His commitment to these words was put to the test recently, when Lito needed a life-saving operation. I ask how much it cost, and he puts his hand to his brow. “Thousands and thousands,” he sighs. “We thought we had pet insurance, and then didn’t. But there wasn’t a moment of hesitation.”
Even the aristocracy isn’t immune to the shock of unforeseen veterinary fees, it seems. The difference, of course, is that for some ordinary dog owners the bill can prove prohibitive, which might explain why shelters are now seeing a rise in pet abandonment. A recent study, published in the journal Animals, found that in the UK and Republic of Ireland, the number of stray dogs entering shelters jumped from 16,310 in 2021 to 23,287 in 2023, and the rate of euthanisation in that group rose from 1.9 per cent to 6.3 per cent.
Acknowledging this crisis, the Duke has made Battersea Dogs & Cats Home Goodwoof’s official charity partner. Money raised from the auction of the “Barkitecture” kennels will go directly to the group, while the Duke will also marshal a morning parade of rescue dogs, kicking off the festivities by journeying from Goodwood House to the Kennels.
Perhaps the image of the Duke leading an oompah band and a lineup of dachshunds through the woods – as he did at last year’s Goodwoof – is a slight evolution from the aristocrat thundering by on horseback, preceded by a pack of foxhounds. But if there’s one thing the British upper crust is willing to let its stiff upper lip relax into a smile for, it’s the dogs.