Canine Concern CIO
Canine Concern CIO is a UK registered charity operating in England and Wales that deploys temperament-assessed volunteer dog-handler teams to care homes, hospitals, schools, prisons, emergency services, and airports to provide therapeutic visits and emotional support to vulnerable and isolated people.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersStone Cross, Pevensey, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Canine Concern CIO does
Canine Concern CIO is a registered charity (charity number 1177334) founded in 1988 by Eve Waring in Somerset and incorporated as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in February 2018. It is headquartered in Stone Cross, Pevensey, East Sussex, and operates with 1–10 paid staff supported by a national volunteer network of temperament-assessed dog-handler teams. The organisation's core service is the deployment of care dog teams to establishments across England and Wales — including care homes, NHS hospitals and mental health facilities, hospices, schools and special educational needs settings, emergency services, prisons and secure units, workplaces, and airports — to provide emotional support, reduce loneliness, aid reading development (via the Kennel Club-recognised Read to Dogs programme), and support staff wellbeing.
The underlying delivery model is volunteer-driven: prospective members apply via the charity's website, undergo a temperament assessment, and join as registered handlers for a £20 annual fee (£7 per additional handler or dog). Visits are matched to requesting establishments by area coordinators based on geographic proximity. The technology stack is essentially non-digital: there are no proprietary software products, AI capabilities, or APIs disclosed — operations rely on a website, members-only portal, and social media channels, with fundraising processed through platforms such as JustGiving, Visufund, and Work for Good.
Revenue is generated from a diversified mix of membership subscriptions, individual and corporate donations, legacies and bequests, sponsored fundraising events (e.g., Walk 9K for K9 Concern, Paw in the Sand Appeal), and grants from supporters such as the National Lottery Community Fund. Most establishment visits are free, with a nominal fee only charged for group visits of four or more dogs. The charity is governed by trustees, led by CEO Valerie Fillery (since 2016), with an advisory panel chaired by Chris Lovegrove, and has no parent company, external investors, or subsidiaries.
Canine Concern CIO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Canine Concern CIO
- Legal name
- Canine Concern CIO
- Website
- https://canineconcern.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Canine Concern CIO is a UK registered charity operating in England and Wales that deploys temperament-assessed volunteer dog-handler teams to care homes, hospitals, schools, prisons, emergency services, and airports to provide therapeutic visits and emotional support to vulnerable and isolated people.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Canine Concern CIO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animal-Assisted Therapy Services
- NAICS
- Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)
Keywords
Where Canine Concern CIO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stone Cross, Pevensey
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Canine Concern CIO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from volunteer dog handlers: £20 per year for 1 handler and 1 dog, with £7 additional fee for any extra handler or dog.
- Public Donations: Charity receives donations of any size from individuals and corporate bodies; donations can be made via website, JustGiving, BACS transfer, or cheque.
- Legacies and Bequests: Charity encourages supporters to leave a legacy in their will to ensure continued operation.
- Fundraising Events: Annual sponsored walks (e.g., Walk 9K for K9 Concern), virtual beach paw dedications (Paw in the Sand Appeal), and community fundraising events.
- Visit Fees: Most visits are free; a nominal fee is charged for group visits of 4 or more dogs due to the planning and organising involved.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Volunteer Handler Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Canine Concern CIO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Canine Concern CIO is a UK-registered charity that organises visits by temperament-assessed therapy dogs and their trained volunteer handlers to care homes, hospitals, schools, workplaces, prisons, emergency services and other community settings across England and Wales to provide emotional support and companionship. Core programmes include general care dog visits, the Kennel Club-recognised Read to Dogs literacy programme, and targeted mental-health and wellbeing visits; visits are mostly free, supported by donations and a £20 annual handler membership.
Product overview
Canine Concern CIO is a charitable organization providing care dogs (therapy dogs) to communities throughout England and Wales. The core offering consists of Care Dog Visits where trained volunteer handlers bring assessed dogs to care homes, hospitals, workplaces, schools, and secure units. The portfolio includes the Read to Dogs Programme (officially recognised by The Kennel Club), Mental Health and Wellbeing Visits, Secure Unit Visits, and Workplace Visits. Supporting services include the Members Only Area for volunteers and Establishment Registration for facilities requesting visits. The charity operates as a unified service model focused on community welfare through animal-assisted therapy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Dogs bring comfort to elderly combating loneliness in care homes
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Canine Concern CIO
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments7 records
Canine Concern CIO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Canine Concern CIO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Work for GoodminorCanine Concern partnered with Work for Good, a fundraising platform that helps small businesses donate a proportion of sales to charity. Campaign focused on Christmas 2020 with Work for Good matching donations up to £500.
