•
There are usually around 400 dogs and 100 cats at the Home, but
at our busiest times this can rise to 600 dogs and 150 cats.
• The kennels at the Home are cleaned twice daily, when each
dog and cat receives a fresh blanket. We use over 1,000 blankets
every day.
•
There are around 200 staff at Battersea in London, made
up of kennel staff, vets, vet nurses, behaviourists, rehomers,
maintenance and administrative staff. There are another
60 members of staff at our two country sites at Old Windsor
in Berkshire and Brands Hatch in Kent.
• We would not be able to provide the high standard
of care we achieve today without our ‘army’
of 240 volunteers. These wonderful people help by walking
dogs and socialising both dogs and cats. |
|
In 2006
- we cared for over 8,773 dogs and 2,423 cats
- over 45% of the lost dogs and cats that came into the Home were
reunited with their owners
- we rehomed over 3,300 dogs and 2,044 cats
- we received an average of 23 dogs and seven cats every day
- on average, about nine dogs and six cats were rehomed each day
- the average stay for a dog was 26 days, and 25 days for a cat
- we welcomed over 107,000 visitors to our three sites
- our drivers covered 128,209 miles collecting stray animals
- by the end of 2006 we had taken in over three million dogs and
cats since the Home was founded in 1860
Every Dog or Cat Re-homed
- is microchipped for future identification
- is neutered (or a neutering voucher is issued)
- receives three months free outpatient care for illness contracted
in the Home
- has received a number of vaccinations
- has a full veterinary history since entering the Home
- has a full background on behaviour, personality and needs
- has access to Battersea’s Behaviour Advice Line
- receives a starter pack of food
It costs £70 to rehome a dog and £40 to rehome a cat.
Our Aims
are to rescue, reunite, rehabilitate, and rehome the lost and abandoned
dogs and cats that come into our care.
• to give temporary shelter to lost and abandoned dogs and
cats
• to re-unite lost dogs and cats with their owners
• to find permanent homes for abandoned dogs and cats
• to educate the public about responsible pet ownership
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is a charity funded solely on the
generosity of its supporters through fundraising, donations and
legacies.
Fundraising Activities
Sponsor a Kennel or Kitty Kabin: for £5 a month, supporters
can sponsor a kennel or kitty kabin and receive twice-yearly updates
on the dogs and cats that have spent time in their kennel or kabin.
Christmas Raffle: raffle tickets to buy and sell with fantastic
prizes, generously donated by companies and individuals. The raffle
is drawn around Christmas at a prestigious London event.
‘Battersea Buys’ merchandise, pet accessories and seasonal
goods, which are sold through the shops at our three centres and
online at www.dogshome.org
Prestigious events, such as operas at the Royal Geographical Society
Fundraising trips and treks
‘Walk your dog to school day’, launched in October 2004
Our History
In 1860 Mrs Mary Tealby, concerned by the number of animals roaming
the streets of London, opened ‘The Temporary Home for Lost
and Starving Dogs’ in a stable yard in Holloway.
The Home received a lot of bad press when it first opened, at a
time in Victorian London when it was deemed immoral to spend time
and money helping ‘dumb’ animals when human beings were
living in appalling conditions on the streets. And so it fell to
Mary Tealby - a penniless divorcee dying of cancer – to try
to remedy the situation through sheer perseverance. Help came in
the form of Charles Dickens, who published an article in support
of the Home called Two Dog Shows, comparing the forerunner of the
Crufts dog show to what he had seen at The Temporary Home for Lost
and Starving Dogs.
Attitudes began to change. Mary Tealby died in 1865, aged 64, but
sadly little more is known about her. In 1871, the Home moved to
its present site in Battersea, and was renamed The Dogs’ Home
Battersea. The Home started taking in cats in 1883, following an
individual donation of £500. In 1885 Her Majesty Queen Victoria
became patron of the Home, and it has remained under royal patronage
ever since. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is our current patron
and has visited the Home on many occasions to open newly built facilities
and to offer her support and encouragement.
Still in this day and age, many people were still unaware that the
Home rescues, reunites and rehomes hundreds of cats every year.
So in July 2002 we changed our name to Battersea Dogs & Cats
Home and in July 2005 changed our logo to reflect this change and
draw attention to the fact we care for cats.
Background
Dogs are brought into the Home from two main sources – as
strays from police stations and dog wardens all over the capital,
and as ‘gifts to the home’ from people who are unable
to care for their dog or cat any more.
Each
dog or cat is given a number and a name and logged on our
computer system. When a stray comes in, the owner has seven
days to claim it and once that week has passed we begin
the process of finding it a new home. Contrary to popular
belief, there is no time limit on how long an animal can
stay with us. As long as the animal is happy and healthy,
we will care for it until the right home comes along.
Every dog is assessed to determine its temperament. The
dog is analysed to determine its general behaviour, how
it responds to cats and whether it is suitable for living
with children. It is also given a thorough health check.
Once all this is done, the dog enters the rehoming kennel
block ready to be viewed by the public. |
|
Prospective new owners undertake an in-depth interview process so
they can be advised on the type of dog or cat that would suit them
best. The idea behind this is to find a healthy new environment
for the animal so that both owner and pet are comfortable with the
choice.
Battersea’s Services
Lost Dogs and Cats Line – 0901 477 8477
Behaviour Advice Line - 0905 020 0222
Website - www.dogshome.org
Membership Schemes
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home runs a membership scheme. By joining
one of the four schemes, members help further our aims to rescue,
reunite, rehabilitate and rehome more and more dogs and cats. See
the website for details.
Paws
and Fantail Magazines
Paws,
the magazine for supporters of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, is
a quarterly publication sent to anyone who has rehomed a Battersea
dog or cat. The magazine is packed with news on the Home, features
on dogs, cats and pictures of ex-Battersea residents in their new
homes. Paws also runs special features on doggy-related issues such
as training and health. Fantail
magazine is for Junior members of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home,
catering for 6 to 16 year olds. It is packed with information,
games and news from the home and is published three times a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs and cats to you have at the moment?
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has capacity for up to 600 dogs
and 150 cats but usually has around 400 dogs and 100 cats on site.
How long do they usually stay with you?
The average stay for a dog at the Home is 26 days, and 25 for
a cat – some stay a much longer time and some shorter.
What happens if you are unable to find a dog a suitable home?
As long as the animal is happy and healthy there is no time limit
on how long a dog or cat can stay with us while waiting for the
right home to come along.
Is it true that you put dogs to sleep after seven days?
Unfortunately, we do sometimes have to make the sad decision to
put an animal to sleep but on serious health or behavioural grounds
only, never because we are full or it is taking too long to find
them a new home. Some animals stay at Battersea for years until
they find the perfect home.
Why did you change your name to Battersea Dogs & Cats
Home?
Even now not many people are aware that the Home rescues, reunites
and rehomes hundreds of cats every year, and has done since 1883.
Our feline friends are such a big part of the Home so it’s
only right that we made their status official.
How
do I rehome a dog or cat?
You
need to come to the Home for an interview with one of our rehomers,
bringing your whole family with you, and we take it from there.
For more information please look at our website at www.dogshome.org
or call 020 7622 3626. |
