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The History of Dogs Trust

Founded in 1891 to protect dogs from ‘torture and ill-usage of every kind’, Dogs Trust has now pursed its goal with determination for over one hundred years. In 2003, Dogs Trust changed its name, which was originally NCDL or the National Canine Defence League, to more accurately reflect the work that we now undertake.

The beginning

A ‘small party of gentlemen’ brought together by Lady Gertrude Stock in a room off the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington during the first ever Crufts dog show, vowed to campaign for the protection of strays, the provision of proper veterinary care and to campaign against muzzling, prolonged chaining, and experimentation on dogs – a widespread practice at the time.

Vowing never to turn down a reasonable request for help, Dogs Trust began operations funded entirely by donations from members and supporters. In 1902 membership totalled 1000 for the first time and continued to grow steadily to 6,500 members by 1910. Today Dogs Trust has over 550,000 members and supporters.

Practical aid for dog owners

Right from its formation, Dogs Trust believed that no one who clearly cared for and looked after their dog should be prevented from keeping it, just because they were poor. The Dog Licence Club, founded in 1910, reflected this and until the licence was abolished in 1987, paid for over 20,000 licences. The heaviest demands were made on the fund during the depression. During 1927, 4,600 licences were paid for.

Campaigning

Dogs Trust’s campaigns covered a number of issues but notable successes included:

• The Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Bill, known as the Forfeit Bill was introduced by Dogs Trust in 1908. This was later incorporated into the Protection of Animals Act 1911, which gave magistrates the power to prevent anyone convicted of cruelty from keeping an animal in the future.

• Anti-vivisection campaigns – in particular, preventing experiments into the causes and effects of drowning and smallpox using live dogs in the early 1900’s and presenting a petition with 9,000 signatures to Parliament in support of the Dogs (Protection) Bill.

• Putting an end to the use of dog-lockers in luggage vans on trains in 1903, to be replaced by kennels. Railway companies also agreed to provide water for dogs if they had a label attached to them reading ‘please give my dog water’, which Dogs Trust had printed and distributed to members.

• Performing dogs – Dogs Trust was responsible for the almost total abolition of performing dogs from the music hall stage by the 1920’s.

• Dogs Trust guidelines resulted in the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act in 1937 preventing cruelty to dogs in the making of films.

• Compulsory muzzling in force from 1919-1922 following a rabies scare, was ended largely due to the ceaseless campaigning of Dogs Trust, which supported anyone who was prosecuted under the new laws.

• Dogs no longer being confined for two days at championship dog shows, even if they were only required for one day. Blackpool Dog Show in 1939 was the first to introduce a ban on dogs remaining on the grounds overnight and by the late 1940’s the practice was universally accepted.

• The emergence of the motor car in the 1920’s led to the minority of motorists boasting of how many dogs they had run over. Dogs Trust responded by producing three million leaflets and posters and achieved widespread press coverage. The charity also equipped all the new AA road scouts with humane pistols to enable them to put suffering dogs out of their misery.

In recent years Dogs Trust has spoken out in relation to a number of dog welfare issues. It represents the reasonable and well informed voice of dog lovers and always tries to find the most practical solution to any problem.

• The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 was finally amended in 1997. Dogs Trust acted as the secretariat for the DDA Reform Group, successfully campaigning for changes, including the removal of mandatory destruction of dogs found guilty under the Act.

Awards for bravery

Always keen to recognise kindness to dogs above and beyond the call of duty, Dogs Trust awarded its silver medal from 1912 onwards to those people who rescued dogs from beatings, rivers, fires and other hardships. In 1933 the Argus medal was awarded for the first time for service to dogs and it was awarded six times until its replacement in 1978 by the Phyllis Meyer Argus Award.

Dog heroes were also rewarded with inscribed silver coins, whilst the stories of remarkable courage and devotion are too numerous to mention. One of the most notable recipients, however, was Bob who carried water to the troops under fire throughout the Boer War. He filled the bottles strapped to his body by dashing into a stream and lying down until the bottles were full before returning to the front.

Dogs Trust at war

Through both world wars when food became scarce and public opinion began to suggest that maybe dogs should provide food rather than consume it, Dogs Trust stressed the value of dogs as rat catchers, thus saving over 75 million tonnes of food per year. By making personal representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Dogs Trust persuaded him to reverse his decision to destroy 50% of the dogs in the country.

During World War I Dogs Trust paid for over 12,500 dog licences; a valuable help to families whose bread-winner was away at war.

The outbreak of World War II led to Dogs Trust issuing instructions for constructing a gas-proof kennel and gas masks for dogs through appeals on the BBC. Numerous leaflets were produced giving advice on coping with anticipated emergencies such as:
• Dogs and the invader
• Poison gas and domestic pets
• Air raid precautions for dogs
• War time dog food

Another slightly more unusual illustration of Dogs Trust’s war work was the collecting of combings from members’ dogs’ fur to be knitted into clothing for the troops. This was a very successful operation, which continued for many years.

