An Easy Way For You (and Your Dog) to Raise Money For Shelter Dogs

If you’re reading this then you’re probably already well aware of the power of bringing a pet into your family. Not only do pets help with routine, meeting new people, and one of life’s most important things, snuggles, there’s even proof that pets can help with your mental health. In fact, a recent survey by Mars and Calm of pet parents found that 87 percent agree that their mental well-being has improved as a result of their pet, and 68 percent said their pet has helped them stop worrying or overthinking. Take that, anxiety!

Adoption is a brilliant way to welcome a pet into your family – because when you adopt, you’re saving your new pet’s life and enriching your own. Right now, there are around 139,100 dogs and cats in shelters across the UK, just waiting for their forever home. 

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This Global Adoption Weekend, Mars – Kinship’s parent company and the company behind pet brands like WHISKAS®, PEDIGREE® and ROYAL CANIN® – is distributing adoption boxes to help new adopters at shelters including Battersea, Mayhew Animal Home, Raystede, Leicester Animal Aid, and Wood Green start their journey off on the right paw with their new pet. 

They’re also sponsoring the Battersea Cats and Dogs Home Walk For Rescue programme, which is a great way to support animals in shelters if you already share your life with a dog and aren’t ready to add another one to your brood right now. All you need to do is commit to walking one of the three distance goals that Battersea has set across the month of October, get some people to sponsor you, and off you and your dog go.

The distances Battersea have chosen are 36km, 66km and 99km. If those sound big, don’t worry! You’ve got the whole of October to complete your target and if you’re already walking your dog every day anyway, you probably won’t have to go to too much extra effort to reach one of the targets.

Unlike that arbitrary 10,000 step count on your fitness watch, Walk for Rescue’s distances were chosen for a reason: in honour of three amazing dogs and the number of days they spent in the care of Battersea before being adopted.

Enzo – 36km

One-year-old Enzo came to Battersea after his owner’s circumstances changed. While his delightful personality quickly won everyone over, the team also noticed he could become a little stressed at times. With a tailored care plan to help him feel calm and secure, Enzo thrived – and after 36 days, he was ready to start his new life in a loving home.

Doris – 66km

Doris! At 10 years old, Doris came to Battersea after her parent could no longer keep her. Sadly, she’d lost her appetite and needed a special diet. Because Doris is a brachycephalic (flat-faced) breed, she also needed special respiratory surgery. But, after 66 days of care at Battersea, Doris found her new home.

Nando – 99km

No one knew much about Nando when he came to Battersea, other than the fact that he had a kind soul. He was too nervous for the kennels, so Nando was looked after by one of Battersea’s foster carers, who gave him the space and time to learn about how to be loved by humans. After 99 days, he found his perfect home.

So, what do you have to do to get involved? Sign up now, personalise your donation page and join the other walkers in the Facebook group for support and encouragement. Once you receive your first donation, Battersea will send you a Battersea T-shirt and bandana to help you on your journey. Each pound raised pays for one day of care for a dog at Battersea. Which is just wonderful, isn’t it?

Happy walking!

To find out more about the healing power of pets for our mental well-being, head to Kinship’s Calm x Mars hub for access to pet-focused meditations, soundscapes and even a special Sleep Story recorded by cat mum and actor Shailene Woodley, inspired by Shailene’s own rescue story.