What The Brooke Hospital for Animals does

The Brooke Hospital for Animals is a UK-registered charity founded in 1934 by Dorothy Brooke to care for war horses, now operating as a global animal welfare organisation focused on the health and welfare of working horses, donkeys, and mules. It directly reaches 1.8 million animals and 2.8 million people across more than 11,000 communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America each year, working through country offices, government partnerships, community-based animal health workers, and university research collaborations. Its programmatic model combines direct field interventions, veterinary and farriery training (including a free mobile learning app launched for vet training), and policy advocacy through specialized UN ECOSOC, UNEP, and FAO consultative status.

Brooke's revenue model is donation-driven, relying on a diversified mix of monthly Direct Debit regular giving (with public tiers at £4, £10, and £20 per month), one-off donations, legacies and gifts in wills, community fundraising events (marathons, sponsored runs), and retail sales via Brooke Shop — the e-commerce arm operated by the wholly owned trading subsidiary The Brooke Hospital for Animals Trading Limited. Distribution occurs through both digital channels (thebrooke.org, donate.thebrooke.org, thebrookeshop.org, social media, email/newsletter) and physical field operations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with affiliate branches Brooke Netherlands and Brooke USA supporting international fundraising. Fund allocation is reported as 49% prevention, 35% direct welfare improvement, 13% campaigns, and 3% research.

Brooke's distinctive assets include proprietary welfare frameworks (Compassionate Handling for Life, Five Domains Model, Animal Fear Scale), an award-winning Animal Health Mentoring Framework presented at the FAO 2025 Global Conference, and novel training aids for low-literacy contexts such as illustrated farriery pocket books and 3D-printed hoof and limb models. The organisation's strategic priorities are codified in its advocacy for the inclusion of working equids in disaster risk management, its leadership of the Action for Animal Health coalition, and the landmark 2024 African Union continent-wide ban on the donkey skin trade that it spent years campaigning for.

Name

The Brooke Hospital for Animals

Legal name

The Brooke Hospital for Animals

Website

https://thebrooke.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Brooke Hospital for Animals is a UK-founded international animal welfare charity, established in 1934, that improves the health and welfare of working horses, donkeys, and mules for communities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America through veterinary training, direct field interventions, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: Brooke's primary revenue source comes from donations from supporters worldwide. This includes regular monthly donations via Direct Debit, one-off donations, event sponsorship, and general charitable contributions. Direct Debit giving is highlighted as the most cost-effective method.
2. Legacies and Gifts in Wills: Supporters can leave gifts in their wills to Brooke, described as a way to let compassion for animals live on for generations. Legacy giving is promoted as an important ongoing revenue stream.
3. Brooke Shop Sales: The Brooke Shop sells Christmas cards, gifts, stuffed donkey toys, cards, and calendars. Brooke Shop Gifts allow donors to purchase items that represent donations to fund Brooke's work. The trading subsidiary Brooke Trading operates the shop.
4. Fundraising Events: Brooke organizes and benefits from fundraising events including marathons, half marathons, sponsored runs/walks, and community events. Supporters raise funds through participation in these events.
5. Christmas Cards and Publications: Brooke sells Christmas cards and related items through the Brooke Shop. Cards are sold by Brooke Trading, Brooke's wholly owned trading subsidiary that gifts all profits to Brooke.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Brooke is a non-profit animal welfare charity that delivers veterinary treatment, farriery training, community education and policy advocacy for working horses, donkeys and mules in low-and-middle-income countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. It funds this work primarily through individual donations, monthly Direct Debit giving, gifts in wills, and merchandise sales via its Brooke Shop, and distributes free digital training resources including the Brooke Learning App and the Compassionate Handling for Life framework.

