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Sixpence Support UK

Animals and Pets

Four dogs and a cat together in a garden.

This is the home for all of our animal and pet information. Everything about caring for animals now sits in one place, so you do not have to search through unrelated subjects to find it.

Welcome to Animal and Pet Support

Meet Sixpence

Sixpence is the little white Shih Tzu in this video. She was Stephen’s first dog many years ago, and Sixpence Support UK was named after her. Her name continues to represent companionship, kindness and supporting people and their animals when help is needed.

Find help by animal

Each card below opens a complete information page for that type of animal. Dogs and cats are covered throughout the subject pages further down this page.

Rabbits and guinea pigsEveryday care and companionship, hay and diet, rabbit-savvy vets, emergencies, help with costs, temporary care, rehoming and welfare concerns.Read this page →Birds and parrotsCare for ordinary companion birds, the long-term specialist needs of parrots, avian vets, emergencies, rehoming and injured wild birds.Read this page →Horses, ponies and donkeysEmergency equine vets, farriers and hoof care, feed, grazing and winter welfare, transport, ownership costs, loan agreements and abandoned equines.Read this page →ReptilesHeating, lighting and housing, diet, safe handling, specialist exotic vets, help with costs and responsible rehoming for snakes, lizards and tortoises.Read this page →Other animalsHamsters, gerbils, rats and mice, ferrets, fish and aquatic animals, unusual or exotic pets, and separate guidance on injured wildlife.Read this page →

Animal and pet subjects

General Animal and Pet HelpOur main animal and pet page: where to find trusted help with pet care, animal welfare and pet-related costs, and what we are building next.Read this page →Emergency and out-of-hours vetsWhen to contact a vet urgently, how out-of-hours veterinary care works, suspected poisoning, costs and what to prepare before travelling.Read this page →Help when a pet owner goes into hospitalArranging pet care during an unexpected hospital stay: who to contact first, what a temporary carer needs to know, The Cinnamon Trust and council support.Read this page →Lost and found petsWhat to do when a pet is missing, when you find a stray dog or cat, and when an animal is injured: microchip databases, reporting a stray dog, posters, scams and suspected theft.Read this page →Pet bereavementGrief after losing a pet, anticipatory grief, euthanasia and guilt, helping children, remembering a pet and where to find free UK pet-loss support.Read this page →Adoption and responsible rehomingAdopting from a reputable rescue organisation, the full costs of ownership, and how to rehome an animal responsibly if you can no longer care for it.Read this page →Assistance DogsHighly trained working dogs: types, applying through an organisation, waiting lists, costs, registration and proof, access rights, taxis, housing and work.Read this page →Pet food and essential suppliesPet food banks and help with litter, bedding, bowls, leads, carriers and other necessities, plus how to change an animal's food safely when money is short.Read this page →Reporting animal cruelty or neglectWho to contact in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, what information to collect safely, dangerous dogs, wildlife crime and what happens after a report.Read this page →Support for older or disabled pet ownersHelp with dog walking, feeding, cleaning, grooming, vet transport and temporary care, plus The Cinnamon Trust, needs assessments and practical adjustments at home.Read this page →Temporary pet fostering and domestic abuseFree, confidential fostering for dogs and cats while an owner reaches safety, domestic-abuse helplines across the UK, and how fostering arrangements work.Read this page →Renting a home and keeping a petWhat to check before signing a tenancy, how to ask a landlord for permission in writing, how the rules differ across the UK, and where to get housing advice.Read this page →Planning who will care for a pet if something happens to its ownerChoosing a main carer and a backup, writing an emergency pet-care plan, wills and legal advice, and advance-care schemes for dogs and cats.Read this page →Veterinary costs and financial helpHelp with vet bills, PDSA and Blue Cross eligibility, RSPCA clinics, pet insurance, payment plans and low-income pet support.Read this page →Animal-assisted therapy and visiting animalsTherapy and visiting animals in hospitals, care homes and schools, the wellbeing benefits, infection control and how visits are arranged.Read this page →

Animal and pet donations

Donations given for animals and pets are kept separate from our general donations. They are used only for animal and pet support, developing this part of the service and future animal and pet projects.

Sixpence Support UK does not pay individual veterinary bills, provide pet food or award grants. This section provides information and signposting.

Donate to Animals and Pets →