DAME ELAINE PAIGE AND BERNADETTE PETERS
RETURN TO HOST LONDON’S
“WEST END WOOFS”
(AND MEOWS)
ALONGSIDE WEST END FAVOURITES
ON SATURDAY 9 AUGUST 2025
AT ST PAUL’S CHURCH, COVENT GARDEN
Following the success of last year’s WEST END WOOFS (AND MEOWS), stage icons Dame Elaine Paige and Bernadette Peters are thrilled to return to co-host their third annual live event at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden on Saturday 9 August from 10.15am.
West End Woofs is a ticketed event. The cost of a ticket is £5 per person and they can be purchased at www.westendwoofs.dog
Bringing together much-loved talent of the West End and their four-legged friends, West End Woofs (and Meows) is a live dog and cat adoption event, working with participating shelters and rescue groups to benefit their charitable work.
Elaine and Bernadette first teamed up to co-host the virtual edition of West End Woofs during lockdown in 2020, before hosting their first live event in 2023. Across the pond, Broadway Barks, continues to be a howling success over 25 years on.
Dame Elaine Paige said today, “West End Woofs is back. I’m thrilled to be co-hosting with my glamorous partner-in-paws, Bernadette! Last year was such a hit! Dozens of adorable dogs and cats found their forever homes. This year, we’re going even bigger. I can’t wait to raise the woof again with the support of our fabulous pals from the world of showbiz and help even more furry friends find their perfect owners!”
Bernadette Peters said today, “l can’t wait to return for West End Woofs alongside my pal, Elaine Paige for our third annual adoption event. Following the success of last year’s event, I am confident we will continue to help place loving animals into great loving homes. I am delighted that ‘Woofs’ has become such a popular event and we are deeply moved by the enthusiasm and support from the legions of fans and animal lovers who attend.”
The adoption event begins at 10.15am with a ‘meet and greet’ with all the adoptable pets. From 11.00am adoptees make their West End debut on stage alongside some of the West End’s favourite stars from Hamilton, Les Misérables, Oliver!, The Devil Wears Prada and The Phantom of the Opera with special guests Harry Apps, Richard Dempsey, Peter Egan, Claire-Marie Hall, Cassidy Janson, Robert Lindsay, Frances Mayli McCann, Mazz Murray, Paul Nicholas, Lesley Nicol, Orfeh, John Owen Jones, Joanna Riding, Wayne Sleep and Helen Worth. Money raised on ticket donations goes towards the shelters. You must purchase a ticket to gain access to the Church grounds to meet the adoptable pets and enjoy the staged section of the event.
The participating shelters and rescue groups taking part in WEST END WOOFS (AND MEOWS) are:
- All Dogs Matter
- Fetcher Dog Rescue Centre
- Home Run Hounds (Greyhounds)
- Noah’s Ark Dog Rescue
- Peterborough Cat Rescue
- Pro Dogs Direct
- Saving Saints Rescue (St Bernards)
- Saving Souls Animal Rescue
Also…
- Mayhew Therapaws will be there to illustrate and explain the work they do
All proceeds from the event will benefit the great work they do. Full details of each organisation below.
Follow WEST END WOOFS
Instagram: @westendwoofsuk
Facebook: /westendwoofsuk
All Dogs Matter – https://alldogsmatter.co.uk/
All Dogs Matter is a dog rescue and rehoming charity working in and around London to transform the lives of unwanted and abandoned dogs. We also rehome dogs in need from overseas. In 2022 All Dogs Matter rescued and rehomed 349 dogs with new owners. We work in partnership with individuals and organisations to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome dogs in need. Our many partners include local council authorities, foster carers, dog trainers and vet practices. We also work with members of the public to rehome their dogs if they are no longer able to look after them and help to reunite owners with lost dogs. In our rehoming capacity, our small, dedicated team matches each dog with the right new owner, ensuring that it will be safe, cared for and loved for the rest of its life. We combine the use of foster homes and kennels to care for dogs before they find their forever homes. Our foster carers are experienced dog lovers who often have dogs of their own and are dedicated to helping our dogs get back to a happy, healthy life. Many of our dogs are placed in foster homes so they can be assessed before rehoming. By living with a family, the dog gets used to the everyday routine it will experience when rehomed. International work: We work on an international level helping to rehome abandoned and unwanted dogs from overseas. We’ve worked with Humane Society International UK as an Emergency Placement Partner shelter to rehome dogs rescued from South Korean dog meat farms, and currently work with Mira Dogs shelter in Egypt to rehabilitate and rehome abandoned dogs. These dogs are given a new life with experienced and loving owners in the UK.
