Everything you need to know about Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is a renowned animal rescue organisation based in London, with additional centres in Old Windsor and Brands Hatch. Established in 1860, Battersea has a long history of rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming dogs and cats in need. The charity takes in animals of all breeds and backgrounds, including those who are lost, abandoned, or whose owners can no longer care for them.
Battersea provides comprehensive care for every animal, including medical treatment, behavioral support, and plenty of love and attention, to prepare them for a new, permanent home. The organization is committed to finding the right match between pets and adopters, ensuring each animal is placed in a safe and loving environment.
Due to its popularity, this organisation is extremely competitive to adopt from, with the organisation being oversubscribed and having incredibly high standards for their potential adopters. It is absolutely worth checking out the dogs Battersea has up for adoption, and even registering to adopt, however do not get your hopes up as many people never hear back, especially if you are young, live in a flat, do not have private and fenced in outdoor space, or have you children. In addition, the dogs up for rehoming are often not many at any given time, reducing the likelihood that you are able to find your perfect match with them over a short period of time.
Battersea Dogs & Cats At a Glance
Cost: As one of the bigger shelters with more external funding (as opposed to smaller organisations which rely heavily on rescue donations), adopting a dog from Battersea is cheaper than from other places, with the prices being £200 for dogs (over six months), £320 for a pair of dogs, or £275 for puppies (under six months).
Size: Battersea is as big as it gets in terms of funding, reach, brand recognition, and staff. Despite this, they don’t always have the largest selection or variety of dogs, but it is always worth submitting an application and seeing if they do happen to have a match for you!
Location: Battersea have three locations, all of which require appointments to visit. Their London address is 4 Battersea Park Road, SW8 4AA. Their Old Windsor address in Berkshire is Priest Hill, Old Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 2JN. Their Brands Hatch address in Kent is Crowhurst Lane, Ash, Kent, TN15 7HH.
Rescue Back Up: Battersea offer support and advice to adopters, and have a very helpful advice section which can be found here.
Acceptance and no-kill policies: Battersea is known for its commitment to never turning away a dog or cat in need, regardless of their age, breed, or medical condition, and for providing lifelong support to both the animals in their care and the families who adopt them. In addition, Battersea operates a no-kill policy, meaning they do not euthanise animals for space.
Adoption Process
Register: Prospective adopters start by registering their details online and answering questions about their living situation and preferences. This helps Battersea use their extensive rehoming experience to find the best match for each adopter, rather than focusing on a specific animal. You can register here.
Automated Reply: After registering, an automated response is sent, providing feedback on the likelihood of rehoming based on the provided information, along with details on the next steps.
Leave It with Them: Battersea takes time to carefully match each pet with the right owner. During this period, they are focused on caring for the animals and ensuring the best possible matches. Often, this is where you will not hear back.
Speak with a Rehoming Team Member: When a suitable match is likely, a member of the rehoming team will contact the applicant to discuss further details.
Rehome: Finally, a visit to a Battersea centre is arranged to meet the potential new dog. Battersea provides expert advice and support to help the dog settle into its new home, ensuring a smooth transition for both the pet and the new owner.
Conclusion
Battersea Dogs Home is synonymous with animal rescue in the UK, but for that reason, it can be incredibly challenging to adopt from them, both due to their limited number of dogs up for adoption at any given time, and to their extremely high standards for potential adopters. I would definitely recommend registering to adopt in case your profile matches a dog’s in their care, in which case you would be helped to find your perfect dog, however it is incredibly competitive and it is worth bearing in mind that you may never hear back.
Battersea has 3.8 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot (though many of the lower reviews are in relation to their online store). You can read these reviews here.
If you would like to know more or to adopt a dog from Battersea, you can do so here.