- The Kennel ClubcoreCanine Concern is a partner with the Kennel Club's Bark and Read scheme, a school initiative to help children enjoy reading. CEO Val Fillery was involved in developing Bark and Read Standards of Practice. Canine Concern volunteers regularly attend Crufts on the Bark and Read stand.
- London Southend AirportcoreLondon Southend Airport launched AirPaws Crew partnership with Canine Concern in December 2019. Six therapy dogs and their handlers visit the airport weekly to provide comfort to passengers, particularly anxious travellers. Dogs are identifiable in branded t-shirts and blue bandanas. Partnership aims to make London Southend Airport stress-free and enjoyable.
- Any Green Will DominorLocal organiser who held 'Your Healthy Living Starts Here' event at Village Hotel in Portsmouth, raising £525 for Canine Concern.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Canine Concern CIO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pets As Therapy: The largest UK charity providing volunteer therapy dog visits to hospitals, hospices, care homes, schools and other settings; directly comparable to Canine Concern in mission, volunteer-driven delivery model, and target establishment segments.
- Therapy Dogs UK: UK charity running volunteer therapeutic visits to hospitals, hospices, care homes, schools and prisons using temperament-assessed dogs; overlaps with Canine Concern in service offering and customer base.
- Dogs for Good: UK charity providing assistance dogs and community dog services (including dog visits to schools and care settings); similar volunteer and temperament-assessment model to Canine Concern, with comparable institutional client base.
- Support Dogs: UK charity that trains and provides assistance dogs, and runs volunteer visiting/community programmes; comparable as a UK animal-assisted services charity operating across healthcare and community settings.
- Canine Partners: UK charity training assistance dogs for people with disabilities; comparable as a UK charity using temperament-assessed dogs to deliver social/health outcomes, though focused on owner-trained partnerships rather than visits.
- Medical Detection Dogs: UK charity training dogs to detect disease and support patients; comparable as a UK canine-welfare charity leveraging dog-human partnerships for healthcare outcomes.
- Hearing Dogs for Deaf People: UK charity training hearing assistance dogs; comparable charity model and reliance on volunteer puppy socialisers/fosterers in communities across the UK.
- Hounds for Heroes: UK charity providing specially trained assistance dogs to injured veterans and emergency services personnel; comparable UK canine charity operating across healthcare and emergency-services segments.
Broad incumbents
- The Kennel Club: UK national canine organisation and Canine Concern's strategic partner on the Bark and Read scheme; not a direct competitor but a larger incumbent in the broader dog-welfare space that endorses and co-promotes Canine Concern's programmes.
Regional players
- Pet Partners (US): US-based therapy animal organisation running volunteer therapy animal visits to hospitals, schools and care settings; comparable in model and mission but operates across North America rather than the UK.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Canine Concern CIO social profiles
Digital presenceCanine Concern CIO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Canine Concern CIO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Canine Concern CIO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Canine Concern CIO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Canine Concern CIO
What does Canine Concern CIO do?
Canine Concern CIO is a UK-registered charity that organises visits by temperament-assessed therapy dogs and their trained volunteer handlers to care homes, hospitals, schools, workplaces, prisons, emergency services and other community settings across England and Wales to provide emotional support and companionship. Core programmes include general care dog visits, the Kennel Club-recognised Read to Dogs literacy programme, and targeted mental-health and wellbeing visits; visits are mostly free, supported by donations and a £20 annual handler membership.
Is Canine Concern CIO a public or private company?
Canine Concern CIO is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Canine Concern CIO founded?
Canine Concern CIO was founded in 1988. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Canine Concern CIO based?
Canine Concern CIO is headquartered in Stone Cross, Pevensey, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Canine Concern CIO make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are public Donations, legacies and Bequests, fundraising Events and visit Fees.
Who are Canine Concern CIO's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pets As Therapy, Therapy Dogs UK, Dogs for Good, Support Dogs, Canine Partners, Medical Detection Dogs, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Hounds for Heroes. The Kennel Club is listed as a broad incumbent. Pet Partners (US) is listed as a regional player.
Does Canine Concern CIO have an API?
No public API is recorded for Canine Concern CIO.
What industry is Canine Concern CIO in?
Canine Concern CIO's product category is Animal-Assisted Therapy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAIAD, Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid. Its NAICS code is 81291 and its SIC code is 8300.