For 159 years, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has rescued and rehomed lost, abandoned, neglected and unwanted pets that, through no fault of their own, have found themselves in desperate need of a second chance.
Since it was founded in 1860, Battersea has helped over three million dogs and cats to find new loving homes or be reunited with their original owners after going astray. But Battersea is not just a rescue charity. Our work stretches beyond our centres through our position as a driver for change and a champion for vulnerable animals. In the last decade alone, we have worked to bring about key changes in the law, such as increased sentences for animal cruelty, and we are recognised for our positive approach to partnership working and sector-wide collaborations.
Across our three sites – Battersea London, Brands Hatch, and Old Windsor – we help over 7,000 dogs and cats every year. Some have been given up when their owners can no longer care for them. Some have been abandoned and found wandering the streets.
Battersea’s promise to these frightened, often neglected animals is to never turn them away.
We aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help, caring for them until their owners or loving new homes can be found, no matter how long it takes. We are champions for, and supporters of, vulnerable dogs and cats, determined to create lasting changes for animals in our society.
In 2018, Battersea rehomed on average 6 dogs and 6 cats every day. For our staff and volunteers, there’s nothing better than seeing our animals setting off for their new life.
Our Values
Everything we do as individuals and teams, as vets and volunteers, nurses, kennel and rehoming staff, fundraisers and foster carers is underpinned by Battersea’s Values.
Care: We are passionate about the welfare of dogs and cats, and all our work is inspired by the needs of, and our love for, animals.
Excellence: We have been working tirelessly to provide shelter for animals for over 150 years. We are one of the oldest animal charities in the world and the knowledge and experience we have gained has made us credible leaders in our field.
Determination: We deal with some of the most challenging situations that impact the lives of dogs and cats. We seek to tackle problems at source by working actively with communities and wider society, challenging misconceptions and encouraging owners to take responsibility for their pets and treat animals humanely. We will not shy away from difficult issues.
Respect: We treat all animals and people with respect and dignity.
Integrity: We are trustworthy, we are indebted to our supporters and greatly value all the donations given to us, ensuring that they are carefully spent on providing the best possible future for animals.
Commitment: We strive to find every dog and cat a loving home. We put no limit on the time an animal stays with us, and we will never put an animal to sleep unless significant medical, safety, or legal reasons compel us to do so. Our staff and volunteers are hugely committed.
Our Reach
Battersea’s respected, authoritative and influential voice has a proven record in bringing about policy and legislative change to benefit animal welfare, and 2018 was no exception.
We had a wide range of successes, all aimed at improving the health and welfare of animals that cannot speak for themselves. These successes included; influencing Government to support a ban on third party sales and having various asks from our Backstreet Breeding campaign included in the regulations for breeding and sale provisions, resulting in closure of the loophole that previously allowed sales of puppies under eight weeks.
How You Can Help
Without the support of our incredible staff, volunteers and supporters, Battersea would not be able to continue all the hard work we do to help dogs and cats.
In 2018, over 1,000 volunteers and foster carers donated almost 150,000 hours to Battersea, across all three centres, assisting our staff in a huge variety of ways. As well as our ever-popular animal welfare roles, volunteers help staff with office duties, represent us at events, show visitors around our centres and help us raise vital funds. We are also supported by a team of community engagement volunteers who go into local schools to educate children about our cause and responsible pet ownership.
Our volunteers can feel good about giving back to the community and helping dogs and cats that may not have had the best start in life. They gain new and transferable skills as well as developing current ones and many will use their experiences with us to enhance their CVs or even make a full career change.
It’s also a great way to make lots of new two-legged and four-legged friends!
