Our intake policy

OUR NON SELECTIVE APPROACH

We aim never to turn away a dog or cat in need of our help and we will do all we can to either reunite them with their owners or to rehome them into loving new homes. Our willingness to take in any dog or cat at our centres to try and help them sets us apart from many other rescues and it’s at the heart of everything we stand for. We are here for every dog and cat.

We are very proud of how we look after every dog and cat that comes to Battersea. Our team of highly skilled staff and volunteers is key in providing exceptional care and, we do everything that we can to give every dog and cat the best possible chance at a new life beyond Battersea. For more information, please read our Animal Charter.

OUR EUTHANASIA POLICY

As one of the UK’s busiest rescue centres, Battersea regularly takes in some of society’s most challenging dogs and cats with complex medical and behavioural issues. Many have been turned away from other rescue centres.

Our staff work in rescue because they committed to achieving a positive outcome for the dogs and cats entering our care, and we are always completely open about the fact that sometimes we have to put dogs and cats to sleep.

Our clinical and behaviour experts will determine with every animal whether we are able to safely and responsibly rehome them to new owners. This is not a decision we ever take lightly and every dog and cat is treated on an individual basis.  If a dog or cat needs time to settle in our care, we will give them that time, but if a kennel or cattery environment is detrimental to their welfare, or if they present a safety risk to those around them then we need to take this into consideration.

We will never put an animal to sleep unless they are found to have medical or behavioural concerns that compromise their quality of life, have behavioural issues that prevent us from safely or responsibly rehoming them to a new home, or if a dog is formally identified as a banned breed.

We take our duty of care to all our dogs and cats extremely seriously, but we also have a duty of care to our staff, our volunteers, and the public.

There are five banned dog types in Great Britain under the Dangerous Dogs Act – the Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, the Fila Brasileiro and the American Bully XL Controlling your dog in public: Banned dogs - GOV.UK 

REHOMING ASSESSMENTS

Every dog and cat that comes to Battersea is treated with compassion and dignity and is assessed by a member of our highly experienced veterinary team as well as trained behavioural experts.

From the first day, we make every effort to help each dog or cat feel safe and secure in their new environment. We give them the opportunity to settle or build a bond with their carers and never force interactions As well as identifying any medical treatment, our expert team will assess each dog or cat to understand their individual needs, motivations and behaviours towards other animals and people.

We gather as much information as we can. If available, we consider the information provided by the dog or cat's previous owner and we examine the detailed observations made by our staff and volunteers during the animal’s time in our care.

If there are serious concerns for us to question a dog or cat’s rehoming potential, we will consider all alternatives, including rehoming the dog to a working outlet or rehoming the cat to a rural outlet. Only if every alternative has been ruled out will we make the difficult decision to put an animal to sleep.

There is no time limit on how long we care for a dog or cat. Some can be assessed or rehomed in a matter of days, but for others it may take weeks, or even months of care, expert training and rehabilitation.

THE PROCESS

When a person contacts us to arrange to give their pet up for adoption to Battersea, it can be a very emotional experience. Whatever your circumstances, we promise to treat you with compassion and respect, and we will support you in your decision. So that we can help you and your dog/cat best, we ask that you consider the following before you complete your online registration

Please be completely open and honest about your situation, both in your online registration and when speaking to us over the phone – the more we know, the easier it is for us to understand the best way to proceed. Please remember that we are not here to judge or criticise you, we are here to help you and your pet.

If you are not the sole registered owner of the dog or cat, we will need to speak to anyone else who may have a claim to the animal.

If an appointment has been booked for you to bring your pet in, you will receive a confirmation email which will include all the necessary information on what to do next.

If you cannot attend the appointment to bring your pet in, please ask a family member, friend, or neighbour to assist. If you will not be present at the appointment, we will require a signed letter of authority from the registered owner(s).

Each cancelled or missed appointment is a space at one of our centres that we would otherwise be able to offer to another dog/ in need. We discourage cancelling appointments wherever possible, however if you need to, we ask that you contact us as soon as possible to allow us time to be able to offer the kennel/cattery space to another animal in need.

INTAKE POLICY FAQ

Please complete our online registration form. The form will take around 15 minutes to complete and asks a range of questions related to you and your dog or cat, including how they have responded to situations in their past. This helps us to get all the information we need upfront to advise you best based on the needs of your animal. We ask that you answer all questions as honestly and accurately as possible.  

Normally 15 minutes to complete our online registration form, 10–15 minutes on a follow-up phone call once we are ready to book your appointment and a further 30–40 minutes once you have arrived with your pet. 

We ask that you do not come to Battersea without an appointment. All bookings are by appointment only as this ensures we can help as many people as possible. We only have a limited space so it is best to call first to see if we can accommodate your pet.

We are unable to collect cats or dogs from their homes so you will need to make arrangements to bring them in for your appointment. If you’re unable to travel to our centres with your pet, we may be able to arrange a collection in extreme circumstances, or advise of pet taxi services who may be able to.

