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The Cinnamon Trust

The Cinnamon Trust is a UK national charity founded in 1985 dedicated to supporting elderly and terminally-ill people with their pets. It operates through a network of around 20,000 volunteers across the United Kingdom and is the only UK charity whose specific remit is the owner-pet relationship in later life and at the end of life — not pet rescue or rehoming as a standalone activity. [source: cinnamon-trust/home-2026-05-02.html]

What the Trust does:

  • Long-term fostering or rehoming for pets when the owner dies — the central reason families approach the Trust on a death. Pre-registered pets are usually placed with a vetted long-term foster carer (a volunteer who keeps the animal in their own home for life) rather than going to a rescue centre. Where rehoming is needed, the Trust selects new owners carefully and can keep the pet in foster while the search runs.
  • Temporary fostering during owner hospital stays — short-term care so a pet does not need to be given up because of a hospital admission.
  • Daily-care help for owners who are still at home but struggling — dog walking, transport to the vet, occasional cleaning of cages or hutches. Run by local volunteers.
  • Planning ahead — registration in advance so the owner knows their pet has a place to go. Free; takes a few minutes by phone or via the website.

Who should register: anyone aged 60 or over, anyone with a terminal or progressive illness, and anyone living alone who is concerned about what would happen to their pet. Registration in advance materially improves the outcome — emergency placements after a death depend on volunteer capacity at the moment, which is unpredictable.

What the Trust does not do: standard animal rescue (other charities — RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Cats Protection — cover that ground); take in pets purely because the owner can no longer afford them; provide veterinary funding.

Contact: cinnamon.org.uk; the Trust accepts phone calls and online enquiries.

→ What happens to pets when their owner dies

Last verified: 2 May 2026 against cinnamon.org.uk.