CHARITY PAWTNERS
Welcome to the heart of our National Doggy Volunteer Week — the wonderful charities making a difference in the lives of dogs and people across the UK. Each of these organisations has its unique mission, but they all share a common goal: to create better lives for our canine companions and those they aid. Here’s a snapshot of the amazing work they do and how you can join in their efforts.
This incredible charity trains assistance dogs to empower people with disabilities. They offer a range of volunteering roles from puppy socialising and dog training to administrative and fundraising support, helping individuals gain greater independence through the assistance of a canine partner.
Mayhew Animal Home, located in London, focuses on community-based animal care and education to prevent abandonment and neglect in the capital city. Volunteer opportunities include animal care, community support roles, fundraising, and utilising creative skills to assist with campaigns.
Rain Rescue is a vital resource for pets in crisis situations throughout the United Kingdom, providing urgent veterinary care, food, shelter, and comfort to animals in need. They also work to reunite lost pets with their families and find new homes for abandoned animals. Provide emergency care for incoming animals at the rescue centre, assist with daily tasks or donate to their Amazon wishlist to keep things running smoothly, or lend a hand at fundraising events to support their critical work.
The RSPCA Coventry and District branch is part of the UK’s leading animal welfare charity, working tirelessly to prevent cruelty, promote kindness to animals, and alleviate their suffering in the Coventry area. Become an advocate for animal welfare! Care for animals at the shelter, assist in their charity shops by sorting donations or helping customers, fundraise to support their vital work, or raise awareness about animal welfare issues in your community.
This branch of the RSPCA works tirelessly to prevent cruelty, promote kindness to animals and alleviate their suffering. Volunteers can contribute by participating in fundraising events, helping with animal fostering, and promoting education on animal welfare.
The Rescue Hotel, located in Cardiff, Wales, is a dogs’ home offering shelter and care for all shapes and sizes of dogs until they can find new families. Give homeless dogs a second chance at happiness! Walk the dogs, providing them with exercise and companionship, help with fundraising efforts to support the rescue, or open your heart and home by becoming a foster carer for a dog in need.
West Wales Poundies is a charity dedicated to rehoming dogs that find themselves in local council pounds in West Wales. Help these abandoned dogs find loving homes! Assist with transporting dogs to foster homes or forever families, open your home to foster a dog in need, or advocate for the rehoming of dogs in council pounds by raising awareness in your community.
Support Dogs
Support Dogs is a UK-based charity specialising in training dogs to assist individuals with epilepsy, physical disabilities, and children with autism. Change lives through the power of human-animal connection! Foster puppies in your home to socialize them, help train dogs to assist people with disabilities, or support the staff with administrative tasks to keep things running smoothly.
Blue Cross
With a history spanning over a century, Blue Cross helps sick, injured, and homeless pets across the UK. They have a variety of volunteer roles such as shop assistant, social media volunteer, pet loss support volunteer, pet foster carer, education speaker, volunteer driver, leaflet distributor, hospital assistant, and pet food bank driver.
West Cork Animal Rescue Group
The West Cork Animal Rescue Group is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming abandoned, abused, and neglected animals in West Cork, Ireland. Lend a helping hand to animals in need! Care for animals at the shelter, foster animals in your home to provide them with a temporary safe haven, or assist with rescue operations to bring animals to safety.
Milnthorpe Kennels and Cattery
Milnthorpe Kennels and Cattery is a sanctuary located in Cumbria, England, providing temporary shelter for pets in need until they can find loving forever homes. Lend a helping hand at the sanctuary! Assist with general care tasks for the animals, socialise them to prepare them for adoption, and help maintain the facilities to ensure a clean and comfortable environment for the pets.
Hope Rescue
Hope Rescue is dedicated to saving stray and abandoned dogs in need of a safe haven, located in South Wales. Make a difference for lost and abandoned dogs. Help out in their charity shops, organise fundraising events to support their work, or transport dogs in need. Creative individuals can craft or bake goodies for them to sell at events.
Oak Tree Animal Home
Oak Tree Animal Home, located in Carlisle, Cumbria, England, is dedicated to protecting and supporting the welfare of both local wildlife and domestic pets. Make a difference for animals in your community! Care for animals directly, support events by helping with setup or running activities, or educate the public about responsible pet ownership and wildlife conservation.
Islay Dog Rescue
Islay Dog Rescue, located on Islay, Scotland, is dedicated to rehabilitating and rehoming dogs that have been mistreated. Be a patient and compassionate foster carer. Provide a loving and safe environment for a mistreated dog to heal, and help them learn to trust again. Islay Dog Rescue will provide you with the training and support you need to make a positive impact on a dog’s life.
Green Acres Animal Rescue, located in Wales, is dedicated to the well-being of animals, rescuing and finding forever homes for pets in distress. Give homeless pets a second chance. Walk dogs needing exercise, help organise fundraising events to support the rescue’s vital work, offer administrative support to keep things running smoothly, or use your creative skills for marketing and outreach.
Greyhound Rescue Wales is a charity dedicated to creating better lives for greyhounds and lurchers in Wales. Help these gentle giants find their forever homes in Wales! Open your heart and home as a fosterer or offer a loving forever home to a deserving greyhound. Contribute to fundraising and awareness campaigns to help even more dogs.
The Galway SPCA is a beacon of hope for animals in need in County Galway, Ireland, offering rescue, shelter, and advocacy. Help rescue animals in distress, provide them with loving care at the shelter, manage adoption events to find them perfect matches, or spread the word about responsible pet ownership in your community.
Known for their intelligence and agility, Border Collies often need specialised attention. Border Collie Spot Rescue is dedicated to finding loving homes for this breed. Volunteer opportunities include behavioural training assistance, participating in rescue operations, and providing foster care for these active and engaging dogs.
Daybreaks Kennels Solihull is a branch of the Greyhound Rescue West of England, providing a haven for retired racing greyhounds. Give retired racing greyhounds a blissful retirement. Become a dog walker, offering them companionship on gentle strolls, and help with daily routines like feeding and playtime.
Focusing on one of the most affectionate breeds, Bliss Cavalier Rescue helps rehabilitate and rehome Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Whether it’s providing a temporary foster home, assisting with transportation, or helping at fundraising events, your support can ensure these dogs receive the royal treatment they deserve.