Dogs Trust facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dogs Trust

Formation	1891; 134 years ago (1891)
Type	Charity
Registration no.	227523
Legal status	Charity
Headquarters	17 Wakley Street, London, England, UK
Location	United Kingdom and Ireland
Patron	Elizabeth II (1990–2022) Charles III (2024–)
CEO	Clarissa Baldwin (1986–2014) Adrian Burder (2014–2018) Owen Sharp (2019–)
Volunteers	6000
Formerly called	National Canine Defence League

Dogs Trust is a charity in the UK that helps dogs. Before 2003, it was called the National Canine Defence League. This charity focuses on the health and happiness of dogs. It is the biggest dog welfare charity in the United Kingdom. Dogs Trust helps over 15,000 dogs every year. Their main goal is to protect all dogs from bad treatment and suffering. They help dogs that have been left alone or given up by their owners. They find new, loving homes for these dogs.

Dogs Trust has 22 centres where dogs can find new homes. These centres are in the UK and Ireland. The first international centre opened in Dublin, Ireland, in 2009. The charity has a rule: they never put down a dog that is healthy, either mentally or physically. Dogs Trust also helps with microchipping and neutering dogs. This helps to reduce the number of unwanted puppies and stray dogs.

History of Dogs Trust

How Dogs Trust Started

The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) started in 1891. This happened at a meeting during the first Crufts dog show. Lady Gertrude Stock led the meeting. The NCDL wanted to protect dogs from "torture and ill-usage of every kind." In its early years, the NCDL worked to stop animal testing. They also helped create a law in 1911 called the Protection of Animals Act.

Early Campaigns and Care

The NCDL fought against animal testing and dogs being kept on chains for too long. They also helped stray dogs. They even campaigned against railway companies that did not give water to dogs. In the 1920s, they gave AA wardens pistols. This was so wardens could help badly injured animals after car accidents. The first NCDL clinic opened in Bethnal Green in 1926. It offered free treatment for dogs. By 1939, there were nine clinics in London. They treated over 80,000 dogs each year. In November 1939, the NCDL spoke out against the mass killing of about 750,000 pets when World War II began.

Later Years and New Name

In 1957, the NCDL spoke out against using Russian space dogs in space travel. They held a minute of silence for Laika, a dog who died in space. In 2003, the NCDL changed its name to Dogs Trust.

The charity is famous for its slogan: "A Dog is for life, not just for Christmas." Clarissa Baldwin, a former leader of the charity, created this phrase. It helps remind people that getting a dog is a big commitment. This slogan is a registered trademark. Dogs Trust also uses another slogan: "Dogs Trust Never Put a Healthy Dog Down." During the COVID-19 pandemic, they changed their first slogan to "A Dog is for Life, not just for Lockdown."

A Dog Certificate of Achievement issued by Dogs Trust

Finding New Homes for Dogs

Dogs Trust aims to find new homes for most dogs in its care. They have 22 rehoming centres across the UK and Ireland. They also have two large mobile units called 'Dogmobiles'. These vehicles have air-conditioned kennels. They travel to different areas, bringing dogs from nearby centres to meet new families.

Dogs Trust never puts down healthy dogs. However, some dogs have been through difficult times and cannot live in a normal home. The charity cares for these dogs through its Sponsor a Dog scheme. They have also created a special animal sanctuary. Here, dogs that cannot be re-homed can live together with less human contact.

Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres

Here is a list of Dogs Trust rehoming centres:

In June 2012, Dogs Trust opened its eighteenth UK rehoming centre in Leicestershire. Dogs Trust Loughborough was designed to be very eco-friendly. It uses renewable energy from a special boiler, green roofs, and solar panels. It also recycles rainwater. This design helps reduce running costs and is good for the environment.

Campaigns for Dog Welfare

Fundraising in Leicester Square tube station

Dogs Trust has campaigned against tail docking (cutting a dog's tail). They also work to stop unnecessary killing of dogs, like what happened to foxhounds after fox hunting was banned. The charity offers free neutering services in some poorer countries. They also run training programs for other animal welfare groups around the world.

Fighting Puppy Farming

In 2010, Dogs Trust started using the term 'battery farming of dogs'. This helped people understand that Puppy farming is cruel, like battery farming of chickens. They teach people how to find a 'cruelty-free dog' from a safe place.

Making Microchipping Mandatory

In 2009, Dogs Trust began working to make microchipping compulsory for all dogs. They successfully pushed for new laws in the UK, which started in 2015. This helped reduce the number of stray dogs. Dogs Trust also greatly increased its spay/neuter services in the years leading up to this.

