Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

Type	Charity
Industry	Animal welfare
Founded	1860
Founder	Mary Tealby
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Key people	Claire Horton, Chief Executive Heather Love, Chair
Website	battersea.org.uk

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home (previously Battersea Dogs Home) is an animal shelter that rescues cats and dogs in need of help, and nurtures them until an owner or a new home can be found. It was established in Holloway in 1860 and moved to Battersea in 1871. The organisation holds an average of 260 dogs and 220 cats at any given time.

History

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home was established in Holloway in 1860 by Mary Tealby (1801–1865)^[1] as the Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs. The Home moved to Battersea in 1871 opposite Battersea Park and has a view of the Battersea Power Station.^[2]

In 1885, Queen Victoria became Patron of the Home, and it has remained under Royal Patronage ever since. Elizabeth II is the current Patron,^[3] and Prince Michael of Kent is the President.

During World War II, then manager Edward Healey-Tutt advised against people euthanising their pets because of fear of food shortages. Throughout the war Battersea fed and cared for over 145,000 dogs.

In 2002, the name was changed from Battersea Dogs Home to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home (cats were first admitted in 1883).^[4]

To mark its 150th anniversary in 2010, the Royal Mail released a set of stamps featuring a series of dogs and cats that had been adopted by staff.^[5] It also launched a commemorative book, A Home of Their Own, which charts the history of the Home. This includes a look at notable people who have adopted animals such as Elton John, who credited his pet, Thomas, with helping him through a rough period.^[6] Starting in 2011, Battersea implemented the "Staffies. They're Softer Than You Think" campaign to educate the public about the positive attributes of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.^[7]^[8]

On 17 March 2015 Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a plaque to officially open the Mary Tealby kennels.^[9]

In addition to the site in south-west London, the Home also has two other centres based at Old Windsor, Berkshire and Brands Hatch, Kent.

Aims

Established in 1860, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home aims 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. Battersea champions and supports vulnerable dogs and cats, determined to create lasting changes for animals in society.

Achievements

Fundraising in London.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home cared for nearly 5000 dogs and over 3000 cats in 2015 (over 8000 animals a year)
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has an average of 260 dogs and 220 cats at any one time on site and on foster
The home's average daily intake is 13 dogs and 9 cats
The average stay for dogs is 30 days and for cats is 22 days. There is no time limit on how long a dog will stay in Battersea's care until a loving home can be found
Across all three sites, the home employs approximately 400 members of staff in a range of operational and administrative roles
There are currently 1200 volunteers working in the home. They carry out a range of functions including walking the dogs and socialising with both the dogs and cats, gardening, kennel support, administration and leading education talks

Media

TV programmes

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has featured on many television programmes and documentaries. The Channel 4 programme Pet Rescue which aired in 1997 featured Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. BBC One programme Animal Rescue Live was broadcast live for a week at Battersea in July 2007. The programme was presented by Matt Baker and Selina Scott.

Since 2012, ITV's Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs has been filmed at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.^[10] The show won multiple awards including two National Television Awards for 'Factual Entertainment'.

In June 2016, the home featured in a Channel 4 series called Rescue Dog to Super Dog, made by Plimsoll Productions.

Ambassadors

David Gandy (2012—)
Paul O'Grady (2012—)^[11]^[12]
Jacqueline Wilson (2013—)^[13]
Amanda Holden (2013—)^[14]

Celebrity friends

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is supported by a host of high-profile celebrities who attend Battersea's events, support campaigns and rehome animals including Tom Hardy, Jeremy Irons, Simon Cowell, Sue Barker, Anthony Head, Samantha Barks,^[15] Sue Perkins, Craig Revel Horwood, Kirsty Gallacher, Susie Dent, Rosie Marcel, Christian Jessen and Nicky Clarke.

Notable alumni

Larry – Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office (2011—)
Palmerston^[16] – Chief Mouser to the Foreign Office (2016—)

Governance

The Chief Executive is Claire Horton, assisted by several directors, reporting to the Council of Trustees, of which the chairman is Amanda Burton. The Council consists of 11 Trustees, one of whom is elected as chairman. The Trustees are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Home and monitoring the achievement of objectives and the financial position.

Funding

The Home receives no government funding and is run almost entirely on donations from the public.

Transport

Battersea Park station for National Rail and Queenstown Road (Battersea) station for National Rail services are located nearby on Battersea Park Road. In the future the Northern line will serve the Home at a station called Battersea Power Station.

References

↑ http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/69/101069565/| Oxford Dictionary of National Biography of Mary Tealby
↑ http://blogs.tandf.co.uk/jvc/2015/10/05/philip-howell-mary-tealby-and-the-battersea-dogs-and-cats-home/| More on Mary Tealby and the founding of the home
↑ Pet Planet Archived 21 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved 28 March 2008
↑ Ardagh, Philip (1 October 2008). Philip Ardagh's Book of Absolutely Useless Lists for Absolutely Every Day of the Year. Pan Macmillan. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-330-43417-1. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
↑ Prigg, Mark (2 March 2010). "Battersea stamps place in animal history". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
↑ "A Home Of Their Own" by Garry Jenkins p.306. Transworld Publishing 2010. Retrieved on the book's Google preview 25 June 2013.
↑ "Staffies-They're Softer Than You Think". Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
↑ "Rain Rescue teams up with Battersea to show the true soft nature of Staffies". Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
↑ "Britain's Queen Elizabeth II unveils a plaque to officially open the... News Photo". Getty Images. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
↑ Iley, Chrissy (31 August 2012). "Paul O'Grady discovers how hard the Battersea Dogs Home staff work to care for their neglected residents". Daily Mail. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
↑ "First Ambassador David Gandy". Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
↑ "Puppy Love for Paul". Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
↑ "Jacqueline Wilson: toy dog 'most important part of my childhood'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
↑ "Amanda Holden becomes ambassador for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home". Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
↑ https://www.battersea.org.uk/samantha-barks-joins-battersea-appealing-volunteer-dog-fosterers-0
↑ https://www.battersea.org.uk/palmerston-takes-office-again-westminster-welcomes-its-second-battersea-cat

External links

Coordinates: 51°28′43″N 0°08′41″W / 51.4785°N 0.1448°W / 51.4785; -0.1448

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