Battersea

And we have a winner! 👏 After a fur-midable face-off on the campaign trail, Battersea can reveal that the winner of our Purr Minister 2024 competition is the magnificent Attlee, owned by the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP. Thank you to all the MPs and Peers who took part for their competitive spirit, and to all members of the public who voted. And a big congratulations to Attlee! 😼💙

We’re very sad to hear that Beth, HM The Queen’s rescue dog, has sadly passed away. Her Majesty, our Patron, rehomed Beth from Battersea in 2011 and we have many fond memories of Beth visiting our centres over the years. Our thoughts are with Their Majesties at this time. We know how difficult it is to lose a beloved pet and Beth was very special indeed. 💙

We’re excited to announce that ‘For the Love of Dogs’ will soon be back on your screens for a Christmas special with the incredible Alison Hammond! Stay tuned for more details from us and ITV. 🎄🧑🎄☃️

Through our Grants Programmes, Battersea proudly supports 16 incredible organisations in South Africa, which will help us reach over 400,000 animals in the country in the next three years. 🐶🐱 Our team recently visited South Africa to connect with these inspiring organisations, strengthening our partnerships and exploring new ways to support even more dogs, cats, and people. 💙 #CapeTown #SouthAfrica

When looking for a new rental property, Vanessa faced an unthinkable choice: her cat, Rosie, or a place to live. 💔 With the help of our supporters, we've helped influence the Renters’ Rights Bill by reducing the deadline within which landlords must respond to a pet request from a tenant. However, there is still more to be done. Learn more about our Pet Friendly Properties campaign 👉 https://bit.ly/3xpkAQC

Today, our Global Programmes team got the opportunity to join this year’s World Urban Forum in Cairo, as a member of ICAM (International Companion Animal Management Coalition), who are hosting an event today. It saw the launch of the Positive Cities Pledge — a pledge that seeks to acknowledge cities implementing sustainable and humane dog and cat population management. 🐶🐱   The event was joined by several local government representatives and featured inspiring talks from several of our Battersea grantees including The Cape of Good Hope SPCA and Zero Stray Pawject Inc. We congratulate Cape Town, Bangkok and Ilfiv County (Romania) who were amongst the first to sign the pledge. Their efforts make a huge difference in helping to manage dog and cat populations within their locations. 👏   The event has really helped shine a light on the need for a collaborative approach towards animal welfare. Together, we can achieve a better future for not only dogs and cats, but for people too, creating healthier and safer communities to live in.   Our mission at Battersea to be here for every dog and cat means our work goes beyond our three centres. That’s why we support other animal welfare organisations, in the UK and around the world, with grants and resources to aid their crucial work which results in big change, like it has today. Together, we learn from each other, support one another, and ensure we’re all working towards a better future for cats and dogs everywhere. 💙 #WUF12

The search is underway to find Parliament's next Top Cat, and voting is now open! Who will you crown Purr Minister 2024? 😼 MPs and Peers have put their cats to a public vote to be crowed Purr Minister 2024. Each cat-didate has submitted a Manifursto explaining why they've got what it takes to rule the House. From committing to more pet-friendly properties to cracking down on illegal kitten importing, we want to know which animal welfare policy will be popular amongst our Purr Minister entrants. Cast your vote here 👉 https://bit.ly/3YTjYBa Voting will close at 17:00 on 14 November, and the winner will be announced on 21 November. May the best cat win!

We are almost sold out of tickets for our annual Christmas Carol Concert on 5 and 6 December! Get your tickets today while you still can 👉 https://bit.ly/3S6mU6R ⁣ Join us at St Luke's & Christ Church in Chelsea as we come together for every dog and cat. 🐶🐱⁣ There's going to be mulled wine, an amazing choir and, of course, dogs! We'd like to say a big thank you to our partner Mars Petcare for sponsoring the event. 💙

The dogs at our Old Windsor got into the Halloween spirit with a spooky photoshoot! 👻🎃 How adorable do they look? Rue, Trevor, Hugo, Leia, Ace, Joey, Ella and Marvin are all looking for loving homes. Could you be a match? Get registered and find out more about each dog on our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3Sd6zAv

Wondering how Battersea helps dogs at other rescues, like Wednesday here? Forest Dog Rescue joined Battersea Academy to build on their expertise. After attending an Academy course, the charity’s staff returned armed with new tools to enrich the care of their dogs: 🐾 Kennels were reorganised to control admissions and create calmer spaces. 🐾 Staff introduced games and agility courses to boost mental stimulation. 🐾 Updated behaviour evaluations and specialised trainers provided targeted support. With these changes, they could meet Wednesday’s needs. Extra walks, trick training, and off-lead playdates brought out her intelligence and sweet nature. Soon after, she found her loving new home! 💙