Camberley Kate
The Lady of the Homeless Dogs
(1895-1978) Camberley

In the 1960s, in Camberley, a small English town, it was common to see a very unusual scene: an elderly woman, with a slow gait and a hunched figure, walked the streets surrounded by a cloud of dogs of all sizes and colors. She was Kate Ward, affectionately known as Camberley Kate. Born in 1895 and orphaned at a young age, Kate's life was marked by a lack of affection and scarce resources. When she was widowed, elderly and childless, she decided to dedicate her love to homeless dogs. At that time, in Camberley, no one took care of stray animals. There were no shelters or any organized services. Many animals survived as best they could, and quite a few ended up dying from lack of care. Kate, with very little—what her pension allowed—took them in, fed them, washed them, and took them for walks. But above all, she loved them. For her, animals had the same dignity and deserved the same affection as any person. The community, moved by her dedication, supported her: some brought her food, others helped her with the sickest animals, or offered their assistance when she needed it. Between the 1950s and her death in 1978, Camberley Kate rescued dozens of dogs and earned the respect and affection of the entire town. Today, her image lives on in the collective memory as a symbol of unconditional love and selfless dedication.