Pets at Home has donated more than £5m to charities helping pets and the people who love them in the year to March 2022.

The Pets at Home Foundation, the leading supporter of animal rescue centres in the UK, led a number of fundraising activities across the Group’s stores, Vets4Pets practices and Groom Rooms, including its annual Santa Paws appeal through which customers donate to help feed rescue pets over the festive period. Funds were also donated through Pets at Home’s VIP Lifelines Scheme, which enables VIP members to raise Lifelines for their favourite animal charity each time they shop with Pets at Home. Lifelines are then converted into vouchers for charities to spend in store to help the animals in their care.

Acknowledging the strong bond between pets and the people who love them, the Group’s charitable giving over the past year focused on the positive impact pets can have on both our physical and mental wellbeing.

Thanks to the incredible support and generosity of customers and colleagues, Pets at Home has donated more than ever before through awards to over 750 organisations, ranging from some of the largest national animal charities through to small, local rescue centres.

Dogs for Good was one of the national charities to receive support for their Dementia Assistance Dog Programme in Scotland. This initiative provides specially trained assistance dogs to households where one member has an early stage diagnosis of dementia and another is a full-time unpaid carer. The RSPCA’s Pet Food Bank Partnership also received support to help provide assistance to pet owners as pressure on household budgets increases, enabling more pets to stay in loving homes alongside their families.

Woodlands Animal Sancturary in Lancashire was one of over 70 small independent rescue centres that received a financial grant to help with their essential work for animals in need. The £30,000 donation will help the rescue centre pay for vet bills and pet food.

Louise Stonier, Pets at Home’s Chief People and Culture Officer, and Chair of The Pets at Home Foundation, said:

“The last two years have been tough for the charitable sector, so we were determined to increase our support to help ease the burden for these important organisations. I am immensively proud of what has been achieved and grateful to our incredible customers and colleagues for their continuing support. Pets have an amazing ability to enrich our lives, whether through the pet owner bond or through the great work they do with people in need. This is why we are so passionate about giving our support to help these brilliant organisations to continue assisting many more people and pets for years to come.”

If you are an animal charity or organisation who would benefit from financial support and would like to find out more about how The Pets at Home Foundation can help, visit: https://www.petsathomefoundation.co.uk/get-in-touch/