'Stay Another Day': The dogs and cats forced to leave home

THE charity behind an eye-catching display at Tower Bridge in London says thousands of dogs and cats are being needlessly separated from their owners every year.

Woodgreen Pets Charity, known for matching people and rescue dogs on Channel 4's The Dog House, created a colourful sea of balls, ropes, and plush toys earlier this month.

Research from The Association for Dogs and Cats Homes states 47,437 dogs and cats were relinquished by owners in 2024.

Of those, Woodgreen estimates that 26,565 could have potentially been prevented had owners received more support.

Elsa the dog standing among the display

The Tower Bridge installation of 1,330 pet toys represented these preventable separations, with each toy symbolising around 20 pets.

It followed new research from 3Gem Research & Insights which revealed that a third of UK pet owners have given up a pet at some point, despite 74% of owners not wanting to.

Nearly half were unaware that charities offer support that could help them keep their pets.

Woodgreen aims to redefine what 'rescue' means, shifting focus from rehoming animals to preventing unnecessary separations in the first place.

Health issues, behavioural challenges, and financial pressures were cited as the leading causes of separation.

Woodgreen is actively addressing this through its free national helpline, behavioural advice, veterinary support and funding assistance, enabling owners to stay with their pet before a moment of crisis.

One example of an owner who was able to stay with her pet thanks to the charity's support is Lynne, from Cambridgeshire.

The 72-year-old and her husband, Graham, adopted a Patterdale Terrier puppy named Doug during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he quickly became an integral part of the family.

But when Graham passed away in 2024, Doug started to suffer from dramatic behavioural changes.

Struggling to cope with both grief and a challenging young dog, Lynne reluctantly visited Woodgreen’s website to request to give up Doug.

But when she saw the support available, she instead made the decision to reach out and see if there was any other way that Woodgreen could help keep them together. 

Wendy, a leading behaviourist at the charity, stepped in to support Lynne and Doug to overcome the dog's behavioural challenges.

Lynne and Doug

She worked with Lynne to implement a rigid training programme and a new diet plan for Doug, as well as providing help and sympathy to Lynne.

With support in place. Doug’s behaviour steadily improved and Lynne was able to keep him in her care for two more years, until he passed away in April of this year.

Lynne said: "I can’t praise the training we received from Woodgreen enough. It really was a lifeline for me and Doug during one of the hardest times of our lives."

By sharing her story, Lynne hopes to encourage others who may be struggling to ask for help before things become too difficult.

She said: "The way I look at it, there may be someone in my position who needs help just as much as I did and is too afraid to ask for it."

Chris Bennett, head of community engagement at Woodgreen, said: “No one should have to part from a pet they love.

"We want to help people understand that there are more ways to rescue and rehoming doesn’t always have to be the answer.

"That’s why we work with pet owners in their homes, providing help and advice so that pets stay where they belong: safe, loved and at home. This is how we rescue."

Woodgreen offers a range of services including offering free, practical support from health checks to behaviour advice, a national 24/7 Pet Helpline, and veterinary support.

To find out more, visit: https://woodgreen.org.uk/