The services of Dogs Trust were also advertised at military camps in the UK so that dogs who attached themselves could be found homes when camps disbanded. They also found homes for volunteer dogs (messengers, guard dogs, rat catchers) when the war came to an end and helped with quarantine bills for dogs befriended by soldiers at the front and subsequently brought home.

Clinics

The first Dogs Trust clinic offering free treatment opened in Bethnal Green in 1926 and by 1939 there were nine across London dealing with over 80,000 animal patients a year (the service was not confined to dogs).

The clinic at Hackney was completely destroyed during the war, but was soon reopened nearby. By 1949 there were 13 clinics offering a full hospital service throughout the country. The last clinic closed in 1980.

Dogs Trust today

Today Dogs Trust cares for more than 15,000 stray and abandoned dogs every year at our 17 Rehoming Centres throughout the UK. A non-destruction policy was adopted in 1964 and today, dogs that cannot for some reason be rehomed, can be sponsored and become permanent residents.

We campaign at both local and national level on a wide range of different issues that directly impact on the welfare of dogs both in the UK and abroad.

Dogs Trust Regional Campaigns

By a combination of public awareness and practical local initiatives working with vets, schools and other organisations Dogs Trust aims to tackle the huge problem of stray and abandoned dogs in the UK and ultimately put an end to the unnecessary destruction of any healthy dogs.

• Microchipping
  Ensuring that dogs are permanently identified with a microchip is a major part of ensuring that any stray dog is quickly returned to his owner. Dogs Trust currently provides a reduced price microchipping service at £9.50.  For pensioners and for those who are claiming any means tested benefits it is completely free.
  
• Neutering
  Neutering is one of Dogs Trust’s most important campaigns. By neutering your own dog and consequently avoiding unplanned litters of puppies, you will also be helping us to cut down on the number of stray dogs on our streets.
  You may be able to qualify for subsidised neutering for just £25 (or £10 in Northern Ireland) if you are claiming any means tested benefits and live within one of our four campaign regions - the North West, the North East, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  
• Education
  Dogs Trust believes that in educating the dog owners of tomorrow by providing education resources to schools and offering school talks, we can teach compassion and care towards dogs and encourage responsible dog ownership in the future.

These campaigns are our biggest ever to save dogs' lives and has already made a huge difference to the lives of many dogs across the UK. In 2006 alone a massive over 47,000 dogs were neutered, 20,000 dogs were chipped and over 357 schools’ workshops were carried out by our Education Officers. Since the campaigns began we have managed to neuter more than 216,500 dogs, chip over 217,000 and reached over 47,000 school children with our responsible dog ownership message.

• Hope Project
  Dogs Trust Hope Project has been helping dogs whose owners are homeless or in housing crisis since 1994 by providing free veterinary treatments and welfare advice UK wide.  The project also works towards encouraging homelessness organisations such and hostels and day centres to accept client with dogs.  Dogs Trust is also a member and acts as secretariat for the PATHWAY group which provides advice and resources on pet management issues for social housing providers such as local authorities and housing associations.
  
• Freedom Project
  The Freedom Project is a free foster care service for dogs belonging to women fleeing from domestic violence in the Greater London and Yorkshire areas.  Dogs referred to the project are placed with volunteer foster carers until they can be reunited with their families.  Since the project started in mid 2004, we have placed 242 pets into temporary foster homes and have successfully reunited 195 pets with their families.
  
• Greyhound racing
  Dogs Trust continues to work with representatives from both the Greyhound racing industry and the betting industry to help improve the lot of the racing Greyhound. The Charter for the Welfare of the Racing Greyhound, which was written by the Greyhound Forum of which Dogs Trust is an active member, has been adopted by the UK Greyhound racing industry and the World Greyhound Racing Federation.
  
• Advertising of pets for sale
  We work as part of the Pet Advertising Advisory Group, which encourages publishers of newspapers and magazines to print advice panels asking their readers to think very carefully before buying a pet from a classified advert. We hope that this will go some way to reduce the number of dogs that are eventually abandoned after being bought on impulse.
  
• Fireworks
  Working as part of the Animal Welfare Fireworks Coalition in 2003, we advised the Government on how to limit the distress caused to dogs by fireworks and their harmful effects without introducing a total ban. This successful campaign helped the Fireworks Act become law, controlling the noisiest fireworks and limiting availability to adults and at certain times of the year.
  
• Working overseas to beat the stray dog problem
  An exciting new project in 2003, working in partnership with Battersea Dogs Home and North Shore Animal League International, was the founding of SOS Dogs Oradea in Romania. This neutering clinic combined with a schools education scheme aims to humanely control the large street dog population of the town, while simultaneously educating young people in the ways of responsible dog ownership.  From the start of the project up until February 2007 1679 dogs had been rehomed and 1630 schools had been visited.  In 2006 alone 23 schools have been visited, 75 workshops have taken place and 1617 education books have been distributed.  It is planned that this pilot project will be a template for the rest of the world.

Associated factsheets:

The history of Dogs Trust factsheet (opens new browser window)