There are about 5 million dogs and cats in The Netherlands. Forty percent of Dutch households have a pet dog or cat so you can say that animals play an important role in our lives. This is nothing new, although the circumstances in which both animals and humans live have changed drastically in the past centuries.

Nowadays, most dogs and cats live indoors instead of outside and we do not expect our animals to do heavy labour anymore. Their main purpose is to keep us company. But what to do if you can no longer provide a safe home for your pet anymore?

Then a new home needs to be found for your pet. Usually a shelter is involved in replacing an animal. As early as 1926 a couple of ladies-in-waiting of our former queen took care of abandoned animals by organising animal trade fairs. Next to the dog grooming parlour they occasionally held fairs where people could trade in dogs or cats. National Animal Care was born.

The main goal of National Animal Care was to: “Love and honour nature and all that lives” and to “Overcome wantonness and ignorance” as written in lady Des Tombe’s personal notes. It was her idea to set up a foundation. After a couple of years in which she obtained funds and made propaganda, the first shelter was opened in 1933 at the Lange Voorhout 84, close to the former palace of Queen Emma, now housing the Museum Palace.

The propaganda store was located at the front and the dog parlour - where dogs were being washed and groomed - was located at the back. On August 30th 1933 the first policlinic for animals was opened. An old sign tells us that this policlinic was aimed at people who did not have the funds to take their pet to the vet. Unfortunately an astray bomb in world war II made an end to this wooden building and the foundation moved to a new location at the Nobelstraat.

In the nineteen forties National Animal Care was looking for a new and larger location. A piece of land was bought between ‘den Deyl’ and the ‘Haagsche Schouw’ but unfortunately the land was not assigned to become an animal shelter. With help of the Wassenaar community who bought the piece of land from the foundation, the ‘Welgelegen’ farm at the Zijdeweg could be purchased. The cow barn was converted into a shelter which was then again expanded in 1953. Due to the major flood in the same year a large number of animals from the struck areas in Zeeland and Zuid-Holland were brought to our shelter.

The farm and residential house were completely restored in the nineteen seventies and were both put on the protected monuments list. Also in the early seventies the animal ambulance of National Animal Care was founded, covering Wassenaar and surrounding areas.

In the eighties National Animal Care really took off. A promotional team was formed and International Animal Travel – the first travel agency for animals - was founded. This really was a novelty at the time; if you moved abroad or only stayed in The Netherlands for a short period, National Animal Care would take care of the transport of your pet. Further, the first edition of ‘Dierengeluiden’ was issued, a yearly magazine for donors which still is published today.

The unique rest-home for senior dogs – the senior club – was officially opened by Princess Juliana on the 4th of October in 1985. Two years later the Cathouse was opened comprising of a shelter, boarding department and also a rest-home for senior cats with large cat garden. A few years later the large dog department was rebuilt from scratch to be able to accommodate more large dogs – now about sixty. A dog crèche providing in day care for dogs was also opened.

In the near future National Animal Care will be renewing the small dogs department. This way we can keep up our high level of quality. Summed up National Animal Care comprises of a shelter, a boarding department, a special animal rest-home for senior cats and dogs and an animal ambulance National Animal Care, an all-round organisation with an impressive history!