BEVERLY HILLS— The Duchess of Sussex was announced as the patron for Mayhew Animal Home on Friday, May 29 by Kensington Palace.
Meghan Markle was born and raised in Los Angeles where she took a career as an actress until she had to give that up to become a part of the British royal family in 2018 when she married Prince Harry. Markle and Harry currently reside in a Beverly Hills home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Markle has been an avid feminist and philanthropist, touching on various subjects like gender equality. In 2016 she became a global ambassador for World Vision Canada and served as an Advocate for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
Markle stated that she is excited to work alongside Mayhew and advocate for animal welfare:
“I am proud to support Mayhew and to work alongside them as they continue to improve the lives of animals and people, to create more supportive and compassionate communities both in London and internationally.”
Mayhew was founded in 1886 in London as “The Home for Starving and Deserted Cats” but renamed the organization in 1904 after their first superintendent, Anne Mayhew.
The organization offers community support, adoption and a community vet clinic. They also conduct international projects to help educate urban areas and control animal populations. Currently, they work in three countries: Afghanistan, Georgia, and India.
In 2019, Mayhew re-homed 439 animals, reached over 51,000 adults and children in educational programs, and many other achievements. With their international programs, they convinced the government in Kabul, Afghanistan to stop poisoning dogs back in 2017.
Mayhew states on their website the goal is to spread the importance and value of animal welfare. In order for the organization to run properly, it costs over $6,000 a day. They offer various ways to show support including donations and volunteering.