Stopping Puppy Smuggling

Since 2014, Dogs Trust has been working to stop the cruel trade of puppy smuggling. They release reports each year about this problem. They have helped stop puppies that are too young from being brought into the country. They also stop pregnant dogs being smuggled in to have puppies that are then sold in the UK. Dogs Trust created the "Puppy Pilot" scheme. This program helps care for and re-home puppies that are stopped at ports. In 2020, they also highlighted "Dogfishing" scams. These are when people buy pets that seem healthy but then get sick or die soon after.

Celebrity Supporters

Many famous people support Dogs Trust.

Patrons

• Ruth Langsford (since 2012)
• Eamonn Holmes (since 2012)
• John Barrowman

TV Game Show Winnings for Dogs Trust

Some celebrities have won money for Dogs Trust on TV game shows:

• Jodie Prenger won £15,750 on The Chase: Celebrity Special in 2012.
• Eamonn Holmes won £3,100 on Tipping Point: Lucky Stars in 2013.
• Natasha Hamilton won £15,000 on Big Star's Little Star in 2014.
• Johnny Vegas and Maia Dunphy won £15,000 on All Star Mr & Mrs in 2014.
• Camilla Dallerup won £250 on Pointless Celebrities in 2014.
• Gary Delaney won £11,000 on Celebrity Fifteen to One in 2015.

Community Outreach Programs

Freedom Project

The Dogs Trust Freedom Project helps people escaping domestic abuse. It provides foster care for their dogs. This service helps people find safety in shelters that often do not allow pets. The project operates in many parts of England and Scotland.

Hope Project

Dogs Trust has worked with homelessness charities for over 20 years. The Hope Project supports dogs owned by people who are homeless. They give out Christmas gifts like dog treats and coats. The project also helps with vet bills for these dogs.

Worldwide Efforts

Dogs Trust Worldwide supports dog welfare globally. They work with partner charities in countries like Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India.

Dogs Trust Bosnia helps create a good system for managing the dog population in that country.

Dogs Trust USA started in 2018. It supports rescue groups across the US. They have also started Dog School classes in New York and California.

Events and Activities

A Dog's Life, the Trust's award-winning garden at the 2016 Hampton Court Flower Show

Waggy Walks

From 2009 to 2011, Dogs Trust held an annual charity event called Waggy Walks. People and their dogs could complete a 5 km or 10 km walk. These walks took place near rehoming centres across the UK.

Dogs Trust Honours

In 2008, the charity created Dogs Trust Honours. This is an annual awards ceremony that celebrates the special bond between humans and dogs. It honors dogs who have greatly helped their owners, local community, or society.

Hampton Court Flower Show 2016

To celebrate its 125th anniversary, Dogs Trust created a garden called "A Dog's Life." It was shown at the Hampton Court Flower Show in 2016. The garden won a gold medal. It was designed to be a fun place for both dogs and people. It had dog-friendly features like tunnels and "sniffer tracks."

A Dog’s Trail

An art trail called "A Dog's Trail" took place in Spring 2022. It was held across Cardiff, Caerphilly, and Porthcawl in Wales. The trail featured statues of Snoopy from Peanuts. The Snoopy figures were later sold at an auction. The auction raised over £150,000 for Dogs Trust.

How Many Dogs Dogs Trust Helps

This table shows how many dogs Dogs Trust has helped over the years:

Year	Dogs cared for	Dogs rehomed	Dogs reunited with owners	Dogs died
2005	13,506	11,563	168	273
2006	15,162	12,993	192	215
2007	16,177	14,022	185	334
2008	16,238	14,169	190	260
2009	15,886	13,909	178	226
2010	16,813	14,590	237	276
2011	15,986	13,830	178	309
2012	16,879	14,825	202	199
2013	16,879	14,865	220	238
2014	14,630	14,419	203	214
2015	15,196	12,987	204	188
2016	15,343	13,067	226	270
2017	15,446	13,141	242	312
2018	15,015	12,624	310	331
2019	14,301	11,790	244	292
2020	10,416	8,473	n/a	252
2021	10,864	8,550	n/a	335
2022	12,546	9,707	n/a	423

Related Organizations

• Swansea Jack (1930–1937), a brave dog honored by the National Canine Defence League
• American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
• The Blue Cross
• Cinnamon Trust
• National Animal Welfare Trust
• PDSA
• Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• DogsBlog.com
• Cats Protection