Dogs Trust

What Dogs Trust does

Dogs Trust is the United Kingdom's largest dog welfare charity, founded in 1891 and headquartered in London, operating as a registered nonprofit (charity numbers 1167663 and SC053144, company number 09365971) under chief executive Owen Sharp. Its core offering is dog rehoming through a network of 22 rehoming centres spread across the UK and Ireland, complemented by a Dog Advice Hub of free expert content on training, health, and puppy care. The charity rehomes over 11,000 dogs annually and runs a free Behaviour Support Line alongside paid behaviour training priced at £90 (1-to-1 session), £135 (Reactive Dog Package), and £290 (Specialist Behaviour Package, requiring veterinary referral), with discounts of up to 85% for lower-income households.

The organisation is funded primarily through public donations, legacy gifts, Gift Aid contributions, and corporate grants (including a $50,000 grant from the PEDIGREE Foundation in November 2023), supplemented by retail income from Dogs Trust charity shops and the paid behaviour services. Its customer base spans UK dog owners seeking adoption, training, or welfare advice, prospective dog owners needing pre-purchase guidance, vulnerable owners supported through the Freedom Project (domestic abuse), Hope Project (homelessness), Canine Care Card (future-care planning), and a Cost of Living Support programme, plus other welfare organisations such as the RSPCA, with which Dogs Trust jointly handled large-scale multi-animal rescues (e.g., 250+ poodle-cross dogs in April 2026).

Dogs Trust runs the annual National Dog Survey, which informed its estimate that the UK dog population is approximately 13 million (over four million higher than prior figures), and distributes services directly via its website (dogstrust.org.uk), a 600,000+ subscriber newsletter, in-person coaching at multiple centres, and the free telephone Behaviour Support Line (0303 003 6666). Its infrastructure is non-technological in nature, focused on physical centres, trained behaviour staff, volunteers, and donor stewardship rather than software or platform architecture.

Name

Dogs Trust

Legal name

Dogs Trust

Website

https://dogstrust.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Dogs Trust is the UK's largest dog welfare charity, operating 22 rehoming centres and rehoming more than 11,000 dogs annually. It serves UK dog owners through free advice, paid behaviour training (£90–£290), and social support programmes for vulnerable owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare & Dog Rehoming Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Dog rehoming services
• Animal welfare charity
• Pet adoption support
• Dog training programs
• Canine behaviour advice

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Dogs Trust operates as a registered charity (numbers 1167663 and SC053144) funded primarily through public donations, legacies, and supporter contributions. Donations are tax exempt and Gift Aid can be claimed.
2. Behaviour Services: Paid behaviour training services including 1-to-1 sessions, reactive dog packages, and specialist behaviour support. Revenue supports the charity's operational costs while providing discounted or free services to those in need.
3. Retail (Our Shops): The charity operates retail shops selling pet-related merchandise, with proceeds supporting dog welfare activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dogs Trust is the UK's largest dog welfare charity. It rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes surrendered, abandoned and stray dogs through a nationwide network of rehoming centres, and never puts a healthy dog down. It also operates a free behaviour support helpline, runs Dog School training classes, and delivers welfare education and campaigning aimed at improving dog welfare laws and owner awareness.

Product overview

Dogs Trust operates as the UK's largest dog welfare charity, offering a comprehensive suite of services organised around dog rehoming, behaviour support, and owner education. The core offering consists of dog rehoming through 23 centres across the UK and Ireland, complemented by a tiered behaviour support service comprising a free Behaviour Support Line, paid 1-to-1 Behaviour Training (£90), Reactive Dog Package (£135), and Specialist Behaviour Package (£290). The charity also provides specialist support programmes including the Freedom Project for domestic abuse survivors, Hope Project for the homeless, and the Canine Care Card for future planning. An extensive Dog Advice Hub delivers free expert content on training, health, wellbeing, and puppy care. Additional programmes include fostering, dog sponsorship, volunteering, fundraising, and the annual National Dog Survey research initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dog Rehoming Service Service for the general public through which Dogs Trust takes in surrendered, stray or abandoned dogs, assesses them, and rehomes them to vetted new owners; available across the UK and Ireland.
• Canine Behaviour Support Helpline Free phone-based advice service for dog owners seeking guidance on canine behaviour issues, helping reduce the number of dogs surrendered due to preventable behavioural problems.
• Dog School Training Classes Paid group training courses for puppies, adolescents and owners needing structured obedience and socialisation training, delivered by qualified instructors at local Dog School venues.
• Charity Shop and Branded Merchandise Sale of donated and Dogs Trust branded merchandise through physical charity shops and online store, with proceeds funding the charity's dog welfare work.
• Sponsor a Dog Programme Recurring donation programme through which supporters fund the care of a specific named dog while it lives at a Dogs Trust rehoming centre.
• Education and Campaign Programme Schools outreach, owner education materials and policy campaigning activities aimed at improving dog welfare legislation and public awareness.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 11,000 dogs rehomed annually
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• RSPCAmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026The RSPCA and Dogs Trust collaborate on large-scale animal rescue operations. In April 2026, over 250 poodle-cross dogs were rescued from a single overcrowded property, with RSPCA taking 87 dogs into care and Dogs Trust absorbing the remaining animals. The partnership addresses the significant increase (70% since 2021) in multi-animal neglect cases across England and Wales, with Dogs Trust providing overflow capacity for overwhelmed partner organisations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RSPCA: The UK's largest general animal welfare charity; runs rescue centres, an inspectorate, and rehoming services that directly overlap with Dogs Trust's core offering, and is the most natural peer in the dog-welfare space.
• Wood Green, The Animals Charity: UK pet welfare charity running a large rehoming centre in Hertfordshire plus community programmes; competes with Dogs Trust for adopters, donors, and behaviour-services customers in the South East.
• The Blue Cross: UK pet welfare charity offering rehoming, behaviour support, and pet bereavement services. Comparable in mission mix and reliance on donations/legacies, with a smaller centre footprint.
• PDSA: UK's leading veterinary charity providing low-cost vet care to pet owners in need; complementary rather than competitive, with overlapping donor and volunteer bases and a shared cost-of-living support narrative.
• Mayhew: London-based animal welfare charity with rehoming, community veterinary, and education programmes. Comparable in operating model and donor base, though at a much smaller scale.
• Battersea Dogs & Cats Home: Another major UK rehoming charity with physical centres in London, Old Windsor, and Brands Hatch. Directly comparable in mission (dog rehoming, behaviour advice, fundraising) and donor base.

Regional players

• Scottish SPCA: Scotland's primary animal welfare charity, running rehoming centres and an inspectorate. Operates in an overlapping space but with a Scotland-only geographic remit where Dogs Trust also has centres (Dundee, Glasgow, West Calder).

Others

• Cats Protection: UK's largest feline welfare charity, structurally similar (charity status, rehoming centres, donation model, advice hub). Useful as a category benchmark for charity scale and digital engagement, even though its species focus differs.

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: The largest US animal welfare organisation, offering rehoming, behaviour, and policy advocacy. Indirect peer — different geography and a broader species mandate — but a useful proxy for the size and scope an animal welfare charity can achieve.

Emerging players

• The Kennel Club: UK's primary dog breed and registration body. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but the Kennel Club's interest in responsible breeding and breed education overlaps with Dogs Trust's puppy-buying and breed-advice content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DogsTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/DogsTrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dogs Trust