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On a Tuesday evening at around 7pm, a member of staff leaving Danaher Animal Home noticed a cardboard box sitting by the gate. Curious and concerned, they stopped to take a closer look. When the box was opened, a scared little kitten looked up from inside.

The box had not been taped shut, yet the tiny kitten had made no attempt to escape. Instead, she had remained inside, frightened and alone, seemingly hoping someone would find her. Thankfully, she was discovered just in time.

The kitten was immediately brought inside where staff carried out an initial health check to look for any obvious issues. Fortunately, she appeared to be in good health.

The following morning, she received a more thorough examination and has since been given plenty of love, care and attention from the team.

Staff are unsure where the kitten came from or what happened to her before she was left at the gate. Despite her difficult start, she has shown herself to be incredibly friendly and affectionate, clearly just wanting love and reassurance.

As she was found on a Tuesday evening, the team decided to name her Tuesday – a name they think suits her perfectly.

Tuesday is not quite ready for adoption just yet, but keep an eye on the Danaher Animal Home website as she will be on here soon!

A dog came into our care after having a horrible start to life, and the person responsible has now been banned from owning animals for life.

A poor, afraid, and heartbroken little dog arrived at Danaher Animal Home after living with someone who did not deserve the love an animal can give. The owner had been caught on camera lifting the dog by the scruff of the neck and punching him repeatedly, while the dog yelped in agony. The owner claimed he was “helping the dog” after “following app guidance.” What this man did to this dog is completely unacceptable, and many would say he deserves far more than just a ban on owning animals.

But enough about the person who caused this pain.

We welcomed this dog into our care to give him the life he truly deserved. Despite everything he had been through, all he had to offer was love. We knew he would need patience, kindness, and plenty of care.

After many hours of reassurance and affection, we began to see his sweet personality shine through. He has grown into the most loving little boy. In fact, one of our staff members couldn’t imagine life without him and decided to adopt him!

This just shows how amazing, brave, and resilient he truly is. We are incredibly proud to say we helped save this little man.

We have some pictures below of the little Shih Tzu below 😊

After an incredible 421 days in our care, our wonderful resident Oscar has finally found his forever home.

Oscar arrived at Danaher Animal Home on 9th January 2025 after some very sad circumstances. When he first came to us, he was timid, distant and unsure of the world around him. Understandably, he struggled to trust people and often preferred to keep his distance rather than interact with those caring for him.

Despite this, our team made sure Oscar had everything he needed. He was kept safe, clean and well fed while staff and volunteers patiently worked to show him that people could be kind and that he was finally in a place where he was loved and cared for.

For a long time, Oscar didn’t want to be approached or interacted with. It was clear he had a lot to learn about what it meant to feel safe and comfortable. With patience and understanding, we slowly began helping him build his confidence.

During his stay with us, Oscar also spent several months in a foster home. This gave us valuable insight into how he behaved in a home environment and helped him make progress with his socialisation. Unfortunately, the foster home was unable to become his permanent home, so Oscar returned to Danaher still searching for that special person who would give him the future he deserved.

As the months passed, Oscar watched many of his feline friends come and go as they found homes of their own. Being a black cat and naturally quite reserved, he was often overlooked by potential adopters.

But then something amazing happened.

One of our long-term volunteers, Jules, formed a truly special bond with Oscar. Through patience, dedication and countless hours spent quietly with him, Jules slowly earned his trust. For the first time in a long while, Oscar began letting his guard down.

Before long, we started to see a completely different side of him. Oscar began showing positive signs toward more members of our cattery team, even coming up to the glass of his pen for a little fuss. It was an incredible transformation and a moment that meant so much to everyone who had been supporting him on his journey.

Aimee Loaring, Cattery Team Leader, said:

"When I first started working at Danaher Animal Home, Oscar was already here and had spent far too long waiting for a home. I was lucky enough to witness his incredible transformation — from a scared cat who didn’t want to interact with anyone, to one of the loveliest boys you could ever meet. I’m so proud of the whole team for showing Oscar that he was finally safe and cared for. Seeing him leave for his forever home was such a special moment. The cattery won’t quite be the same without his big personality, but missing him is a small price to pay for knowing he’s finally where he belongs."

Still, the days continued to pass and Oscar received very little interest from adopters.

Then, a small miracle happened.

A potential adopter had come to the cattery to meet two other cats. While visiting, they spotted Oscar and instantly fell in love. For so long Oscar had watched people come to see him only to leave with another cat... but this time the situation was completely reversed.

After some long and thoughtful conversations, it quickly became clear that this adopter was absolutely perfect for Oscar. They understood his past, his personality and his needs, and were ready to give him the patient and loving home he deserved.

And finally, Oscar’s wait came to an end.

