Dogs Trust (UK)

Dogs Trust was founded in 1891 as the National Canine Defence League, at a meeting held during the first Crufts dog show, and took its current name in 2003. It is best known for the slogan "A dog is for life, not just for Christmas", created to cut the number of dogs abandoned after being given as presents. The charity says it cared for 11,374 dogs without homes last year.

Dogs Trust runs rehoming centres across the UK, from Ballymena in Northern Ireland and Glasgow, Dundee and West Calder in Scotland to Cardiff and Bridgend in Wales and centres across England including Darlington, Leeds, Manchester, Kenilworth, Snetterton, Canterbury and West London. Each centre has its own dogs looking for homes, and the charity also places dogs with foster carers while they wait.

Beyond rehoming, Dogs Trust offers free post-adoption support and a behaviour support line for owners, help for owners who need to give up their dog, financial support with vet costs for people in hardship, and schemes that look after the dogs of people fleeing domestic abuse or experiencing homelessness. It funds research into dog welfare, campaigns for better dog laws, and through Dogs Trust Worldwide supports partner charities abroad.

To adopt, browse the dogs on the Dogs Trust website and apply for a dog at your nearest centre. You can also foster, volunteer, sponsor a dog or donate online. Dogs Trust is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (1167663) and with OSCR in Scotland (SC053144). Dogs Trust Ireland, which runs the charity's Dublin centre, is listed separately.