Fetcher Dog Rescue Centre – https://www.fetcherdog.com/
Fetcher Dog rescues dogs from UK pounds as well as the streets and kill shelters of Bosnia.
UK pounds are currently bursting with dogs that are looking for safe spaces to go. After 7 days in a pound, the dogs are put to sleep if a rescue space isn’t found. Fetcher Dog does whatever they can to save as many of these dogs as possible and give them the chance of a happy and full life. They also help with local owner surrenders, and the Kent authorities know to contact them when needed.
At least half of their rescue mission occurs in Bosnia, where thousands of dogs are born on the streets, fated to the cruelty of starvation, disease, and brutal acts. Street dogs are rounded up by dog catchers and often placed in kill shelters. Our local rescuers pick up stray street dogs and remove as many as possible from kill shelters, taking them to safe and secure facilities where they no longer need to live in fear. Here, they are taken care of. Fetcher Dog gives them everything they need for a fresh start and the best possible chance of a happy, healthy life, finding homes in England & Wales.
Home Run Hounds – https://homerunhounds.co.uk/
We are a West Midlands based charity specialising in finding homes for retired racing Greyhounds. Home Run Hounds is a “Not for Profit” company run by Claire Butler. Claire is calling on her experience from over 30 years with the breed including volunteering at several “homing” charities which gives her a strong basis in which to develop this new Homing centre which was started in 2022 and is assisted by many volunteers who enjoy the same passion. Currently the Centre has several hounds under its care and as funds and donations grow it is hoped to increase the number of hounds who need a home. Claire is backed by dedicated volunteers who come to site to walk the greyhounds and take them on new “adventures” to experience new sights and sounds that they may not have come across whilst “racing”. Greyhounds are still not seen by the wider “Dog Loving” public as a “pet” although they are the most loving of breeds and from birth develop a strong connection with their human counterparts. Greyhounds are a “pure” breed and can very often chase their lineage back many many years. (Because of this pedigree and because they were used in racing, HRH is strict about neutering their dogs so that they are never used illicitly for breeding.) They are not a “designer” pet that costs £1000’s but for a sensible donation you can home a wonderful dog and have the full support of Home Run Hounds from adoption until it is time for them to chase a Rainbow. Home Run Hounds offers Foster To Adopt which means that potential adopters having chosen a potential new family member can foster that hound for 2 weeks to see if both pet and family are suited. This has proven extremely successful and takes the “pressure” of both families and “hounds” who all need to settle in to a new life. Home Run Hounds also does not discriminate on age so will consider all ages when homing a greyhound allowing the older generation to continue to enjoy a faithful friends company into their elder years helping not only with loneliness but mental stimulation as well. Home Run Hounds is not only a Homing Centre but also works with the Community to benefit the area by involving both “homed” and “homeless” hounds in various activities which can benefit both the people and the hounds. These activities include:- Working with various Care Homes in the area to visit residents with certain mental health needs as well as the enjoyment of the visit for all who reside at the Home. Visiting End of Life Care Homes to brighten up patients last days. Conducting Group Community talks to all ages Women’s Institute Evening talks with the presence of “homed” hounds Supporting various “Weight Watcher” Groups re increasing weight loss through walking activities. Working with the disabled to enhance their mental and physical experiences. Working with Work Experience Pupils who want to work in the “homing” environment.
Noah’s Ark Dog Rescue – https://www.noahsarkdogrescue.co.uk/
We are a small team of volunteers, dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of abandoned dogs and those in need from both the UK and overseas. Our non-profit organisation is based in Peterborough but we do adopt and foster dogs throughout the UK with kennels based in Norfolk, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. The team make regular visits to Romania which are 100% self funded, and testament to our level of dedication to support and help our fabulous rescuers on the ground, we of course get lots of Arkie cuddles and help socialise our pups and dogs whilst they are awaiting their tickets to board the happy bus. Spay and neuter campaign: The single most important thing that we can do to save cats and dogs from all the suffering and death that their overpopulation causes is to spay and neuter them. Spaying and neutering are routine, affordable surgeries that can prevent thousands of animals from being born, only to suffer and struggle to survive on the streets, be abused by cruel or neglectful people, or be euthanized in animal shelters for lack of a loving home. Works with a shelter called Rin Tin Tin on this ongoing spay and neuter campaign.
