National Animal Welfare Trust
Encyclopedia
The National Animal Welfare Trust (NAWT) is a animal welfare
charity founded in 1971, which operates no-kill
rescue centres for animals and birds. It currently has branches in Watford
, Berkshire
, Essex
, Somerset
and Cornwall
; and caters for a variety of animals, both pets and wildlife. They operate a number of premises, including Trindledown Farm, the UK's only retirement home for elderly pets. Formerly known as the Animal Welfare Trust (AWT), it originated from the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
in the 1950s.
(BUAV) established BUAV Dog Rescue. The ideals of this new rescue organisation was to prevent dogs or puppies being bought at markets in order to prevent them from going to laboratories for vivisection
. In 1965 the name was changed to BUAV Animal Aid, in recognition that the work was not limited to only dogs.
In 1971 BUAV members established a separate charity named the Animal Welfare Trust as they felt the work of BUAV Animal Aid was departing from its original aims. From 1979, the AWT began to work with the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research from its Hendon & Aldenham Boarding Kennels, in Watford
, sharing facilities and staff. The Dr Hadwen Trust is now separate from the NAWT, although they work together as appropriate.
The boarding kennels in Watford were purchased in 1981, and were established as the first AWT Rescue and Re-homing centre. The centre was expanded in 1986 with expanded facilities for larger animals and more exercise paddocks. The second centre at Heaven's Gate Farm in Somerset
was acquired in the early 1990s, and the third centre at Trindledown Farm, Berkshire
in the late 1990s. The centre in Cornwall
was acquired on the request of Molly Wyatt in 1997 who had previously run it as an independent animal re-homing centre, with the site rebuilt in 2008. The Thurrock centre is currently run out of rented boarding kennels.
, Berkshire
. Formerly used as an equestrian
centre and livery yard
, it has the capacity to home 25 dogs and 10 cats at a time. Other animals accommodated include alpaca
s, horses, pigs, sheep, cows and birds. Each cat or dog has a private area equipped with central heating, armchairs, sofas, beds and televisions. The idea is to make each private area similar to the set-up of "an old person's sitting room", which was developed by executive director Patricia Fraser. The centre was opened in June, 2001, by DJ Bruno Brooks.
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
charity founded in 1971, which operates no-kill
No-kill Shelter
A kill shelter is an animal shelter where animals are euthanized if they are too sick to be treated or too aggressive to be suitable for adoption or due to lack of shelter space...
rescue centres for animals and birds. It currently has branches in Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
; and caters for a variety of animals, both pets and wildlife. They operate a number of premises, including Trindledown Farm, the UK's only retirement home for elderly pets. Formerly known as the Animal Welfare Trust (AWT), it originated from the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection is a British animal protection and advocacy group that campaigns for the abolition of all animal experiments...
in the 1950s.
Origin
The NAWT was founded in 1971 as an independent charity, and was originally known as the Animal Welfare Trust (National was added in 1996 to celebrate the charity's 25th anniversary). The origin of the organisation can be traced to 1958 when the British Union for the Abolition of VivisectionBritish Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection is a British animal protection and advocacy group that campaigns for the abolition of all animal experiments...
(BUAV) established BUAV Dog Rescue. The ideals of this new rescue organisation was to prevent dogs or puppies being bought at markets in order to prevent them from going to laboratories for vivisection
Vivisection
Vivisection is defined as surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure...
. In 1965 the name was changed to BUAV Animal Aid, in recognition that the work was not limited to only dogs.
In 1971 BUAV members established a separate charity named the Animal Welfare Trust as they felt the work of BUAV Animal Aid was departing from its original aims. From 1979, the AWT began to work with the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research from its Hendon & Aldenham Boarding Kennels, in Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, sharing facilities and staff. The Dr Hadwen Trust is now separate from the NAWT, although they work together as appropriate.
The boarding kennels in Watford were purchased in 1981, and were established as the first AWT Rescue and Re-homing centre. The centre was expanded in 1986 with expanded facilities for larger animals and more exercise paddocks. The second centre at Heaven's Gate Farm in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
was acquired in the early 1990s, and the third centre at Trindledown Farm, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
in the late 1990s. The centre in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
was acquired on the request of Molly Wyatt in 1997 who had previously run it as an independent animal re-homing centre, with the site rebuilt in 2008. The Thurrock centre is currently run out of rented boarding kennels.
Trindledown Farm
Trindledown Farm is the UK's only sanctuary for elderly pets. It is set in 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of fields, near Great SheffordGreat Shefford
Great Shefford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire.-Topography and history:The parish is in the district of West Berkshire, on the River Lambourn. The modern civil parish includes the historical parish of Little or East Shefford, a small hamlet and lost settlement...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. Formerly used as an equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
centre and livery yard
Livery yard
A livery yard or livery stable , or boarding stable is a stable where horse owners pay a weekly or monthly fee to keep their horses. A livery or boarding yard is not usually a riding school and the horses are not normally for hire...
, it has the capacity to home 25 dogs and 10 cats at a time. Other animals accommodated include alpaca
Alpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
s, horses, pigs, sheep, cows and birds. Each cat or dog has a private area equipped with central heating, armchairs, sofas, beds and televisions. The idea is to make each private area similar to the set-up of "an old person's sitting room", which was developed by executive director Patricia Fraser. The centre was opened in June, 2001, by DJ Bruno Brooks.