Funding and governance

We’re proud to operate with strong governance, transparent decision-making and a welfare-first approach that ensures every pound entrusted to us delivers the greatest possible difference for dogs. 

How we use your support

We don’t receive any government funding. We’re powered by a community of supporters, volunteers, partners and donors who share our belief that a dog is for life.  

Thanks to your support, we can:

• Care for and rehome dogs
• Provide behaviour and training support to owners
• Expand our fostering and prevention services
• Invest in veterinary expertise
• Improve dog welfare both nationally and internationally. 

We’re committed to fundraising in a responsible and sustainable way so we can continue supporting dogs for generations to come. That means focusing on excellent supporter experiences, transparency, efficiency and making sure donations are used where they can have the biggest impact. 
 

Dogs Trust is a registered charitable company in England and Wales (1167663) and Scotland (SC053144), and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (09365971)’.  

Trustees and governance

Our Board of Trustees oversees the work of the charity and helps make sure we always act in line with our charitable aims and legal responsibilities. Trustees volunteer their time and expertise and do not receive payment or benefits from Dogs Trust.  

The Board is supported by the Finance and General Purposes Committee, which oversees finance, audit and risk matters.

Leadership and decision-making

The day-to-day running of Dogs Trust is managed by our Executive Team, led by the Chief Executive. They’re responsible for:

• Delivering the charity’s strategy
• Managing operations and services
• Proposing budgets and investment priorities
• Monitoring organisational and financial performance.

We operate in line with the principles of the Charity Governance Code – regularly reviewing performance, impact and financial stewardship to ensure we remain accountable to:

• Our supporters and donors
• The dogs and communities we serve
• Charity regulators and legal requirements
• Our organisational values and mission.

We also publish annual reports, financial statements and policies so supporters can see how we operate and how donations are used. 

Our supporters place a huge amount of trust in us, and we’re committed to earning that trust every day through the way we work and care for dogs.

Ethical fundraising

We are committed to fundraising in a responsible, respectful and transparent way, focusing on building trusted, long-term relationships with supporters and delivering excellent supporter experiences. 

Transparency and accountability

We believe supporters should feel confident about how their donations are used. That’s why we publish information about our governance, finances, strategy and impact, and operate under recognised charity governance principles.  

Welfare-first approach

Everything we do starts with what is best for dogs. We believe ‘A dog is for life’ and hold firm to our commitment never to put a healthy dog down. This is core to our mission to help dogs when and where they need us most – through prevention, rehoming, behaviour support, veterinary care, education and campaigning.  

We measure and report impact through service outcomes, operational reporting, research, supporter engagement and long-term welfare goals. Our impact today includes:

• 12,000+ dogs cared for each year
• 10,000+ dogs rehomed annually
• 26,000+ dogs, owners and children supported through behaviour and training services
• 3,500+ dogs cared for in foster homes
• 700+ dogs and owners supported through homelessness services.