Calling all London Rescue Dog Owners! Have you ever felt like your rescue dog was missing out on the London dog social scene because they weren’t a specific breed? Or perhaps you’ve been craving a community of fellow rescue dog owners who understand the unique joys and, yes, sometimes, challenges of adopting a rescue dog? Well, we’ve got some tail-wagging news for you! Imagine a place where every tail wag is celebrated, breed doesn’t matter, and stories of second chances abound. That’s the vision behind Rescue Dogs of London, a brand new Meetup group created especially for rescue dog owners like me and you.
As a proud owner of rescue pups for many years, I know the joy these special dogs bring into our lives. That’s why I – Teresa, founder of The Dogvine, and May, founder of Miss Darcy’s Adventures, teamed up to fill the gap in London’s dog community. Together with our own rescue dogs, Piccolina from Greece, George from Hungary, and Lulu from China, we’re excited to introduce Rescue Dogs of London!
Creating a space where rescue dogs and their owners can connect, share stories, and make memories will be at the heart of what we do. But it won’t just be all about playdates and social get-togethers; we also want to give back to help other rescue dogs in need. Through our meetups, we hope to foster a sense of community, friendship, and love for rescue dogs while giving back to shelters in need and inspiring others to open their hearts and homes to one of the thousands of dogs looking for a home.
Second Chance Stories
One of the most heartwarming aspects of Rescue Dogs of London will be the opportunity to share Second Chance Stories. Every rescue dog has a unique journey, and we’re here to celebrate those stories of resilience, love, and transformation. Whether overcoming past traumas, finding a forever home against the odds, or simply learning to trust again, these stories inspire us all. Look out for our new Second Chance Stories series starting this week on The Dogvine and Miss Darcy’s Adventures in the run-up to National Rescue Dog Day on 20 May.
Our Rescue Dogs of London & Friends Meetup
We’re thrilled to announce and invite you to our very first Rescue Dogs of London…and Friends Meetup on 12 May at Queen Caroline’s Temple in Kensington Gardens. This will be a paws-itively fabulous ticketed event filled with fun and special four-legged friends! Whether you’re a proud rescue dog owner or simply a proud friend of rescue dogs, everyone is welcome to join us for this one. Here’s what you can look forward to…
- Plenty of space for sniffing, socialising & zoomies
- Meeting new four-legged friends
- Making memories – included in your ticket is a photo of your pup (or you & your pup) taken by legendary London dog Photographer Andrew from Raven Imagery. Photos will be emailed to attendees after the Meetup.
- Knowing your doggy social life is helping dogs in need, as 100% of proceeds from this event will go to two amazing dog rescues, ZEM Rescues in Greece (the Animal Welfare Association of Megara) who rescued Piccolina & Harbin Slaughterhouse Survivors in China where Lulu was rescued from. Every ticket sold and every contribution made directly impacts the lives of more deserving dogs these charities rescue, offering them hope for a brighter future.
- Especially for the Rescue Dogs of London & Friends Meetup, you can treat your pup to delicious special edition Rescue Dog Cookies from Darcy’s Bakery.
- Got a training or behaviour question? Respected London Dog Behaviourist and Trainer Emilia O’Hara will be at the meetup to share her expertise.
- Plus, there will be surprises from our pawsome Meetup partners The Rockster PAWD DRINKS Biome9 & WagWorks and treats to take home with a brilliant Goodie Bag from Beautiful Joes, Wunderdog Magazine, James & Ella, Caboodle, Project Harmless & Pawer Water.
Tickets are just £20 (+ Eventbrite fee), and you can get yours on Eventbrite.
Don’t forget that ALL proceeds from this event will go to Zem Rescues & Slaughterhouse Survivors and that ALL dogs are welcome for this Meetup – rescues and friends of rescues, so we hope to see you there!
Look out for our future Meetups, too, as we’ll be planning a mix of outdoor get-togethers and indoor meetups in dog-friendly London venues.
We hope you are as excited about this new community as we are and that you’ll join us in celebrating the incredible bond between rescue dogs and their owners at the inaugural Rescue Dogs of London & Friends Meetup.
Together, we know we can create a wonderful community sharing the love for our own amazing rescue dogs whilst helping those left behind. Find Rescue Dogs of London on Instagram @rescuedogsoflondon.
Our Partners for the Inaugural Rescue Dogs of London & Friends Meetup
With Thanks to our Meetup Partners
- WagWorks: WagWorks is a new and unique concept challenging traditional canine care. Our premium membership club for dogs conveniently incorporates all aspects of care under one roof, all led by highly knowledgeable and passionate industry experts.
- Biome9: BIOME9 has launched a revolutionary gut health test for dogs. GutDiscovery® is a simple, at-home test using pioneering science to analyse what’s happening inside your dog’s gut. It removes the guesswork from their diet and helps to support their long-term well-being.
- PAWD DRINKS: PAWD DRINKS is a range of preventative and functional liquid health supplements for dogs that are scientifically designed to target common health-related issues.
- The Rockster: Rockster quite simply has established a new standard in calibre of ingredients, dog nutrition and palatability never seen before in the industry. Hailed as “more than just food”, Rockster is the only Bio-organic dog food in the world that is certified as a superfood in its own right, having transformed the lives of many dogs.
- Raven Imagery: Renowned and internationally published London dog photographer Andrew Richardson from Raven Imagery, with a long background of working with rescue dogs, has a stunningly unique way of storytelling through his canine portraiture. For the modern city dogs to the rescued jet setters.
- Darcy’s Bakery: Darcy’s Bakery is an artisanal dog bakery specialising in catering for parties, events and brand collaborations in Central London. We make bespoke dog-friendly cakes, pupcakes, cookies, brownies and donuts.
And our Goodie Bag Partners
- Beautiful Joe’s Dog Treats: Beautiful Joe’s offers a range of irresistible, completely natural, handmade treats. Whenever someone buys a bag of our delicious dog treats, we give some to a rescue centre. To date, we have given away over £700,000 worth.
- Wunderdog Magazine: Wunderdog is an independent magazine for rescue dogs and their people. Published twice a year in London, Wunderdog covers international stories of dog rescuers and those who work every day to make the world happier and safer for our canine companions.
- Caboodle: Delicious meals in daily boxes, perfectly portioned for your pooch. High in protein and with 100% natural ingredients, it’s doggie delight delivered!
- James & Ella: We’re James & Ella, by James Middleton. A happiness and well-being company for dogs.
- Project Harmless: Project Harmless offers the award-winning Harmless Poop Bag, made of medical grade, water-reactive, and non-toxic material. It can rapidly disintegrate in landfills and our oceans, posing no harm to the environment, marine and wildlife.
- Pawer Water: Pawer Water is the new hydration supplement for your dog’s wellness. Our pocket-sized 4.5g sticks are packed with electrolytes to hydrate faster and 7 pawerful active ingredients to strengthen their bones, skin, and coat.