The Pets At Home Foundation

Charity Number: 1104152

Annual Expenditure: £3.9M
Geographic Focus: Isle Of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Throughout England And Wales, Guernsey

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £3.9 million (2022-2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: 3-4 months for Helping People Through Pets programme; rolling for Rescue Centre Grants
  • Grant Range: £250 - £180,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide

Contact Details

Website: www.petsfoundation.co.uk

Email: info@petsfoundation.co.uk

Phone: 7587772972

For application forms and eligibility enquiries, organisations should contact the foundation through their website or email.

Overview

The Pets at Home Foundation (charity number 1104152), operating as “Pets Foundation,” was launched in 2006 by Pets at Home. Since inception, the foundation has raised over £70 million through both the Pets at Home Foundation and Lifelines programmes. In the 2022-2023 financial year, the foundation donated over £3.9 million to initiatives across the UK, with £1.4 million awarded directly in grants to animal welfare organisations. The foundation operates under a five-year strategy focused on creating a better world for pets and the people who love them, working with over 400 charities annually. The foundation has expanded its objectives beyond rescue and rehoming to support charities that work alongside pets and their owners, including prevention of pet relinquishment and assistance animal programmes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Rescue Centre Grants (Rolling Programme)

  • Amount: £250 - £180,000
  • What it funds: Vet bills, boarding costs, food/bedding/litter, trap and neuter schemes, equipment, utility bills, and capital projects including vehicles, equipment and building work
  • Application method: Rolling programme with decisions made throughout the year
  • Recent examples: £180,000 towards kennel build; £240,000 to Scottish SPCA for Pet Aid veterinary service; £38,778 to Thornberry Animal Sanctuary for veterinary equipment

Helping People Through Pets Programme

  • Amount: Up to £80,000 per year (one-off grants or up to three years of funding)
  • What it funds: Charities who help children and adults through the provision of specially trained assistance animals, or through structured animal assisted learning and therapy
  • Application method: Fixed deadline (applications open April, close end of May; decisions in September)
  • Recent examples: £346,237 to Pets As Therapy for regional expansion in North West England and Scotland

Preventing Pet Relinquishment Grants

  • What it funds: Projects which aim to keep pets with their owners and out of rescue
  • Application method: Multiple decision rounds throughout the year

Priority Areas

  • Rescue and rehoming of UK pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other small furries)
  • Supporting hundreds of rehoming organisations across the UK
  • Prevention of pet relinquishment through intervention projects
  • Assistance animals and animal-assisted therapy/learning programmes
  • Improving welfare standards in rescue centres
  • Capital projects that enhance rescue capacity

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations not registered with the relevant Charity Commission or Companies House as a CIC
  • Organizations operating for less than 2 years
  • Organizations that cannot provide rehoming figures and financial information for a 12-month period
  • Organizations that have received funding from Pets Foundation within the previous 12 months
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Governance and Leadership

The board of trustees is responsible for the management of the charity and allocation of funding. Each trustee is a pet lover who strives to deliver the mission across the country. Staff members work with trustees to present applications so they can make informed decisions on who and what to fund.

Known Trustees:

  • Catriona Curtis
  • Jill Naylor

The foundation employs dedicated charity team members who build and maintain relationships with beneficiaries, Community Partners, and potential new charities looking to make applications.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Review eligibility criteria: Read the current grant criteria carefully to ensure your organisation and project are eligible
  2. Check supporting evidence requirements: All applications require recent financial details for the organisation
  3. Request application form: Contact the foundation via their website or email (info@petsfoundation.co.uk) to request an application form
  4. Submit complete application: Ensure all supporting evidence is included before submission
  5. Potential site visit: The foundation may request a virtual or in-person visit to learn more about your work

Full guidance documents are available on the foundation's website at petsfoundation.co.uk.

Decision Timeline

Rescue Centre Grants: Rolling programme with decisions made throughout the year (specific timeframe not published)

Helping People Through Pets Programme:

  • Applications open: April
  • Applications close: End of May
  • Decisions made: September
  • Total timeline: Approximately 3-4 months from application to decision

Preventing Pet Relinquishment: Multiple decision rounds throughout the year

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. However, the foundation supports hundreds of rehoming organisations across the UK annually, working with over 400 charities each year.

Reapplication Policy

Organisations must wait 12 months from when they last received funds from the Pets Foundation before applying again. If your charity received a one-off grant or received the final year of multi-year funding in 2024, contact the foundation for advice about when to reapply.

Information about reapplication after unsuccessful applications is not publicly available; contact the foundation directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be registered with the relevant Charity Commission or Companies House as a CIC
  • Must have been operating for a minimum of 2 years
  • Must be able to provide rehoming figures (for rescue grants) and financial information for a 12-month period
  • Main activity must be the rescue and rehoming of UK pets (for rescue centre grants)

Key Success Factors

Complete Applications: The foundation emphasizes the importance of including all supporting evidence required. Don't hesitate to contact them if you have questions about supporting evidence requirements.

Strong Financial Information: Recent financial details are required for all applications, demonstrating responsible stewardship and sustainability.

Demonstrated Impact: Provide clear rehoming figures and evidence of the difference your organisation makes to pet welfare.

Alignment with Strategy: Projects should clearly align with one of the foundation's strategic priority areas: rescue and rehoming, preventing pet relinquishment, or helping people through pets.

Recent Funded Projects

The foundation has supported diverse projects including:

  • £240,000 to Birmingham Dogs Home for a new behaviour and training centre to support dogs needing extra help before rehoming
  • £346,237 to Pets As Therapy for regional expansion, particularly supporting children with SEND
  • £98,000 to Britain's first reptile rehabilitation centre
  • Refuge4Pets for Project Worker team expansion supporting fostering animals from domestic violence situations
  • £15,600, £38,778, £180,000, £9,235, and £11,140 to various rescue centres for specific projects

Foundation's Focus

The foundation describes itself as “pets people” who know and understand the difference pets make to people's lives. Their mission centres on creating a better world for pets and the people who love them, which should be reflected in your application narrative.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Know your programme: The foundation has three distinct grant programmes with different application cycles—ensure you apply to the right one for your work
  • Meet basic eligibility: Two years of operation, charity registration, and 12-month financial records are non-negotiable requirements
  • Wide grant range: Grants span from £250 to £180,000, so projects of various scales can be considered—tailor your ask to realistic project needs
  • Complete applications matter: The foundation explicitly states applications must include all supporting evidence; incomplete applications likely won't progress
  • Rolling vs. fixed deadlines: Rescue centre grants operate on a rolling basis allowing year-round applications, while Helping People Through Pets has fixed annual deadlines
  • Site visits are possible: Be prepared for the foundation to request a virtual or in-person visit as part of their due diligence process
  • 12-month gap required: Previous grantees must wait a full year from their last funding before reapplying—plan your funding pipeline accordingly
  • Contact them with questions: The foundation encourages potential applicants to get in touch for advice, particularly about eligibility or supporting evidence requirements

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