Our March magazines are going to be a special pet-themed extravaganza focusing on everything from animal first aid to cat yoga. Inspired by the idea, Rhys Mancell Smith lists some of the best animal shelters covering the Surrey & SW London area
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All Dogs Matter
Although based in North London, All Dogs Matter's aim is to rescue and re-home dogs across the whole of the city and its surrounding areas (including Surrey).
The dogs who come into its care are strays, from pounds or simply dogs whose owners no longer can or want to keep them. Unfortunately, there is a growing demand for rescue services in the current climate, as more and more unwanted dogs find themselves in need of new homes. The charities job is to pair each dog with the best new owner for it, ensuring that it will be safe, cared for and loved for the rest of its life.
They could not achieve so much without the help of volunteers, be they foster carers, drivers, home-visitors. Donations for the dogs (money but also food, toys, collars, leads and blankets) are gratefully received.
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Animal Protection Trust
The APT was formed in 1984 in response to local need for caring action to help unwanted, abandoned and ill treated animals, and was registered as a charity shortly afterwards. Its main function is the rescue and rehoming of unwanted domestic animals, providing the rehabilitation and veterinary treatment needed by so many who come into its care. No animal, domestic or wild, is refused help; those it cannot care for ourselves are referred to other rescue organisations who can help.
The Trust is based in Horley in Surrey, and covers the South-east Surrey area. All the work carried out by the Trust is voluntary – no one is paid – its helpers come from all walks of life, sharing a common desire to help animals in need
The APT is not a rescue centre so personal visits are not permitted.
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A.R.C: Animal Rescue & Care
The charity's priority is to rescue, foster and re-home animals in the Richmond Upon Thames area. It works mainly with cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, but also with dogs and ‘small furries’ such as hamsters and chinchillas.
Based in Twickenham, A.R.C. is run without any paid staff or premises; keeping costs to a minimum and relying on the support of its members, volunteers and generosity of members of the public. Every pound that is donated or raised through fundraising, goes straight to helping animals in need.
The organisation is also passionate about providing advice and information to the public about caring for their animals and the importance of neutering. Volunteers are often at local events and fairs, meeting pet owners and sharing our knowledge.
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Battersea Cats and Dogs Home
The most famous animal shelter in the country, Battersea Cats and Dogs Home have a history of 156 years of rehoming abandoned animals and now care for over 8,000 dogs and cats each year. Every single one of these soon-to-be pets will be examined by a Veterinary Surgeon during their stay, some for just a quick check-up, vaccination, worming and flea treatment, but others – in poorer condition or health – need more intensive care.
In order to do this they employ a clinic team of 39 staff across three sites, including eight Veterinary Surgeons, 21 Veterinary Nurses and three Veterinary Care Assistants. Battersea is also an approved Nurse training practice and currently has seven Student Vet Nurses. As well as this, they have a Kennel and Cattery team working tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of all the animals coming into the Home.
An essential part to their success is their 1,200 volunteers, dedicating 73,000 hours to Battersea. It costs £13.8 million for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to care for animals every year, yet they receive no funding from central government and rely solely on the generosity of the public.
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Dogs Trust Newbury
Founded in 1891, Dogs Trust is the largest dog welfare charity in the UK - they aim to stop healthy dogs being put to sleep - working so that all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction. In 2015, they cared for 15,196 dogs, 12,987 of which were homed. As well as neutering and microchipping, they also run educational work shops in 8,214 schools and youth groups promoting responsible dog ownership.
They are reliant on donations and volunteers to do their work, to support them or find out more, visit their website.
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Cats Protection: Epsom Branch
The Epsom, Ewell and District branch of Cats Protection covers the postcode areas KT5, KT6, KT9, KT17-23, SM7 and RH3-5.
The charity ensures that whenever a cat is taken in for re-homing they are vet checked, spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. They are then placed into safe and secure cat cabins in the home of one of the centre's fosterers until a new owner can be found. Some cats are homed on a 'direct re-home' basis from their existing homes. This means it’s a less traumatic experience for the cat and also means more homes can be found for cats. All new prospective owners receive a home visit from one of the charities volunteer team.
