Stage icons Dame Elaine Paige and Bernadette Peters are returning to co-host the fourth annual West End Woofs (and Meows) live adoption event on Saturday 15 August 2026 at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden. The ticketed fundraiser begins at 10.15am, bringing together beloved West End talent and rescue animals to help find forever homes for abandoned pets.
Tickets cost £10 per person and are available at actorschurch.org. All proceeds from ticket donations directly benefit the participating shelters and rescue groups taking part in the event. Access to the Church grounds to meet the adoptable pets and enjoy the staged section of the afternoon requires a purchased ticket.
First co-hosting a virtual edition during lockdown in 2020, Dame Elaine Paige and Bernadette Peters have developed the initiative into a major annual staple on the West End calendar following successful live events in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The format draws inspiration from the long-running Broadway Barks event across the Atlantic.
The morning kicks off at 10.15am with an interactive meet and greet featuring all the adoptable dogs and cats. Beginning at 11.00am, the rescue animals will make their stage debut alongside stars from major West End productions including Hamilton, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Oliver!, Paddington, and The Devil Wears Prada. Special guests appearing at the event include Bella Brown, Janie Dee, Richard Dempsey, Peter Egan, Cole Escola, Sarah Hadland, Bonnie Langford, Jak Malone, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, and Jac Yarrow.
All proceeds raised will support a wide array of animal welfare organizations, including Pro Dogs Direct, Saving Saints Rescue, German Shepherd Rescue South, Noah's Ark Dog Rescue, Home Run Hounds, All Dogs Matter, Peterborough Cat Rescue, and Fetcher Dog. These groups focus on rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming abandoned animals locally and internationally.
Photo credit: Danny Kaan
