The Academy is open to any dog and cat shelter or rehoming organisation, from small volunteer-run shelters to established animal rescues. We welcome organisations from both the UK and overseas. 

Most of our learning opportunities are delivered as live online sessions, but some Foundations of Shelter Management sessions are also available as e-learning and pre-recorded sessions.  We offer one in-person learning opportunity (the Residential Week) for those who complete Foundations of Shelter Management, and this is delivered at Battersea’s sites in London and Old Windsor.

All sessions are currently delivered in English only, so we ask that attendees have good spoken and written English language skills to ensure they get the most from each learning opportunity.

To book any Battersea Academy learning opportunity, you need an Academy Online account. You can create an account for free on Academy Online.

Tours for UK and international shelters and rehoming organisations are offered subject to the availability of the Academy team. We ask for a minimum of three weeks’ notice. You should submit your request to academy@battersea.org.uk 

Academy Online is a free e-learning platform which is available to shelters and rehoming organisations based in the UK and overseas. You can use it to complete e-learning and pre-recorded modules as part of our Foundations of Shelter Management qualification and book places on Academy learning opportunities. It also has a comprehensive resources section. 

No, an Academy Online account is free. Depending on your organisation’s annual income, there may be a cost to access learning opportunities, but for most shelters and rehoming organisations, these are all also free of charge.

A member of the Academy team will confirm the details you have provided. If you are eligible for an account, it will normally be approved in 24 hours after which you can book onto our learning opportunities, access the resources section and begin working on the Foundations of Shelter Management e-learning and pre-recorded modules.

If you have not received an automated email confirming your account within 72 hours of creating it, please email and a member of the team will be able to help you. 

If you have not received an automated email confirming your account within 72 hours of creating it, please email and a member of the team will be able to help you.

We do accept registrations from other organisations, such as UK Local Authorities, however, you may be charged to attend Academy learning opportunities. For more information, please email.

Please email if you are leaving the sector or moving to another organisation so we can update your details and signpost you to the most suitable learning opportunities for your new role.  

To help us ensure our learning opportunities, attendees will be asked to complete a short survey so we can understand what the key takeaways have been from sessions attended and any opportunities for further learning.

Organisations will also be asked to complete an annual survey, so that we can understand how the Academy’s learning opportunities have supported the whole organisation.  

If you want help identifying possible learning gaps in your shelter or rehoming organisation, then you can download our Shelter Self-Assessment tool.   By answering the questions and reflecting on different business areas of your organisation, you’ll be able to see what Academy learning sessions your teams need to attend.