Cats Production are totally self-funding and rely solely on donations and fundraising events to keep afloat. Cats Protection Headquarters provide the local branch with neutering vouchers which are available to the general public to assist with the cost of spaying/neutering.
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RSPCA: Millbrook Branch
The first to introduce a law to protect animals, the RSPCA work hard to ensure that all animals can live a life free from pain and suffering. Through campaigns it raises standards of care and awareness of issues for the animals who have no voice. With public support the charity pushes for laws to be changed, improving the welfare of animals on farms, in research labs, in the wild, in paddocks or in our homes.
Through investigations and prosecutions the RSPCA stand up to those who deliberately harm animals to send out a clear message – as a society we will not tolerate animal abuse. Highly trained officers tackle neglect and cruelty at every level and are working hard to stamp out large-scale serious, organised and commercial animal cruelty.
The rescue centre aims to rehabilitate animals wherever possible, provide them with the very best veterinary care and to find them new homes, either through rehoming or release. The Millbrook Branch of the RSPCA uses its sizeable grounds to good effect, housing not just the usual cats, dogs and rabbits etc. but also horses and donkeys!
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Cecilia Hammond Animal Rescue Trust
The Celia Hammond Animals Trust operates in London and throughout the South East to help stray, abandoned and unwanted animals.
The trust's has a wide reaching set of services it provides for animals including the sheltering and rehousing of cats and kittens with a focus on animals that would otherwise find it hard to get a home, the humane reduction of dogs and cats through neutering, the provision of low cost neuter/vaccination clinics as well as emergency treatment for low income families that would otherwise struggle to afford private veterinary fees, the operation of an emergency rescue service for animals responding to calls from the police, public and local authorities, and the investigation of complaints of cruelty and neglect to animals, combined with appropriate follow up action.
The Trust has a strict non-destruction policy unless animals are suffering with a terminal illness or are hopelessly injured and beyond any veterinary help.
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H.A.W.S: Hounslow Animal Welfare Society
HAWS deal with hundreds, sometimes thousands of animals, many of these taken into its care for eventual rehoming. Others are helped in various ways, most often with veterinary care. Cats, kittens, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, other mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish all need help – sometimes even ‘wild’ creatures too.
The charity have a strict non-destruction policy and only ever allow euthanasia if an animal is too seriously ill or injured for any hope of recovery, or where its quality of life is clearly unsatisfactory. It does not put very old cats to sleep just because it may be more expedient to do so and the organisation have many “oldies” who enjoy a wonderful life.
Neither are FIV cats automatically put to sleep. Some of these cats never contract the fully blown disease (they remain carriers) and go on to live happy and long lives. HAWS home them either as single cats, or with other FIV cats as indoor cats, or those with secure gardens.
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Rescue Remedies
SurreyRescue Remedies mainly cover the South East of England and are based in the Surrey, London and Hampshire area. The organisation have been rescuing dogs since 2002 and have grown from small beginnings to currently carrying around 80-90 dogs in its books. It does not have a ‘centre’ but are internet based.
The dogs are visible through their pictures online with accompanying descriptions. Rescue Remedies are very small and don’t have staff or a call centre just a few dedicated volunteers processing applications and liaising with families, and therefore, can only accept dog enquiries via its Homing Questionnaire which provides the basis to discuss appropriate dogs.
The group exist to respond to the desperate needs of our society’s homeless dogs. It ensures all the dogs are neutered; vax’d and chipped before homing. They currently run at a loss and have no paid staff. All the dogs are seen by a vet. Rescue Remedies are renowned for coming forward for the dogs which would otherwise have difficulty in finding homes.
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Comments (2)
Comment FeedDogs Walk This Way Rescue
Sarah more than 4 years ago
Support local rescues
Debby Morris more than 8 years ago