I have rarely felt worse in my life than when I once popped in here. My cat needed to go to the…read morevet's and I went over to pick up a suitable carrier to take him in, which they sorted no problems. However, as I was leaving, I spotted a leaflet on offer about coping with bereavement. Now, I'm not a cold-hearted person and as you know by now, I own a cat so am not immune to the charms of our furry friends. Despite this, I still found myself scoffing internally at the thought that some poor souls would actually need this type of guidance. Literally as I was considering this, God decided to deliver a massive kick up the arse as the door literally next to the leaflet stand flew open and a woman emerged crying her eyes out. Remaining behind the door as it was shut was a gorgeous golden retriever being held by a lead by the vet. I walked out immediately feeling: a) like I might break down in tears; b) amazingly guilty; and c) full of admiration for the work done here by the staff. (I'd just like to clarify, though, that I definitely didn't start crying in the end.)

Bristol Dogs & Cats Home do an amazing job. I came here looking to rescue a cat. I was especially…read moreheartbroken passing all the dogs, I'm a softie when it comes to animals, so it brought tears to my eyes seeing all the poor dogs desperate to be loved or owned, they sounded so sad :-( We attempted to rescue a cat from here, unfortunately she was not happy when she came to us and was doing us and herself harm, so we brought her back, she instantly behaved herself for the staff! Clearly they have a better touch with animals than me. My sister got a kitten from a rescue centre in Ireland and the poor mite arrived to her full of worms. Cats at Bristol Dogs and Cats home are given a thorough check-up, spayed and micro-chipped. There is also a mandatory home visit to ensure you can provide a good home.

Hope Rescue is a bit different to most rescue charities because it's primarily a 'co-ordinating'…read morerescue rather than housing the dogs themselves. Its main role is in getting dogs out of emergency situations, such as if they are going to be put to sleep unnecessarily, and Hope then works to find a suitable rescue space for them with other reputable rescue centres such as Dogs Trust and the RSPCA, as well as smaller local rescues and breed-specific rescues. Hope Rescue then also covers transportation to the dog's new rescue centre. Most of the dogs they deal with are strays from Local Authority pounds which would otherwise be put to sleep after the 7 statutory days they must be kept for. On average they move around 10 dogs a week, but at some times this can peak to as high as 25. They use boarding kennels in Llantrisant and Caerphilly to hold dogs if there is any delay in their rescue space becoming available. And although they're mainly a co-ordinating rescue, they do sometimes end up taking in dogs for rehoming themselves, if they can't secure rescue spaces - for example if the dog has a medical problem, or is very old. Obviously they have kennelling expenses as well as transportation costs to cover, so you can donate to help fund their rescue missions.

spoke to Christine initially about adopting a cat. Have had cats all my life. Christine recommended…read moreone particular cat who on the website sounded perfectly fine and was very handsome. I went to meet the cat and was told by several volunteers there that I was very brave! alarm bells started to go off but I met the cat in question and he seemed good, came up to me allowed me to per him. I said to Christine that I will come back and see him again but she was very insistent I took him that day. I ended up agreeing and paying a lot more than the suggested donation. Once I got the cat home it quickly became clear why I was warned. He was hostile from day one and hissed and growled upon approach. this is normal initially but despite trying everything in my power to bond with the cat for several weeks the situation stayed the same. I contacted the Moggery only to told to try tuna... I stuck things out for almost five months before deciding to take him back for everyone's sake. I took him back and emailed the Moggery about meeting any other cats and they just stopped replying. Be cautious.

The Moggery is a cat sanctuary that is always looking for volunteers to clean up after the cats,…read morefeed them, and give them lots of love and attention. They also get a lot of kittens. The woman who runs it is absolutely lovely, and has a lot of rules for who are and who aren't allowed to adopt a cat or kitten, so that they go to the best homes. I've volunteered here myself, and the people I worked with were all lovely, so I recommend it for all cat lovers.

