Our Story

Pippa’s Army is powered entirely by volunteers, a passionate, determined community who give their time, energy, and hearts to animals and families in need.

Our story began in 2016 with one missing miniature Schnauzer, Pippa. For three long weeks, volunteers came together to search for her, refusing to give up. When she was finally reunited with her family, something incredible had already formed - a network of people who cared deeply and weren’t ready to stop there.

What started as a search effort became a lifeline. The group stayed open, and Pippa’s Army was born, continuing to support families across Havering and Thurrock through the heartbreak of lost pets and the joy of bringing them home.

By 2018, our volunteers were seeing another urgent need: cats with no homes, no safety, and no one to advocate for them. That’s when our foster network began. Not a shelter, but something far more personal.

Our fosterers open their homes and their lives to cats in need. They provide round-the-clock care, patience, and love. They manage vet visits, administer medication, nurture frightened or unwell cats back to health, and carefully match them with the right forever families. Every successful adoption is down to their dedication and compassion.

In March 2025, we proudly became a registered charity, but at our core, nothing changed. We are still, and always will be, driven by volunteers.

Today, we have helped rehome hundreds of cats and reunited countless lost pets with their families. Our volunteers go above and beyond every single day, from scanning streets for missing animals to climbing through hedges to rescue trapped kittens, and even ensuring deceased pets are treated with dignity and returned to their owners.

This is more than a rescue. It’s a community of people who show up, step in, and make a difference when it matters most.

And we’re always looking for more people to join us.

If you have the time, the compassion, and the willingness to make a real impact, whether as a volunteer or a fosterer, we would love to hear from you.