How Rescue Shelters Make Their Dogs Feel Special at Christmas

For many of us, Christmas Day means a cosy home filled with our favourite people and pets. The stress of trying to keep the tub of chocolates out of reach from the dog is balanced by the unrivalled joy of a post-lunch snooze with them nestled next to you having a snore. 

In rescue shelters however, things look different. Arguably filled with even more love, staff take time out from their own Christmas celebrations to make sure the dogs that they care for also feel special and treasured despite not having their own homes to go to. 

Dogs might not know it’s Christmas Day, but in many ways it’s the ultimate symbol and celebration of the amount of dedication put into making sure rescue dogs are safe and loved. Their work is relentless all year round, but they also make the big day special for those in their care with everything from carols and turkey to picking their own presents. 

With that in mind, we spoke to rescue shelters Dogs Trust, Street Hearts, Many Tears and Blue Cross to find out how their staff and dogs celebrate. Tissues on standby for the easily heart-warmed.  

What Christmas Day looks like for shelter dogs

While many services close their doors on 25 December, for rescue shelters it’s business as usual, albeit with their own festive spin. Shelters are decorated to varying degrees. Welsh rescue centre Many Tears puts up a Christmas tree and festive touches but keeps it “low key.” Cofounder Sylvia Van Atta says the team is “much more into the dogs having a good day and playing with them and doing nice things.”

Street Hearts also doesn’t go full Santa’s grotto, but for a different reason. The shelter, founded by Yorkshire couple Emma and Anthony Smith, is based in Bulgaria and covers a vast amount of land. “To decorate it properly for Christmas we’d probably need a dedicated team!” says adoptions coordinator and social media manager Laura Norrey.

Blue Cross Southampton and Dogs Trust Harefield both get into the Christmas spirit with decorations and Christmas trees, which become home to presents and donations for the dogs. While shelters vary in their degree of decoration, one thing they all agree on is a special Christmas dinner for the dogs. 

“Christmas dinner at the shelter is a highlight,” says Laura at Street Hearts. Every year the shelter launches a fundraiser and lays on a “festive feast” for the dogs with the money raised. “They buy top-quality meaty dog food, then cook up vegetables, potatoes and – essential in a Yorkshire household – Yorkshire puddings!” Laura explains. “Every dog receives a full Christmas dinner, followed by a high-value treat or chew at bedtime.”

Staff at Dogs Trust Harefield also cook up a feast of veggies and meat, as rehoming centre manager Richard Moore explains: “Dogs are omnivorous, so that’s actually quite a good balanced diet for them. We can also leave the vegetables raw, which is really good fun for them and works their teeth.”

At Blue Cross, adoptions coordinator Leonie Harrison says generosity from the public means the staff also often get treated with chocolates and biscuits to enjoy. Meanwhile the team brings in leftover meat or vegetables from their own Christmas dinners for the dogs, to accompany donations from the public.

Brussel sprouts are also on the menu at Many Tears, while the dogs are treated to their favourite dishes which might also include “turkey, chicken or hot dogs”. Sylvia explains that the staff always make sure the dogs are given their special foods in moderation to avoid any upset bellies. 

When it comes to special traditions, Richard and the Dogs Trust team have plenty. The day starts with carols and Christmas tunes played through the kennels’ radio system, which helps the dogs manage any unusual Christmas noises like church bells or fireworks. Unlike the humans, the dogs don’t tend to join in with the singing. “The only song that I've had some of the dogs join in with was the chorus of ‘Ruby’ by the Kaiser Chiefs,” says Richard. 

After that, the dogs all get to choose their own present, kindly donated by the public. “We take it in turns for the dogs to go to the Christmas tree and choose their own gift to carry away. It’s usually mayhem with the dogs ripping the wrapping paper apart and finding what's in there!” Richard says.

While a group Christmas walk is the tradition for many shelters, Street Hearts have to adapt their daily pack walk as the holiday falls bang in the middle of hunting season in Bulgaria. “With many hunters out on the day itself, it simply isn’t safe,” Laura says, but adds that the dogs still have plenty of space to roam, play or snooze, and “whatever the weather, the animals always come first.”

While a white Christmas is rare in the UK, Richard explains that on the odd occasion it happens, it’s a joy to see many dogs experience snow for the first time in their lives. “Some are completely confused by it,” he says. “And then other dogs are face planting straight into the snow and having a great old time racing around and chasing the snowflakes.” 

The staff who spend their Christmas with rescue dogs

While shelters can’t take the day off on Christmas, most operate on a rotating basis for staff and offer split shifts to allow for some time to pop back and enjoy lunch with their families. That being said, many staff and volunteers will choose to come in regardless, while for places like Street Hearts and Many Tears, founding a shelter means no days off. 

Sylvia hasn’t had a Christmas Day off for over 50 years while for Street Hearts’ Emma and Anthony, their home is on the shelter grounds. “Because of that, Christmas Day is no different,” Laura says. “Christmas at the shelter is less about taking a break and more about carrying on with what they do best: giving every animal a safe, warm, and loving place to be, on Christmas Day and every day after.”

