely won’t feel — can change the life of an animal who needs it most. Donations can be made easily when booking a villa with Hvar Away, or via the website of Paws, Hooves & Hearts.

If you are planning on visiting Hvar Island, you are warmly invited to visit the shelter during your stay and see the life-saving work first-hand.