Transforming the Dogs Trust Freedom Website

The Freedom Project, a specialist service by Dogs Trust, provides a lifeline for dog owners experiencing domestic abuse by offering temporary foster care for their pets while they seek safety. To mark its 20th anniversary, the project underwent a full rebrand, introducing a distinctive identity, colour palette, and tone of voice separate from the core Dogs Trust brand.

The brief

With this transformation, a new website was essential - one that not only reflected the refreshed identity but also ensured that vital support and information were easy to access. The challenge was to implement this new brand identity seamlessly while maintaining the site’s existing content structure, minimising disruption, and enhancing user engagement.

Our approach

We began with an in-depth briefing session with the Dogs Trust team to understand their goals, content considerations, and how best to bring the new Freedom branding to life online. This informed our approach to designing and developing a new website that would embody the brand’s warmth, professionalism, and accessibility.

Guided by the new brand identity, the redesigned website creates a warm, approachable, and safe space for users seeking support. A key feature is the ‘Exit Site’ button, which allows users to leave quickly while ensuring no trace remains in their browser history.

Key landing pages and refreshed content templates establish a consistent, intuitive experience, reinforcing trust and ease of navigation. The brand’s signature journey line and bespoke illustrations were thoughtfully integrated to enhance engagement while maintaining functionality. To ensure seamless usability across all devices, we carefully addressed responsive design challenges, preserving both clarity and accessibility.

Alongside the website, we redesigned the email templates, ensuring consistency across all digital touchpoints. Colour palettes, typography, and imagery were updated to align with the new visual identity, while we also refined the website copy to match the refreshed tone of voice - ensuring the sensitive subject matter was approached with care and clarity.

The Result

The new Freedom Project website is now a powerful and engaging digital platform that truly reflects the brand’s mission and identity. With its visually compelling design, improved navigation, and clear, supportive language, the site makes it easier than ever for dog owners in crisis to access help, and for potential foster carers to get involved.

The redesigned website strengthens Freedom’s presence as a stand-alone service while maintaining its connection to Dogs Trust. By creating a welcoming and reassuring user experience, we’ve helped the Freedom Project continue its essential work - supporting dog owners when they need it most and ensuring that no one has to choose between their safety and their pet’s wellbeing.

Since its launch, the Freedom Project has helped more than 2,700 dogs. With a rebranded, accessible, and engaging website, they are now better placed than ever to extend their vital support to those who need it.