Richard has been working in animal welfare since 1993. This has included many Christmases at dog shelters and a Christmas Eve tradition at Dogs Trust that he’s built with his children.

“From a very young age we’d come down to the shelter on Christmas Eve and pretend that we’re ‘Santa Paws’,” he says. “We put presents outside each of the dogs’ kennels so they have a Christmas ‘hello’ and give them extra cuddles in the evening. In the morning there’s a present next to each dog that they can unwrap and investigate what’s inside. It varies from squeaky toys to tasty treats. If it’s an older dog or a dog that’s a little bit unwell, it might be a really nice comfy blanket. We choose for them depending on what we think they might need.”

For Leonie at Blue Cross “it can be emotional knowing these pets are in our care rather than in a home environment. Although we do everything we can to give them the best possible experience here, it’s not the same as being in a home.” However she adds that the reward of working on Christmas Day is “real sense of giving back”. 

“The pets don’t know it’s a special day, so we focus on keeping their routine as normal as possible,” she says. “It’s a lovely atmosphere over Christmas that brings the team together. Christmas jumpers are often worn, and there’s always a box of chocolates on the go!”

Do some dogs go home for Christmas?

While it’s rare for rescue dogs to go to a home on Christmas Day, there are exceptions.

For Emma and Anthony, living on site means “many of our permanent sanctuary residents sleep inside the house. They get to enjoy the festive atmosphere just as much as any family dog would.”

Leonie explains that at Blue Cross “some dogs will stay in their foster home if appropriate but dogs that may struggle with a busy home on Christmas day will stay in kennels and still enjoy walks and some cuddle time with staff members.”

And while Many Tears welcome people to come and look round the shelter on Christmas Day, “they can never come and walk away with the dog on the spot. You always have to go through vetting”. Nevertheless, Sylvia says visitors are welcome to come and sit with the dogs and give them some Christmas cuddles and strokes. 

How shelters prepare for the festive season

These days, most shelters have rigorous vetting processes to make sure a dog is never adopted by way of a Christmas present. 

However, Richard explains that they often see a spike in dogs being surrendered into their care around Spring, when puppies people have bought as Christmas presents are maturing and “becoming a little bit more hard work”.

Sylvia adds that Many Tears often sees people turning to them for support at Christmas, a time that can be especially emotional or difficult. She describes women fleeing domestic violence with their dogs, as well as pet parents seeking help after neighbours or landlords have threatened action against them and their pets.

All shelters agree that community support is key to being prepared for the challenges of rescue work. Street Hearts runs a neutering programme that has already sterilised over 5,000 dogs, drastically reducing the amount of unwanted litters and abandoned dogs. However Christmas is an incredibly important fundraising period for them to help cover rising costs.

Their online Christmas shop sells merchandise and allows supporters to buy festive meals or essentials for the dogs, with past appeals funding new beds for winter. Blue Cross also sees a rise in food and toy donations at this time of year and shares an Amazon wishlist, while continuing to support pet food banks for pet parents in need.

How to support rescue dogs this Christmas and beyond

There are plenty of ways to support rescue dogs, whatever your circumstances. Sylvia stresses that you don’t need to spend much to help the residents at Many Tears: “It’s whatever people can do,” whether that’s volunteering time or making simple toys - “a plastic bottle in an old sock… the dogs love it.” She also encourages families to bring children to the centre to learn about animal welfare.

Of course, donations and wish list contributions are always incredibly valuable. Both Street Hearts and Dogs Trust curate Amazon wish lists where you can directly buy things the shelter needs such as beds, food and enrichment activities for the dogs. Street Hearts’ online Christmas shop raises money by inviting people to buy calendars or festive gifts as well as Christmas dinners and treats for the dogs in their care.

Dogs Trust welcomes support throughout the festive season, from their wish list to giving food, treats, warm blankets, or financial contributions towards caring for the dogs. They also run food banks in their centres to support pet parents who may be struggling, which people can contribute towards. They welcome volunteers, but training is required before helping on Christmas Day. And of course, if it’s the right time, offering a dog a loving home is one of the most meaningful ways to help.

Meanwhile you can get involved in Blue Cross’ Christmas appeal to help vulnerable homeless pets by donating towards a ‘Critical Care Kit’, which contains emergency items tailored to each pet’s needs on their first night, such as pain relief, antibiotics, warm blankets and nutritious food.

Despite all the emotional and practical challenges of running a dog rescue centre, one thing that’s overwhelmingly clear is just how loved and cared for the animals are. With all the weight that Christmas Day holds, the unfaltering commitment from staff and volunteers to be there with the dogs and make sure they’re comfortable and safe is a testament to the kind of people who choose to work there.

Giving your time, money, or practical items to these shelters makes a real, long-lasting difference to the quality of life of rescue dogs, and their journey towards finding their forever homes.

You can support the shelters mentioned by clicking the links below:

Street Hearts: https://streetheartsbg.com/how-you-can-help-dogs-in-bulgaria/donations-to-help-street-dogs-in-bulgaria.html 

Dogs Trust: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/support-us/ways-to-give 

Many Tears: https://www.manytearsrescue.org/support-us/ 

Blue Cross: bluecross.org.uk/christmasappeal