Animal lovers around the world know that dogs rule, and as we prepare to embark on a new year DogTipper takes a look back at some of the royals who helped to promote paws causes in 2016:
2016 marked not only the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, but also the 30th birthday of an animal hospital which was named in honor of the monarch’s late mother.
To commemorate the occasion, Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall paid a visit to The Queen Mother Hospital for Animals in Hertfordshire, England. Along with meeting some of the facility’s four-pawed patients and getting a glimpse at the hospital’s new Hamling Garden (a peaceful retreat where pet parents can relax as their furry family members receive medical treatment), the Rover-loving royal got the chance to see firsthand how funds from The Royal Veterinary College Animal Care Trust (ACT) are being used to create a better tomorrow for animals in need.
A proud pet parent to Beth and Bluebell, two Jack Russell Terriers adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, in September 2016 The Duchess of Cornwall was happy to visit the London facility where she found her fur babies in order to officially open the charity’s new Veterinary Hospital and Centre of Excellence.
The Rover-loving royal met with staff, volunteers, international supermodel David Gandy and TV host Paul O’Grady (both celebrity ambassadors of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home), fashion journalist Hilary Alexander, and some of the homeless canines and cats who were being cared for at the new state-of-the-art hospital.
The center features three operating theaters which allow for over 100 procedures to take place each week; a dedicated dental suite for the 80 percent of companion animals who arrive at the charitable organization with problematic teeth; and a new intensive care area and sound-proof recovery wards.
Service dogs made a big splash during the last day of the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida, with the canines and their human companions cheered on by the multi-sporting event’s founder, Prince Harry.
A last minute event – let’s not forget the 13 service dogs here who always provide huge support to their owners.https://t.co/qIRB8J0vXL
— Invictus Games (@WeAreInvictus) May 12, 2016
Although she was too young to realize it, the presence of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge at a children’s tea party for military families in Victoria, British Columbia helped to shine a spotlight on the therapy dogs of St. John Ambulance. During an afternoon of play which was part of her parents’ Canadian tour, the tiny tot had the chance to meet six-year-old Moose, one of the kind-hearted canines who brings smiles to the faces of hospital patients, nursing home residents, and children who gain confidence as they read aloud to the non-judgmental listeners.
The Royal Patron of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People since 1992, Princess Anne (who happens to be a pet parent to several English Bull Terriers) paid a visit to the registered charity in Saunderton to witness a demonstration of tail-wagging trainees and raise awareness of the non-profit’s appeal for funds to build a new welcome center.
Founded in 1982, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has trained more than 2,200 dogs for the vital work of enriching, and sometimes even saving, the lives of those with impaired hearing.
Since 1972 HRH Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, has been a royal patron of the United Kingdom’s leading veterinary charity, The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). Over the years the youngest granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary has taken part in many fundraisers and held receptions at St. James Palace all to help the paws cause. In May 2016 the 50th in line to the British throne officially opened a new PDSA hospital in Oldbury, which helps the pets of people in financial distress. During her visit the Princess met with staff, donors, and some of the canines and cats who receive lifesaving treatment at the hospital, which is one of 51 PDSA facilities throughout the UK.
Princess Alexandra is also a royal patron of Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the registered charity– which has provided service dogs for more than 29,000 sight-impaired people– was among the many organizations invited to Buckingham Palace for a reception honoring the many patronages of the royal, who will soon celebrate her 80th birthday.
During the event a guide dog who was among those who mingled among the guests had the opportunity to meet another member of the royal family– Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
The University of Surrey’s School of Veterinary Medicine was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in late 2015, and in early 2016 The Duke of Kent followed in the monarch’s footsteps by paying a visit to the school’s cutting-edge facilities. Like Her Royal Highness, the Duke (who is a Chancellor at the University) also viewed a gait analysis demonstration which illustrated the effects of a prosthetic limb on a dog in comparison to a dog with sound limbs.
He may not have found true love on season nine of the hit ABC series The Bachelor, but Prince Lorenzo Borghese has made it his mission to help animals in need find that special someone to love. The former reality star with a royal pedigree is not only the President of Royal Treatment pet products, but also the co-founder of Animal Aid USA, and in that role Borghese joined an effort to help 402 homeless dogs on the path to a better future as part of Wheels and Wings to the Rescue.
The prince was one among the more than 100 volunteers from dozens of animal welfare groups who traveled to rural Georgia during the dog days of summer to save the lives of canines who were facing their fate in shelters in Laurens, Liberty, Long, Murray and Pierce counties. This marked a return visit to the state for Borghese, who had also rescued adoptables from many of Georgia’s overcrowded shelters during July’s Clear the Shelters adoption event.
Animal Aid USA, a non-profit which rescues approximately 250 dogs and cats each month from high-kill shelters, is hoping to expand its present facility in order to save the lives of even more homeless animals. Go to https://www.gofundme.com/AnimalAidusa to find out how you can help turn the organization’s dream from reverie to reality.
HRH Princess Maja von Hohenzollern of Germany continued her quest to help homeless dogs and cats live happily ever after through sales of her posh pet products, which aids animal rescue, and by shining a spotlight on animals in dire need of a helping hand. A proud pet parent to 13 rescue dogs, five cats and many rescued rabbits, this year the Rover-loving royal returned to Romania to visit the country’s largest animal shelter. She also took on the title of honorary member of EDUXANIMA, a recently formed non-profit organization which defends the rights of animals.
The Princess during her visit to a Romanian animal shelter:
Photo Credit: The Royal Family/Instagram; Invictus Games/Twitter; PDSA; Princess Maja von Hohenzollern/Instagram
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