Chris Bray, Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter
Most pet owners find it impossible to imagine parting with their furry companion or - worse - mistreating them in any way. Sadly, the statistics illustrate a dark reality.
As of 2019, an estimated 250,000 animals were going into rescue centres every year - that’s more than 80% of Newcastle’s population. With the Covid-19 pandemic and the prevailing cost of living crisis, this figure is likely to be much higher now.
Thankfully, there is some hope on the horizon. Chris Bray, Chief Executive at Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, has made it his job to rescue these animals - quite literally. The shelter’s mission is to ‘save lives across the North East’, and that’s exactly what he and his team are doing.
“If someone had told me three years ago that I’d be working in an animal shelter as Chief Exec, I wouldn’t have believed them! I wouldn’t change it though. It’s the best job I’ve ever had in lots of ways. It’s rewarding beyond anything, really.”
When asked about what led him to his current role, it's clear that making an impact has been integral to Chris’s career, even before now.
"I've always worked in the charity sector from very early on, so I've had various roles in charities. I worked in London for 20 years, working for big organisations like the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Help the Aged (later merging with Age Concern to form Age UK)."
Falling in love and marrying a Geordie ultimately led Chris to leave the capital and head up north for a new chapter. But it wasn't until his son was born that he ditched the commutes to London for a job closer to home.
"I took a job in Cumbria and worked in a children's and adult hospice for 5 years, which was a job I loved."
As is often the case in the way of life, Chris's career path took an unexpected turn after circumstances in his personal life left him reconsidering what he wanted to do.
"Through losing my own dad, and after the loss of my mum many years previously, I decided to take a bit of a directional change. I took some time off work - was actually going to take a year off at that time - but within three months this role was advertised. I thought, 'I'll interview, you never know'!"
Chris passed the interview with flying colours and was offered the job as Chief Executive at Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, which is where he's been now for 2 years.
“If someone had told me three years ago that I’d be working in an animal shelter as Chief Exec, I wouldn’t have believed them!” Chris laughs. “I wouldn’t change it though. It’s the best job I’ve ever had in lots of ways. It’s rewarding beyond anything, really.”
Chris is continuing 127-year-long efforts by the Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, which was set up in 1896 by William Lisle Blenkinsopp Coulson after his concerns for animal welfare in Newcastle city centre.
Now, with two sites and two shops to take care of, the shelter has grown to employ thirty staff members plus an equivalent number of volunteers. Yet Chris notes the contrast between volunteer figures in the hospices he’s worked in and the Dog & Cat Shelter.
“I was quite surprised when I arrived that we had very few volunteers,” Chris explains. “Compared to the hospice sector, which has hundreds of volunteers, we had less than ten when I started. As a shelter, we should have 60 to 100 volunteers as a minimum, and we’re nowhere near that currently.”
Perhaps this has something to do with our perception of demand for animal shelters; as a modern society, we like to think that we have less need for them. This is far from the case.
Approximately 3.2 million households acquired a pet throughout the pandemic, raising concerns around animal welfare. As of 2023, 13% of households admitted to giving up their pet, with 47% of these being dogs and 36% being cats.
“The pandemic puppies that went on to become dogs resulted in challenging situations for some people,” Chris says. “Puppies that didn’t get socialised when they were younger are now grown-up dogs, and people are struggling with that concept.”
The return to work only aggravated the situation: “Everyone thought they could take their dog to the office when they went back to work, but they can’t. People thought they wouldn’t have to go back to work, but they do.”
Following the pandemic, the cost of living crisis hit.
“There has been a real impact. It has been really tough and very challenging - at times upsetting. We see it in everything we do. More animals, especially dogs, are being abandoned or handed in, as people struggle to cover basic food, veterinary and insurance costs as a result of the cost of living crisis. On the flip side, supporters have less money in their pocket to donate. It really is a case of the perfect storm.”
This brings our conversation back to the importance of volunteers at the shelter, as well donations from the public. “As a relatively small organisation, we don’t have resources to spend lots of money fundraising, or running advertising campaigns that bigger national charities with deep pockets and reserves are able to do,” Chris explains. “We are always blown away by the kindness of local folk who will support our calls for help, be it monetary, or bedding, or pet food, or toys, all of which we are grateful recipients and never taken for granted.”
“As a shelter, we should have 60 to 100 volunteers as a minimum, and we’re nowhere near that currently.”
Despite the clear challenges that come with the job, Chris is eager to emphasise that the darkness is outweighed by the light.
“There is definitely fatigue that creeps into people’s lives here. We deal with some really sad stuff and staff can have some really difficult days in this shelter, there’s no doubt about that,” Chris acknowledges. “That said, it is a privilege and pleasure to be involved every day of the week, every week of the year. The animals we work with can’t speak but we know how good we are for them. The people that I work with are incredible and I am so privileged to be here - it never ever ceases to amaze me the work that we do and the effort that people put in, the passion.”
It’s easy for us - the general public - to perceive animal shelters as sad, last-chance places for abandoned and mistreated dogs and cats. But Chris quashes that assumption with his unwavering certainty that a brighter future lies ahead for these animals.
“Even though it can be upsetting for people when they walk around, I know that the animals aren’t here for very long and they’ll go to some amazing homes. This is a happy place. Sometimes on the darker days when the sadder stories come in, we just focus on the horizon because we do know that there’s a brighter day for them.”
Chris goes on to point out the interview setting - Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter itself. “As you’ve wondered around now, staff are working hard, everywhere is clean and tidy and the animal care is incredible.”
He’s not wrong there.
“This is a happy place. Sometimes on the darker days when the sadder stories come in, we just focus on the horizon because we do know that there’s a brighter day for them.”
We end the conversation by discussing some of Chris’s plans for the future and how people can support the shelter.
“There’s all these challenges around dog behaviour, so one of the areas of growth for us in the future will be to support people with these animals and provide training onsite,” Chris tells us. “The shelter website is also about to have an overhaul to simplify the rehoming process and make it easier to match pets with the right home in a more streamlined and efficient way.”
With regard to volunteer numbers, Chris has got that covered too:
“We’ve developed a volunteer programme and we’re actually looking to recruit a Volunteer Coordinator later this year. We’re recruiting volunteers to help with the cleaning and feeding of the animals, maintaining the sites and more. A shelter like this requires graft, although a quick cuddle doesn’t go amiss!” Chris smiles.
For anyone who wants to support the shelter outside of volunteering, there are plenty of options.
“At the moment, the single most important priority for the shelter is raising funds,” says Chris. “We launched a lotteryplayed via mobile phone in the summer of 2022. For £2 a week (if you are over 18 and live in the UK) you can play and be in with the chance of winning £10,000 in a weekly draw. The initial take-up has been great and we are hoping many more opt to support the shelter with this form of regular giving.”
He goes on: “If you’re a business leader, consider selecting the shelter as your charity of the year. This can take many forms, including fundraising for specific equipment or items: £500 for a solar panel helps keep the energy bills down, while £259.09 keeps a kennel warm for a year.”
Speaking to Chris, his passion for the cause is almost tangible. His compassion and drive leave no doubt in our minds that the Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter will remain a beacon of hope for Newcastle’s lost animals for as long as they need it.
Thanks to Chris and his brilliant team of staff and volunteers, the shelter is far from a sad place. Where would the animals be if places like this didn’t exist? We don’t like to think of the alternatives.
Learn More
If you love animals and would like to support Chris and the team at Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, you’re needed more than ever. Send Chris a message and he’ll be in touch.