On 5th March 2026, after 421 days in our care, Oscar said goodbye to Danaher Animal Home and set off for his forever home.

Staff and volunteers gathered to wave him off and wish him well. There were a few happy tears, plenty of smiles, and an overwhelming sense of joy knowing that someone had taken a chance on this very special boy.

Oscar truly landed on his paws and we could not be happier for him!

Last October, we came to you with a dream: to raise £5,000 to build a dedicated puppy nursery. What happened next completely blew us away. In just one week, you didn’t just meet the target — you tripled it, raising an incredible £15,000!

Thanks to your generosity, we were able to do so much more than we ever imagined. The additional funds allowed us to expand the nursery, creating a spacious outdoor run where mums can stretch their legs and pups can begin exploring the world safely. We opened up the interior space to make it brighter and calmer, installed much-needed storage for specialist food and supplies, and of course made sure there were plenty of treats on hand for our hardworking mums.

Before the nursery was built, our mums and their puppies were housed in our smallest dog block. While safe, it was never ideal. Being part of a busy dog block meant constant noise and activity — far from the peaceful environment new mums need. Stress can have a real impact on both mother and pups, and every new mum deserves a quiet, calm space where she can nurture her babies and feel secure. Because of you, that’s now exactly what they have.

The impact has been extraordinary. In 2025 alone, we cared for TEN litters of puppies — more than 80 tiny mouths to feed, monitor, cuddle, and prepare for their forever homes. That’s 80+ lives given the very best start possible. It’s an enormous responsibility, but with the nursery completed in 2026, we’re ready to help even more expecting mums and their babies.

A quote from Katie Shilling - our Animal Team Leader who looks after mums and pups predominantly: 

“Having a dedicated puppy nursery makes an incredible difference to the welfare of both our mums and their pups. Being able to move them away from the noise and activity of the main kennels into a calm, quiet space allows them to properly rest, bond and feel safe during such a crucial time.

For our mums especially, it gives them the chance to recover, regain their strength and care for their babies without unnecessary stress, while still keeping their little ones close. Those early weeks are absolutely vital for healthy development, and I’ve seen first-hand just how important the right environment is for both mum and puppies.

We’ve already welcomed two mums into the nursery this year, and it has genuinely been game-changing for the level of care we can provide. I can’t thank our supporters enough, your generosity has directly improved the comfort, safety and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable residents.”

A quote from Sam Garvey - our Managing Director at Danaher Animal Home: 

“We are absolutely thrilled to have not only reached but completely smashed our £5,000 target, raising an incredible £15,000 for our puppy nursery. This extraordinary level of support shows just how much our community cares about giving our youngest residents the very best start in life.

These funds will make a real and lasting difference, ensuring our puppies and their Mumma have a warm, safe and comfortable environment during those crucial early weeks. Their health, wellbeing and safety are always our top priorities, and this achievement allows us to enhance the care and facilities we provide at such a vital stage of development.

On behalf of everyone here, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed. Your generosity will directly support happier, healthier futures for our newest arrivals.”

With the number of dogs entering rescue having doubled since 2020, the need has never been greater. Your support hasn’t just built a room — it has created a safe haven. A place of calm. A place of new beginnings.

We truly cannot thank you enough. The difference you’ve made to our mums and pups is immeasurable — and every wagging tail and healthy, happy puppy is a testament to your kindness.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for our Santa Claws & Paws 2025 event at Danaher Animal Home. Your generosity, festive spirit, and support made this event truly magical for our animals and community alike.

A very special highlight this year was a visit from Santa himself, welcoming children, dogs, and even some adults into his grotto to receive presents and professional photographs. A huge shoutout to Dave at Pixels for Pleasure, our amazing photographer and elf for the day – we hope everyone has received their copy of these incredible keepsakes!

We are immensely grateful to all our staff and volunteers whose hard work and dedication ensured the day ran smoothly. From managing the donation point to helping families and furry friends enjoy the festivities, their efforts made all the difference. A massive thank you also goes to our festive stall holders. From beautiful gifts to Christmas crafts, as well as Danaher’s raffle, tombola, and craft stalls, there was plenty of festive cheer to enjoy. Your contributions helped make the event a true celebration of community and giving. We hope you enjoyed a mulled wine and mince pie (or two!!)

This year, we raised a staggering £3,500, with even more to come from the sale of Dave’s amazing photograph prints! But it wasn’t just about the donations, our animals were truly spoiled. Every stocking was filled to the brim with treats, toys, and food, and our donation point overflowed all day long, thanks to our tireless volunteers who kept it replenished in no time.

From all of us at Danaher Animal Home, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for your continued support and for helping us make a difference in the lives of the animals we care for. We can’t wait to see you at future events!