Our work around the world
Our global work enables us to create big, positive and sustainable changes in dog welfare across the world.
During our 130 years, as well as working to improve the lives of dogs in the UK, we’ve also established a global Dogs Trust community, sharing our expertise around the world. We run and support projects in lots of countries, working proactively with local organisations to address the dog welfare issues that most need our help. By sharing our knowledge, expertise and support we’re helping to make big, positive and sustainable changes to dog welfare.
What do we do?
We work with a range of dedicated local partners on projects that tackle the most pressing issues in their countries and communities. This includes: mass vaccination and neutering campaigns, veterinary training, education in schools, community outreach, setting up Dog Schools, rehoming and fostering schemes, and disaster response. We've facilitated the vaccination and care of hundreds of thousands of dogs, trained thousands of vets and educated hundreds of thousands of children.
A key focus of our work is rabies prevention. Dogs are the number one cause of human rabies deaths, and account for up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans. But human rabies deaths are entirely preventable, and the vaccination of dogs is the most effective strategy to eliminate the disease. In 2023, we merged with Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) and Mission Rabies, marking an important milestone in the global fight against rabies. Find out more about our work to eliminate rabies.
In many countries around the world, roaming dogs are also a significant problem. This is often because of uncontrolled breeding of owned dogs, with the puppies from unwanted litters abandoned to grow up on the streets. These dogs often have poor welfare and won’t get treatment when they’re ill or injured. Our aim is to see healthy and manageable dog populations, through safe and systematic neutering of roaming and owned dogs, as well as promoting and encouraging responsible dog ownership.
With our delivery partners we run mass Catch Neuter Vaccinate Return (CNVR) programmes, which are just as they sound – dogs are humanely caught, neutered and vaccinated, and then returned to their communities. This system has proved to be hugely successful in tackling dog welfare, disease and reducing roaming dog problems.
We also issue emergency grants to support people and organisations caring for dogs during disasters. Our support can plug gaps in supplies and help get aid to animal shelters, vets and individuals who need it. For example, in 2022, we teamed up with other charities to form a network providing urgent support to families and their pets in Ukraine.
Find out more about our mission to combat rabies.
Helping dogs around the world
Worldwide
We run and support projects on five continents, in countries including Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Serbia, USA, Ecuador, Malawi and Galapagos. Find out more about the projects we support around the world.
Ireland
As Ireland’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust Ireland is committed to making Ireland a safe and happy place for dogs. We work with communities across the country to educate, inspire and motivate people to act in the name of canine welfare. Through our Dublin-based Rehoming Centre and Regional Rehoming Programme — as well as campaigning, lobbying and education work in every county in Ireland — Dogs Trust Ireland plays a vital role in improving the lives of dogs.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
We’ve been working in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2012, when we launched a long-term programme to support local authorities to tackle their significant stray dog problem. Our work included mass neutering campaigns for owned and street dogs, a veterinary training programme with the veterinary faculty in Sarajevo, responsible dog ownership education and running Dog School Bosnia to help local people to train their dogs, and an through fostering programme. During this time, we’ve helped neutered over 100,000 dogs, trained over 500 vets, and reached over 400,000 children with dog safety education.
USA
Since 2018, our affiliate organisation Dogs Trust USA has supported 30 rescue organisations and shelters across the USA. providing over $1 million in grants and sharing expertise. In 2021, the charity significantly expanded efforts with ambitious plans to offer on-the-ground support and training to US shelter organisations and dog owners and currently has programs in New York and California.
Help us reach more dogs worldwide
We know that our international work is a powerful force for good in dog welfare. Our mission is to collaborate far and wide, and make sure we benefit as many dogs as possible:
- to change attitudes and behaviours
- to introduce sustainable and humane dog population management practices
- to work towards permanently eradicating canine-mediated rabies and
- to raise dog welfare standards globally.
Will you support our work to make this happen?
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