This charity needs as much help as possible so come on everyone !!!read more

We got our dog Guinness from them, couldn't say enough, the dog world would be a happier place if…read morepeople got dogs from here, instead of buying poor inbred dogs that have so many inherited issues they bark all the time because their so unhappy.The best place for a family pet.

This place is so amazing. They rescue dogs and cats from all over the region and house them here,…read moretrying to find new owners that will take care of the poor little blighters. I went up here a few times to check out the likelihood of being able to find a border collie, and was surprised to find out that I could go for a walk with any of the dogs to see if it was for me. Of course, the staff are overrun, so the dogs only get to go out quite occasionally. However, with the small army of folk that pop up here on a Sunday for dog walking, the critters are given a good run around at least once a week. What's more, the surrounding countryside is perfect for these activities.

The first thing that would catch your eye is the window display, it usually contains very eye…read morecatching vintage clothing, costume jewellery and bizarre bric a brac. Inside the shop is an almost mini emporium of odments that could occupy you for hours....arguabley. They had a sqeezebox in here last time I popped in, they are always rare to find in Charity shops as they get snapped up quickley. Being a Feline charity shop you can imagine what the majority of the stock is like, and what the kind of customer will be who goes in, but don't let it put you off, have a little looksie.

I still don't know what Ingleside actually do. Considering they're a feline sanctuary I would…read moreassume they provide some sort of safe haven for abused or neglected cats - poor little blighters. The cause of the campaign aside this is an interesting little shop unlike any charity shop I've seen before. Haphazard is a word I often use to describe such stores but this one is a shade different: more of a sprinkling of vintage tat - to coin an expression. It's a kind of late Victorian jumble sale with a sort of bohemian feline twist. Think crazy candle holders, gold sequined dresses and some frankly bizarre crockery. The best thing to do is pop in here and have a look around yourself. Good luck!

All the poor little dogs here will break your heart. I still can't believe how some people can just…read moreabandon their animals but I know its not always that simple either. At least if the dogs end up here they have the chance of finding a nice new home. I went with my friend to visit the dog she was intending on re-homing and its a really good place. The staff to their very best to make sure you are right for the dog. You might just want the cutest one by they will match you up with the most suitable dogs for you. They had quite a few bull-dogs and staffy types so you may not instantly find the right one for you. Tedi the new dog has been a really good pet to my friend. He's had all his injections and medical check-ups so she didn't have to worry about the expense of that, and he's really lovely. I want one.

It's tough visiting a rescue centre like this. Each pair of puppy-dog eyes staring out at you from…read morebehind the bars seems to be begging you to take them away from the noise and chaos of kennels. These dogs desperately need homes. The RSPCA is severely struggling to find kennel space because there is so much demand for it - and this puts huge pressure on their resources. The staff at this rescue centre are very helpful if you have questions about particular dogs, and are keen to find suitable, well-matched homes so that the dogs are not returned to the rescue centre. I've never actually rehomed from this centre, but I have visited a couple of times hoping to find the right dog (she came along from elsewhere, in the end!). They keep the kennels clean and exercise the dogs as regularly as is possible with the numbers they're dealing with - and take on dog walking volunteers if you have any time to spare. If you do decide to rehome a dog from this centre, you will be asked to pay between about £95 and £120, depending on the age and breed of the dog.

The Secret World is first and foremost an animal rescue sanctuary, not a visitors' centre or a zoo,…read morewhich you should definitely bear in mind if you're thinking of taking children there. They run about half-a-dozen major Open Days each year- see their web site http://www.secretworld.org for more information- and those are the best days on which to go, as you'll be able to see the widest variety of all their different animals and meet several experts who can answer any questions. The main building itself is quite small but somehow they manage to pack quite a lot of different animals in there- also, the sanctuary includes a fairly large area of open grassland behind, which is a good old walk. Definitely worth a visit.

This is animal rescue centre which has open days for the public. On the open days they have events…read moresuch as 'doggy dancing' and ferrit racing which are good fun and they also do talks and bring the animals round for you to meet. It has a nice play area for children and sometimes a bouncy castle.