Tue 3rd Mar 2026
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!
Get into the festive spirit and make a difference this Christmas by taking part in our Santa Claws & Paws Christmas Raffle 2025, proudly supporting the animals in our care at Danaher Animal Home. Every ticket sold helps provide food, warmth, and care for animals in need this holiday season and gives you the chance to win some amazing prizes! ❤️🐶🐱
✨ Fantastic Prizes to Be Won!
Our star prize is an incredible £200 cash — perfect for adding a little extra sparkle to your festive celebrations!
But that’s not all — we’ve got a wonderful selection of prizes including:
🎁 £75 cash
🎁 £50 Great British Pub Card
🎁 Family Ticket to Castle Hedingham Event Day
🎁 Large Pet Hamper
and many more exciting prizes kindly donated by local individuals and businesses.
🎟️ Tickets Just £1 Each!
Tickets are only £1 each and are on sale now until Monday 15th December 2025. Winners will be contacted following the draw.
🌟 How to Buy Your Tickets
You can purchase your tickets in several easy ways:
🔗 Online: https://danaheranimalhome.org.uk/shop/product/00718174/santa-claws-and-paws-raffle-2025
❄ At our Santa Claws and Paws 2025 Event (Sunday 7th December): https://danaheranimalhome.org.uk/events/9049/santa-claws-and-paws-event-2025
🏪 In any of our five charity shops: https://danaheranimalhome.org.uk/charity-shops
🏠 At our main rescue centre:
Danaher Animal Home, Thorley Farm, Hedingham Road, Wethersfield, Essex CM7 4EP
📞 By phone: Call 0300 111 4321 to pay and enter.
Please note: prizes must be collected from our rescue centre or one of our charity shops. Vouchers can be posted free of charge.
💖 Every Ticket Makes a Difference
By joining our Christmas raffle, you’re not just entering to win, you’re helping provide shelter, food, and care for animals who need it most this winter. Every pound truly makes a difference.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the generous individuals and businesses who have kindly donated prizes and made this raffle possible. Your support helps us continue our mission to give every animal a chance at a brighter future.
So, don’t miss out, buy your tickets today, spread some festive cheer, and help make this Christmas special for the animals at Danaher Animal Home. 🎄🐾❤️
We are absolutely thrilled to share the highlights from our Danaher Open Day on Sunday, 31st August 2025 – a day that will be remembered as our biggest and most successful event yet! From the moment the gates opened, the atmosphere was electric. Families, friends, and furry companions of all shapes and sizes came together to enjoy a day filled with fun, community spirit, and wagging tails. (Sorry about the queues!) Thanks to the generosity and support of everyone who attended, we are overjoyed to announce that we raised an astonishing £10,442.10 – the most money we have EVER raised at an Open Day! To put this in perspective, in previous years, our totals have ranged between £4,000 and £6,000. These funds will go directly to supporting animals in need, providing vital care, and helping us continue our mission: Rescue. Rehabilitate. Rehome. Educate.
This year, our volunteer team, The Danateers, took the lead in making the event a seamless success. From planning the dog shows to creating the site layout and assisting with queries throughout the day, their tireless dedication was the backbone of the event. Their efforts ensured that everything ran smoothly and that every visitor had a fantastic experience. We cannot thank them enough!
The dog shows were a highlight, with attendance reaching an all-time high. Competitions ranged from “Junior Handler” to “Golden Oldies,” finishing in the always-heart-warming “Best Rescue” class. Seeing so many former Danaher dogs thriving in their forever homes was a touching reminder of the impact our community helps us make.
A huge thank you to our Dog Class Sponsors for their generous support:
We were also honoured to welcome special VIP guests: Lisa Baggs and family, Rianna (rianna_rottie) and Alex & Olivia Bowen, who generously judged some of the dog shows. You may have seen a film crew following Alex and Olivia around the site... keep an eye out for the new ITV2 show coming in October, where Danaher may just make an appearance!
Visitors enjoyed a huge variety of stalls, offering everything from tasty treats and refreshing drinks to unique handmade gifts. As always, a huge shout out to Jenny Garvey and her BBQ-Crew for a seamless day, providing lots of tasty hot food for our attendees.
We also want to give a special thanks to:
And to all the other volunteers, supporters, and attendees who helped make the day possible – your contributions, big and small, are truly appreciated.
One of our favourite parts of the day as always was seeing so many ex-Danaher dogs and their families return. The “Best Rescue” class in particular showcased the incredible transformations of our former residents. We are also thrilled to report that several of our current residents found their forever homes from being seen on the day – a perfect reminder of why we do what we do.
From everyone at Danaher Animal Home, thank you to all who attended, donated, volunteered, and celebrated alongside us. Together, we have achieved something truly remarkable, raising vital funds to continue our life-changing work for animals in need. Here’s to making next year even bigger and better!
This year we were deeply saddened to say goodbye to our dear friend and former colleague, Jason Bear, who passed away at the age of 54.
Jason first joined Danaher in 2010 as a volunteer dog walker alongside his wife Sam. What began as a simple act of kindness soon grew into over a decade of dedicated service. Over the years, Jason became our Volunteer Coordinator, photographer, IT consultant, and most recently, a Trustee of the charity. His commitment and generosity touched every part of our organisation.
Jason’s love for animals shone through in every aspect of his life. Beyond his work with Danaher, he and Sam opened their home and hearts to five rescue dogs (pictured below) - Rocky, Boycie, Ruby, and Bella, all former Danaher residents, and Pickle from Battersea Dogs Home. Each one was given the perfect, loving home they deserved.
To honour Jason’s memory, his cousin Linda Humphries will be running the 2025 New York Marathon on 2nd November, raising funds to support the animals at Danaher. This tribute is especially fitting, as Jason himself once completed a sponsored 20-mile run from his home in Good Easter to Danaher to raise money for the animals he cared so deeply about.
Jason will be greatly missed by all of us. We will always be grateful for his kindness, dedication, and the lasting legacy he leaves behind.
If you would like to sponsor Linda’s marathon or donate in Jason’s memory, please visit her JustGiving page linked below.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/linda-humphries-5
We also send our very best wishes to Linda and thank her wholeheartedly for this incredible act of support!