Sometimes, a second chance is the best thing you can give to a pet. No matter their history, they need to find their forever home.  

Working together, the Pets Foundation and the RSPCA are doing just that. 

Here’s a look at how they help rescue, rehabilitate and rehome animals across the UK. 

Pets Foundation raises funds to support pet rescue and rehoming charities. It does this mainly through instore fundraising events, online donations, and the fundraising efforts of amazing Pets at Home colleagues. Those funds are then sent to charities that rescue, rehabilitate and rehome animals. 

The Foundation is proud to help support more rescue and rehoming charities than any other funder in the UK. 

The RSPCA receives around a million calls about animals in need every year. It rescues animals, rehabilitates them when they’ve been neglected or harmed, and then rehomes them with loving families. Adopters are an important part of the animal’s journey, providing the love, care and stability that they need. 

There’s a huge demand for rescue services, so partnerships with organisations like the Foundation are really important in helping them care for those animals.  

Since 2008, the Foundation has donated around £4.3 million to the RSPCA national society and its independent branch network. That funding helps cover essential things like veterinary bills, food, bedding, enrichment toys, cages and equipment for foster carers. Its larger grants to branches have helped refurbish kennels and build catteries.

For example, an RSPCA branch in the Isle of Wight received a grant to help with vet bills and utility costs.

Another really exciting part of the partnership is rehoming through certain Pets at Home stores. There are three RSPCA cat adoption centres that are actually located inside stores at Friern Barnet, Newport and Stockport. These allow rescue cats to meet potential adopters face-to-face. It connects people who already love pets with animals who are looking for homes - which increases the chances of adoption and reduces the time cats are in their care, meaning they can help even more animals. The rehoming time is typically from a few days to 2 weeks, rather than a month at other centres.

Through initiatives like Pets Club Lifelines, customers can choose to support the RSPCA or a local branch through the loyalty scheme.  

It might seem like a small action, but collectively the scheme has raised millions of pounds to provide enrichment like toys and treats for support animals in RSPCA care. This supports their rehabilitation, and helps get them ready for their new home.

Adopters are the final piece of the rescue puzzle. The RSPCA plays a vital role in rescuing animals, but you can help to complete the story, and truly transform the life of a pet. There are many pets in rescue centres that simply need a new start. 

The RSPCA works carefully to match animals with the right home, and can help guide you through the process. 

If you are considering adoption, it’s important to research the type of pet you want, think about lifestyle, time commitment and cost, and be prepared for a short adjustment period while your new pet settles in. 

Adopting requires a little patience at the start, and a lot of love throughout, but above all it’s incredibly rewarding. You really can put the wag back in a dog’s tail, or the spring back in a kitty’s step. 

Download the Pets app, or head to the RSPCA website for more information on how to adopt.