'Animates' aims to make pet adoption easier
A new platform has launched which connects prospective pet buyers with UK animal rescue centres, making the process of adopting a cat or dog more simple and straightforward.
Thousands of people in the UK bring a pet into their home every year, but a large majority choose to buy from breeders, dealers and online sellers, leaving many of the 250,000 animals in rescue centres each year without a home.
The new site 'Animates' aims to encourage adoption by “making it easier for people to put rescue first.”
'Animates' is free to sign up to and hosts more than 1,200 cats and dogs that are up for adoption from 323 shelters in one place, with more being added every day.
The site works with rescue centres of all sizes, including the RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Blue Cross and hundreds of smaller, local shelters.
People can use the platform to search by species, breed and location. Then they can view a more detailed profile for each animal that meets their criteria, this will help them to learn more about the individual animal and decide if they will be well-suited to their home.
The platform also allows users to directly support rescue centres by making a donation, either to the centre as a whole or to an individual animal's care. 100 per cent of the donation amount goes directly to the rescue centre itself.
To find out more, please visit the Animates website.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
