Malá zoo u lesa

Small zoo of Mr. Vondráček in the garden of living house, which arised in 1950 due to accidental friendship with a former director of the Liberec Zoo, E. Sameš. It was not classic private mini zoo, because at that time, private ownership was prohibited. Mr. Vondráček kept in cages, aviaries, enclosures or freely in your garden several dozen animals and people soon became accustomed to go there like to the zoo. After all, the Vondáček's garden with animals was known among people as "Small zoo at the Vondráčeks" or "Small zoo by the wood". Visitors were understandably primarily from ranks of local residents, but groups of neighboring schools was heading here most often. Mr. Vondráček carried children in hucul cart - in the frame of visits of the zoo and also at various festivities and parades in the city. The animals were mostly tame and so children could pet or admire raccoons Adam and Boženka, Cameroon and "common" goats, sheep (common and also some "others"), hucul pony called Bubík, rough collie with noble pedigree name of Ara z Lužických lesů (Ara from Lusatian Woods - then one rough collia of only three in the country), the number of guinea pigs (which Mrs Vondráčková supplied to Prague Research Institute), white mice, peacock named Lojzík, tawny owl called Sůvík, excellent speaking blue-fronted amazon named Petr (first spoke only German, how was learned by previous owners, but soon learn also Czech), budgies, chickens ("common" and silkie), guinea fowl, terrestrial tortoise, viper (may be another snake), fish etc.

Vondáček's garden officially was not a minizoo, the Communists this (de facto public) menagerie tolerated but apparently somewhat  watched in order not to the situation get out of their control. When neighbors of the Vondráčeks moved, Mr. Vondráček wanted to buy their land (especially the garden) to expand his little zoo. At that time, a permits and approval of the National Committee was necessary for that, but it strictly forbade that... Certainly it was connected with the fact that Mr. Vondráček already before got out of the Communist party, but it could be also an effort to regulate his zoological activities - in short, in order to "private zoo" might be getting in over Communists' head.