Product overview

The Brooke Hospital for Animals operates primarily as a charitable organization with digital platforms rather than a traditional software product company. Their offerings include the main website and online platform for mission outreach and donation processing, the Brooke Shop e-commerce site for merchandise sales, a free learning app for vet training worldwide, an online donation platform with recurring giving options, email newsletter subscription services, a library of free animal welfare resources including the Compassionate Handling for Life guides, symbolic gift donations (Brooke Shop Gifts), and the Global Farriery Project program. The organization does not operate a SaaS or software-as-a-product business model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brooke Learning App A free mobile learning application developed by Brooke to support and empower veterinary training worldwide, helping to transform the care of working horses, donkeys and mules.
• Brooke Shop An e-commerce storefront selling Christmas cards, gifts, stuffed donkey toys, cards, calendars and symbolic Brooke Shop Gifts (donations), with profits gifted to the parent charity.
• Global Farriery Project An initiative to transform farriery (hoof care) trade in low-and-middle-income countries using innovative training aids including 3D-printed hoof models, illustrated pocket books designed for low literacy, and structured training frameworks delivered in partnership with government training institutes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.8 million working horses, donkeys and mules reached directly each year
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke has partnered with WCF on Farriery Progress Awards celebrating Brooke-trained farriers globally. WCF promotes high standards of farriery and horse welfare. Both organisations have a long-standing partnership with shared aim of improving equine welfare. WCF is sponsoring farriery supplies for award winners and members run London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise funds.
• Stromsholm LtdminorOthersUK farriery supplier that sponsors farriery supplies including engraved plaques, personalised leather tool rolls and essential farriery supplies for Farriery Progress Award winners.
• Flying Anvil Foundation (India)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitution founded by Swiss farrier Bernard Duvernay in Dundlod, Rajasthan. Provides training for farriers of working equids on behalf of Brooke India, targeting the working equid market. Brooke sees this relationship as exciting and hopes to build on it.
• World Federation for AnimalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke influences UN policy through partners at the World Federation for Animals and through the NGO Major Group, working together on animal welfare advocacy.
• International Coalition for Animal WelfarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke works with this coalition to support the World Organisation for Animal Health in developing and implementing global standards for welfare of working horses, donkeys and mules.
• International Coalition for Working Equids (ICWE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke works with ICWE on advocacy for working equids. ICWE and Brooke attended the Pan African Donkey Conference to support the African Union's ban on donkey skin trade.
• World Organisation for Animal HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke supports the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to develop and implement global standards for the welfare of working horses, donkeys and mules.
• Action for Animal Health CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke founded and is leading the Action for Animal Health coalition to advocate for greater investment in animal health systems. Thanks to this advocacy, the UN has recognised that animal health is crucial to stopping antimicrobial resistance spread.
• World Veterinary AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke worked with the World Veterinary Association to develop the first ever list of essential medicines - something every vet should have access to.
• Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke partnered with GBADs programme and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to study working donkeys in Ethiopia. Research showed donkeys contribute $2.2 billion per year to Ethiopia's economy.
• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke partners with ILRI on research into economic value of working donkeys. Joint study found donkeys contribute $2.2 billion annually to Ethiopia's economy and identified $646 million in losses from disease.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Professor Ilan Kelman from UCL on three-year research programme investigating role of working donkeys, horses and mules in disasters and impact on animal health and welfare across Ethiopia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Pakistan and Senegal.
• University of EdinburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in working equids in disasters programme. GBADs programme is now based at University of Edinburgh.
• London School of EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the working equids in disasters research programme, ensuring research involves communities, is relevant and designed to deliver real-world impact.
• African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke supported AU-IBAR in producing report 'Donkeys in Africa Now and In The Future' that highlighted alarming donkey population decline and devastating livelihood impact. This report led to African Union continent-wide ban on donkey skin trade.
• Brooke Hospital for Animals Trading LimitedcoreOthersBrooke Trading is Brooke's wholly owned trading subsidiary. All profits from Brooke Trading are gifted to Brooke. It sells Christmas cards and Brooke Shop products. Company number 8959139, registered at 66 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.
• Brooke NetherlandscoreOthersBrooke's international branch operating in Netherlands. Brooke has branches and affiliate organisations in other countries worldwide.
• Brooke USAcoreOthersBrooke's international branch operating in USA. US supporters requiring tax receipts are directed to donate via Brooke USA website.
• Ministry of Employment, Vocational Training, Apprenticeship and Integration (Senegal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke West Africa collaborated with the Ministry to create first government-accredited certification in farriery in Africa. More than two years of collaborative work with the Directorate of Apprenticeship led to inclusion of Farriery within the Vocational Curriculum.
• British Farrier and Blacksmith Association (BFBA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooke hosted a stand at annual BFBA Farrier Focus event in Warwickshire, largest gathering of farriers in Europe, to showcase Global Farriery Project and engage with farriers and equine professionals.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Donkey Sanctuary: UK-based international animal welfare charity focused specifically on donkeys and mules, with global programs across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Most direct peer to Brooke given overlapping species focus, geographic footprint, and community-led veterinary and welfare model.
• SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad): Charity providing free veterinary treatment to working animals in low-income communities across Africa and the Middle East. Closely comparable mission, beneficiary profile, and field-veterinary delivery model to Brooke's community programs.
• World Horse Welfare: UK-registered equine welfare charity working internationally on equine welfare standards, training, and policy. Comparable advocacy-driven operating model and equine-specific focus, though with stronger UK racing-sector presence.

Broad incumbents

• Four Paws International: Global animal welfare organization headquartered in Vienna with projects across multiple species and continents. Broader portfolio than Brooke but overlaps on international veterinary training, advocacy, and field delivery in developing regions.
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA International): UK-based large incumbent animal welfare charity with international arm. Comparable UK fundraising base and animal welfare advocacy positioning, though portfolio is significantly broader than Brooke's working-equid focus.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Global nonprofit working on wildlife and animal welfare policy, rescue, and conservation. Comparable UN-access advocacy profile and international donor base, but with a much wider species and issue remit than Brooke.

Emerging players

• Compassion in World Farming: UK-headquartered international advocacy NGO focused on farm animal welfare and policy. Comparable advocacy-driven, policy-influencing model but oriented to farm rather than working animals.
• Heifer International: Global nonprofit focused on livestock-based livelihoods and animal health in low-income communities. Comparable community-development orientation and overlap on working animals as economic enablers, though broader livestock focus.

Regional players

• Animal Welfare Institute: US-based nonprofit focused on animal welfare advocacy, research, and policy. Comparable research-and-advocacy operating model but primarily US-focused and broader species remit than Brooke.

Others

• World Federation for Animals (WFA): Animal welfare coalition that works with Brooke on UN policy advocacy. Not a service-delivery peer but a closely aligned ecosystem partner sharing UN-access and policy-advocacy remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/thebrookecharity
• Facebookfacebook.com/thebrookecharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-brooke
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebrookecharity
• Xx.com/TheBrooke

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Brooke Hospital for Animals