Award-winning pet retailer Jollyes has successfully concluded a nationwide fundraising campaign in support of the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA) during National Service Animal Week 2026. This initiative marked the second consecutive year Jollyes has supported the event, with stores across the United Kingdom raising both funds and awareness for retired service animals that have served within the emergency services.
Throughout the week, selected Jollyes stores including those in Edinburgh, Cannock, Blyth, Plymouth, Cardiff, Lisburn, and Gloucester welcomed retired service animals and their handlers for special customer appearances and meet-and-greet events. These stores received visits from retired police service dogs such as Naso, Oz, Marley, Nash, Sally, and Ella, as well as retired fire investigations dog Reggie. The visits were rounded off with a visit from the NFRSA’s founder, The Countess Bathurst (known to all as Lady B), her husband The Earl Bathurst, Mrs Marguerite Chapman (Lady B’s mother), members of the NFRSA team, and Marley, a retired Heathrow detection dog, along with his handler Sam Moss from Border Force.
Fundraising Success
Thanks to the hard work of colleagues and the generous support of customers, £15,000 has been raised for the charity, helping the NFRSA continue its vital work. On top of this amount, Jollyes is making an additional £5,000 donation from the NFRSA partnership fund it established, enabling Jollyes to make a total charitable donation of £20,000.
About the NFRSA
The NFRSA provides vital support for retired service animals from across the emergency services family, including the Police, Fire and Rescue, Prison, Border Force, National Crime Agency, NHS, and MoD Police services. They are also proud to support Military Working Dogs from the RAF Police. Once retired, many service animals receive no ongoing financial support for their care and often cannot access affordable pet insurance because of their age and specialist training.
Jollyes first partnered with the NFRSA in 2024 and has continued to expand its support through in-store fundraising, awareness campaigns, and community activity linked to new store openings involving retired service animals.
Statements from Partners
Sean McGinty, chief marketing officer at Jollyes, said: “National Service Animal Week has once again been an amazing moment for us all here at Jollyes, as our colleagues and customers support the remarkable animals who have dedicated their lives to protecting our communities. We’re extremely proud of the partnership we’ve built with the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals over the past two years and the fundraising efforts that have taken place across our stores.”
Countess Lady Bathurst added: “I’m incredibly proud of the partnership the NFRSA and Jollyes have built over the past two years. During this time, we’ve developed a wonderful relationship, founded on shared values and a genuine commitment to supporting animals and the people who love them. The amount raised during National Service Animal Week is truly incredible, and I’m extremely grateful to Jollyes for their continued support, as well as to their customers for their kindness and generosity.”
