Pete Wicks goes behind the scenes at our centres

Pete Wicks, loveable telly personality and author, has teamed up with our rehoming centres on the frontline of dog rescue – as seen in the hit show Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake. 

So, what’s the show about?

Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake throws Pete into the emotional world of rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming pooches across the nation. 

Filmed entirely at our rehoming centres, Pete lends a helping hand to the heroes working tirelessly each day for dogs in need. We see the highs and lows of life at our centres, and the precious pups at the heart of it all.  

Go on, take a peek behind the yellow curtain. You’ll laugh, you may even ugly-cry, but you’ll definitely have your heart warmed.  

Stream all episodes of Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake now on U.

What’s in store for Series Four?

Series Four sees Pete tackle some of the most challenging and high-profile stories yet. From helping pups rescued from a house of 250 dogs, to supporting a pooch who lived in shocking conditions in an unregulated rescue centre. 

Pete witnesses first-hand the strength of dogs who’ve had the toughest starts in life. But alongside these emotional and heartbreaking cases are the moments that make it all worthwhile.

Watch Pete support vulnerable dogs through life-changing operations, and follow rescue dogs learning to trust again. And that’s just the tip of the tail.

A new little helper on the scene…

This series, Pete has an extra trick up his sleeve as he’s joined by his rescue dog, aka soft-eared sidekick, Rodney. Pete recently rescued Rodney from our care, and now the pooch will be lending a helping paw throughout the series.

Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake returns to U&W Mondays at 9pm from 28th September. All episodes will also be available to stream for free on U.

Why Pete?

You may know Pete as the cheeky-chappy reality star, or the Sunday Times bestselling author. But dogs have always been a huge part of Pete’s life. He’s grown up with them, cared for his own, and now he’s desperate to repay their loyalty.  

Packed with powerful stories and unforgettable characters, Pete Wicks: For Dogs' Sake is emotional, inspiring and ultimately full of hope, shining a light on the remarkable work being done to transform dogs' lives across the country. 

But Pete’s no stranger to the fight for dog welfare. In 2017, he teamed up with Humane Society to save 170 dogs from a meat farm in South Korea. He’s now helping hounds closer to home, mucking in with our dog-driven centre staff. The people who devote their lives to helping furballs in need.  

The story so far

Series One captured the ups and downs of daily life backstage at our centres. We shed tears for heartwarming rehomes and held our breath during touch-and-go vet operations.  

We saw the heartbreaking impact of the cost-of-living crisis, with owners struggling to afford their dogs’ care and having to give them up. We watched Pete and our teams support dogs with behavioural challenges. And we met Mel, a pregnant poodle who was seized at the border having been illegally smuggled into the UK.  

“That really sticks out as a turning point in the filming for me,” says Pete, “because it’s only really when you’re there on the frontline that you see the pain and suffering that these dogs have been through.” It was down to our centre staff, with Pete’s help, to support Mel and her puppies through their birth.  

Series Two offers more tales of hope, heartbreak and everything in between. Pete hits it off with Theo, a gentle Mastiff with a heart condition. And Ricky, a lively Pointer at our Leeds centre, has problems coming back when called.  

Sweet Lurcher Elliot lands in our care after his owner was made homeless. And our team discover a worrying lump on him that needs further investigation from our vet teams.  

Stream all episodes right now on U.  

Series Two is ready to stream. It takes the perfect recipe to create the mutt magic of Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake. And an army behind the scenes to pull it all off. 

The numbers

So, what went into the filming of Series Two, Three, and the Christmas special? 
- 24 weeks, 120 days, and 960 working hours
- 9 different rehoming centres visited (Basildon, Leeds, Darlington, Canterbury, Kenilworth, Shrewsbury, Cardiff, Shoreham, Harefield)
- 43 centre visits from Pete
- 126 dogs filmed
- 71 staff members filmed (and many more behind the scenes)
- 39 terabytes of footage.  

And that’s just the tip of the Greyhound’s tail. So many committed Dogs Trust teams mucked in together to make it happen. And the driving force behind it all? To make life better for those loveable bundles of fur we call dogs.   

Stream all episodes of Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake now on U.

Pete returns to our centres for a Christmas special

Ready for your next portion of Pete? As if two summers on the dog welfare frontline weren’t enough for him. He’s now back on our screens for a Christmas special. 

But there is just one problem. You heard it here first – Pete doesn’t like Christmas. So, it’s up to our faithful centre staff to turn him into a believer.

Expect laughter, tears, heartwarming reunions with dogs from previous series, and even a wholesome visit to a homeless shelter. 

There’s even a special visit to the white tails and eyebrows of our Oakfield Old Dogs Home, so you won’t want to miss it.  

I’m in, now how do I watch?

Stream Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake Christmas Special now on U.

Series Three

Series Three once again sees Pete muck in with our dedicated centre staff to rescue and rehabilitate dogs in need. A mission that never ends for our committed teams.  

It shows the mental and physical trauma that many dogs carry when arriving at our centres. And the heartbreaking decisions some owners have to make when they can’t cope with their dog’s care. Pete lends a hand to help those poor pooches on the journey to their second chance.

“I constantly learn different things when it comes to this show,” says Pete. “I'm by no means an expert, but I'm a dog person and am keen to learn as much as I can”, he adds.

From a litter of Chihuahuas who’ve never set foot outside, to a nervous group of ex-racer Greyhounds. Pete and the team have one mission: to find each dog their happy home with a new forever family. 

We even meet some Malinois pups who might have a shot at becoming service dogs for the Manchester Police Force.   

“We've not done that before on For Dogs’ Sake, and we didn't know if we would get an opportunity to”, says Pete. “But it's a really nice way of highlighting how important service and working dogs are”, he adds.  

So fetch those leftover mince pies from the cupboard, put your feet up, and get stuck into some wholesome four-legged fun. Just make sure to have a tissue or two to hand. 

Stream Series Three of Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake on U.

“Coming back to Dogs Trust always feels like coming home. I’m grateful we get to continue sharing that with viewers and I’m so proud to be taking For Dogs’ Sake overseas.” – Pete