Once we have all the information we need on your pet, we can offer appointments based on the length of our current waiting list. Please be aware that Battersea is currently experiencing high levels of demand to take in dogs or cats to our centres and customers are being placed on a waiting list to ensure we have space and capacity to respond to emergency cases needing our help. This means we may not be able to take in your pet for some time depending on your circumstances. 

Please bring with you:

  • Your pet
  • A form of ID with your name and address
  • A letter of authority if the animal's chipped owner is not accompanying the dog or cat, stating you are aware the animal is coming to us to be rehomed and you consent to our policies
  • Any paperwork you have for your animal
  • It would help us to settle your pet in if you could bring some belongings such as bedding or toys. We would also recommend covering your cat carrier with a blanket to reduce stress.

The service is free of charge, but Battersea would appreciate a suggested donation of £50 to help towards the care of your pet.

This is not possible. It would be very distressing for your pet because they would think you were coming to collect them. And of course, this would be very upsetting for you.

This is not possible. However, we will give you a reference number during your intake appointment and you are welcome to email for any updates.

If animals come to us as a pair or trio and it's safe to do so they will be initially kept together and assessed as a group. Where possible, we try to rehome dogs together, but due to stress and other factors beyond our control, this is not always the case and we can at no point guarantee any pairs will be rehomed together.

No, we would never knowingly rehome an animal into the same area as its previous owner.

This is not a service we provide as we are not a boarding kennel or cattery.

Yes, we aim to never turn an animal away. However, we ask that pet owners have realistic expectations about the type of problems we can work with.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a cat, or a cat is feral, we strongly recommend that you contact the RSPCA, Celia Hammond, Cats Protection or The Mayhew as they all have facilities to help the cat themselves. Unfortunately, we are not able to collect cats and we also do not accept cats in traps.

You can report a stray to us by calling 0207 6679245. Any stray cat brought into Battersea will need to stay for seven days before we can take steps towards their rehoming. If they are owned, this gives the owners a chance to claim their cat. We will also check our list of reported missing cats to ensure strays do not match up to any of the reported cats' descriptions. For full advice on what to do if you have found a cat you believe to be a stray, please look at our lost and found cat advice.

If you find a stray dog, the law requires that you take the dog to the council or return the dog to its owner. We recommend taking the dog to a vet to be scanned for a microchip – any vet will do this free of charge – as that may well enable the owner to be traced quickly and easily. Here's more information on what to do if you find a stray dog.

It’s important to understand that you have now legally signed over your pet to Battersea, therefore relinquishing all rights of ownership to them. As a general rule, we do not allow dogs and cats to be reclaimed once they have been brought into us for rehoming. We would, therefore, encourage you to ensure that you have carefully thought through your decision before making an appointment

We ask all pet owners to fill out our online intake form, but if anyone is in danger as a result of your dog’s behaviour, please call us on 0800 001 4444 between 8am and 5pm. If anyone is in immediate danger, please contact the Police.

Unfortunately we are unable to take in pets for temporary boarding. See below for a list of dog-friendly homeless shelters.

Visit our pet advice pages on the cost of owning a dog and the cost of owning a cat, which include a list of support schemes.

See below for details of emergency pet care schemes like the Freedom Project and The Links Group.

Visit our pet advice pages, for a range of advice on managing problem behaviours. If your dog was rehomed from Battersea, please call or email your nearest centre.

Local Authorities have a "Duty of Care" to rehouse some animals while the owner is in hospital, and it is free for the first two weeks. See details below for the Cinnamon Trust who provide support to those that are elderly or terminally ill and need a dog walker or fosterer. You could also contact Trusted Housesitters or Borrow My Doggy if you anticipate needing help in the future, or longer term.

DOG AND CAT BEHAVIOUR INFORMATION

 

HELPFUL CONTACTS

 

EMERGENCY PET CARE

  • Pet Refuge Scheme: The Mayhew: 0208 9628000
  • Hospital Patients: Local Authorities have a "Duty of Care" to rehouse some animals while the owner is in hospital and it is free for the first two weeks - some authorities charge after this period
  • Freedom Project: Dogs Trust for women fleeing domestic violence: 0800 298 9199
  • Hope Project: Dogs Trust for assistance with veterinary fees for people facing housing crisis: 020 7833 7611
  • The Links Group (for those fleeing domestic abuse): links@live.co.uk

 

DOG-FRIENDLY HOMELESS SHELTERS

Day Centres

  • Homeless Action in Barnet London N12: 0208 4468400
  • Spectrum Centre London NW1: 0207 6274937
  • Spires London SW16: 0208 6960943
  • The 999 Club London SE8: 0208 6945797
  • The Manna London: 0207 2265369 

 

Hostels

  • Salvation Army: Booth House Resettlement Centre London E1: 0207 3929490
  • Broadway London W12 Referrals Hammersmith Fulham Housing: 0208 7355800
  • St Mungo's London
  • Thames Reach Bondway London SW8: 0207 8409820
  • Shelter Housing
  • Waltham Forest HA Ltd London E4: 0208 5246987

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