Peterborough Cat Rescue – https://www.peterboroughcatrescue.org.uk/
Peterborough Cat Rescue are a self-financing group made up of people who love cats and are concerned about cat welfare. We believe that all cats should be neutered to prevent the widespread number of unwanted animals that find themselves in rescue centres.
Pro Dogs Direct – https://prodogsdirect.org.uk/
Working across the UK, Pro Dogs Direct operates a non-destruction policy rescuing and re-homing unwanted, neglected or abandoned dogs. Ou vision is to re-home dogs that are desperately in need of help DIRECTLY from foster home to forever home. Getting the dogs to safety is our priority. Our dogs live in private foster homes with volunteers; this allows us to really get to know them and, when they are ready for adoption, find exactly the right new home for them. Being in a normal home environment is better for the dogs, but it does mean that they cannot be visited prior to adoption (other than by successful applicants). We felt there was a need for dogs to be re-homed without going into kennels; hence the addition of ‘Direct’ to our name. Our vision is that: whenever possible dogs go DIRECTLY from FOSTER home to their new permanent home although, in emergencies we sometimes have to use kennels temporarily to get dogs to safety and out of difficult situations. We often take puppies and dogs that might otherwise be put to sleep. This could be strays that have ‘timed-out’ or dogs and pups that are ill, and unwanted. This means that, before they can be rehomed, many of our dogs need extra medical care and TLC. Many have had a traumatic past and never known a loving hand and home, this is particularly true for the ex-breeding dogs we rescue. Our aim is to place each dog in the best possible home rather than simply re-homing them on a first come first served basis.
Saving Saints Rescue – https://www.savingsaintsrescue.co.uk/dogs/
Many Saint Bernards within Europe are used as working dogs and are often crossed with other large breeds – they are sheep protection dogs or guard dogs in some countries such as Romania. In these countries there is no specific legislation making animal abuse an offence. Some countries have no official dog rescue or shelter welfare and some Eastern European countries have ‘killing stations’. An owner can take their dog that they do not want to a killing station. Quite often, all the dogs in the killing stations are killed in one night. We believe all dogs deserve better than that, which is why we work with our European rescue partners. Many dogs that come to use have been abused by their owners, discarded onto the streets to fend for themselves, and many are chained. Some are starved. We often have less than 5 days to rescue the dogs that we are contacted about to fund their removal and move them to safe shelter. In the UK many people buy St Bernards as they see them as cute puppies. However, once the dog is around 8 months old, without having adequate training, they often decide they can’t handle the dog so they contact us to rehome – or they sell them on unregistered sites. Sometimes we are offered pups who have health problems, like blindness or hip dysplasia. We take these dogs and offer them the best life that we can with people who are committed to the breed and understand their needs. Our mission is to raise further awareness and educate humans in the psychological and physical welfare issues specifically related to the St Bernard as a breed, and to encourage responsible and safe dog ownership and welfare of big breeds in the UK and Europe.
Saving Souls – https://savingsoulsrescue.org/dogs-available-for-adoption/
Saving Souls Animal Rescue supports small independent rescue shelters across Cyprus as they save thousands of dogs from devastating situations, and help find them forever homes in the UK.
Ten years ago, Saving Souls formed a rescue organisation to save the desperate dogs stuck in cages and pounds in Cyprus. Their colleagues on the ground take care of the rescue dogs in the Cyprus kennels while the UK team works to find wonderful, safe, vetted forever homes in the UK. Now, Saving Souls works with 11 rescue shelters across Cyprus to save as many dogs as they can and give them the wonderful homes and full lives they deserve in the UK. All of their dogs come with their own pet passports!
Mayhew’s TheraPaws – https://themayhew.org/
Mayhew’s TheraPaws is an Animal Assisted Intervention programme designed to promote physical, social and emotional wellbeing. Through this programme, volunteers bring behaviourally assessed dogs into hospitals, mental health centres, special education schools, care homes, and hospices where the dogs can interact with people of all ages across London. Corporate offices can also book TheraPaws visit for team building and morale.
The wide-ranging, well-researched benefits of TheraPaws include social interaction and companionship, decreased feeling of isolation, improvement in emotional and physical well-being, stress reduction, and even unlocking of memories and emotions for those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Specialising in three types of Animal Assisted Interventions, TheraPaws volunteers and their dogs are involved in Animal Assisted Activities (AAA), Collaborative-Animal Assisted Therapy (C-AAT) and Collaborative-Animal Assisted Education (C-AAE).