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From a small cattery at Wethersfield Manor to the animal rescue home caring for animals across Essex today, the story of Danaher Animal Home began with a love of animals and a legacy that continues to shape its future.

Every animal deserves a chance at a better life. At Danaher Animal Home in Wethersfield, Essex, that belief has been at the heart of its work for decades. But the story of the Home began long before the rescue centre people know today, with one family's determination to help animals in need and the generosity of Margery Danaher.

In 1978, Mr and Mrs F. L. Danaher established a cattery at their home at Wethersfield Manor. Over the following 12 years, approximately 2,600 cats were cared for there, providing a lifeline for animals needing somewhere safe to go.

As the need to help unwanted dogs grew, it became clear that more accommodation was urgently needed. In 1980, Miss Sylvia Jenkins began rehoming unwanted dogs through a fostering and referral service, highlighting the growing need for dedicated kennel facilities.

The road to establishing an animal home was not always straightforward. Plans to develop the Wethersfield Manor site faced planning difficulties, with applications refused and appeals dismissed. Determined to find a way forward, Mr and Mrs Danaher purchased Thorley Farm in Wethersfield in 1986. The property, a farmhouse with 6.5 acres of land, offered the potential to create a dedicated home for animals in need.

Planning permission for development was granted in April 1987, and the work to establish the new facilities continued.

In 1990, the kennels, cattery and one of the semi-detached houses at Thorley Farm were leased to the North West Essex Branch of the RSPCA, alongside the existing Wethersfield Animal Shelter. The first dog was admitted in February that year, followed by the transfer of cats from Wethersfield Manor in June.

A pivotal moment came when Mrs Danaher gave the freehold of the Wethersfield Animal Shelter to the branch. This brought the two properties together, allowing them to be developed into a comprehensive animal home serving Essex.

The resulting RSPCA Danaher Animal Home for Essex was established to provide accommodation for domestic animals needing care and rehoming, short-term care for injured wildlife, and education in animal welfare.

It was a significant step in the development of a Home that would go on to help thousands of animals.

Memories that bring the history to life

While historical records tell the story of how Danaher developed, it is the memories of those connected to the Home that help bring its early days to life.

Dorothy Lee, who has volunteered at Danaher for an incredible 32 years, remembers Margery and her beloved whippet, Jasmine. Her memories offer a glimpse into the people and animals behind the Home's beginnings.

Dorothy also recalls a time when dogs were sent from Liverpool to Danaher to make use of the available kennel space, highlighting how the Home helped provide accommodation for animals beyond its immediate local area.

For Dorothy, volunteering has been meaningful in its own right. Reflecting on her time at Danaher, she said: "Coming here has helped me enormously."

Her words are a reminder that the impact of an animal home can reach beyond the animals it cares for, touching the lives of the people who give their time, compassion and commitment to helping them.

A legacy that continues

Margery Danaher's contribution forms an important part of Danaher Animal Home's history. The gift of the shelter's freehold helped bring together the foundations of the Home, creating an opportunity to develop a more comprehensive service for animals across Essex.

Today, Danaher continues that work as an independent, self-funding animal charity. Caring for animals, providing veterinary treatment, supporting their rehabilitation and helping them find loving homes all come with significant costs. The generosity of supporters remains essential to making that work possible.

There are many ways to support a charity, from volunteering and fundraising to making donations during your lifetime. For some people, leaving a gift in their will is another way to support a cause that matters to them, helping a charity continue its work for future generations.

For Alison and Craig Dewar, their connection to Danaher is a personal one. Having welcomed two rescue dogs from the Home, they have seen first-hand the difference that its team makes. They have chosen to leave a gift in their will to help ensure that future generations of animals can benefit from the same care and compassion.

“Leaving a Gift in our Wills to Danaher Animal Home is really important to us. We’ve had two rescue dogs from Danaher and have seen first-hand the huge amount of care, love and attention provided by the wonderful Danaher team. We hope that by leaving a legacy now, we can help that work to continue in the future, so many more animals can benefit too.”

- Alison & Craig Dewar

Danaher's own history is a reminder of how one person's generosity can help shape what becomes possible. The legacy of its beginnings lives on in the work carried out every day and in the lives of the animals who come through its doors.

As Danaher looks back on its history, it also looks to the future, recognising the people whose kindness has helped build the Home and the role that generosity can continue to play in protecting its future.

To find out more about Danaher Animal Home and how to support its work, visit www.danaheranimalhome.org.uk/legacies

WOW!! 🥹❤️

Our first appeal post has been an absolute HIT, and we are completely blown away by the kindness and generosity shown by our amazing supporters!

Every single day, we are receiving more and more deliveries from members of the public who have taken the time to donate and support our animals. From those who have ordered directly from our Wishlist to those who have dropped donations off at our centre and shops, every single contribution makes such a difference.

It is so heartwarming to see our community come together for the animals who need us most. Your generosity helps us keep tails wagging, tummies full and little paws warm, especially as we head into the colder months. 🐾

We genuinely cannot thank you all enough. Whether you've donated one item or a whole delivery, please know how much we appreciate you. Your kindness never goes unnoticed, and our animals are incredibly lucky to have such wonderful people rooting for them.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! ❤️

We had an absolutely fantastic day at the Countess of Warwick, and we are delighted to share that, thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone who supported us, we raised a wonderful £2,600

The Countess of Warwick is a unique country show celebrating village life, community spirit and rural traditions, bringing together local organisations, businesses, families and members of the community for a fantastic day of fun. We were incredibly proud to be part of such a special event and loved having the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people throughout the day.

We brought along a selection of items for people to browse and buy, as well as some very special four-legged members of the team! Our dogs had a brilliant time getting out and about, enjoying all the sights, sounds and smells of the show. They loved meeting new people, receiving plenty of fuss and attention, and showing everyone just how wonderful our rescue dogs can be.

Our staff and volunteers also had a fantastic day. Events like this are such a great opportunity for us to get out into the community, raise awareness of the work we do and, most importantly, raise vital funds to support the animals in our care.

And what an incredible amount we raised!

£2,600 is a huge achievement, and every single penny will make a real difference to the animals who rely on us. As a self-funded organisation, fundraising events and the generosity of our supporters are absolutely vital in helping us provide the food, veterinary care, enrichment, accommodation and day-to-day support our animals need while they wait for their forever homes.

We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who visited our stand, bought something, made a donation, stopped to chat with us or simply took the time to say hello to our dogs. Your support, kindness and generosity mean more than we can put into words.

A huge thank you must also go to our wonderful staff and volunteers who gave up their time to help make the day such a success. From setting up and running our stand to looking after our dogs and speaking to members of the public, we couldn't have done it without you.

It was truly wonderful to see so many people come together to celebrate their community and show their support for the animals in our care. Days like this remind us just how lucky we are to have such an incredible community behind us.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the Countess of Warwick such a memorable

We are absolutely delighted to share some of the highlights from our Danaher Open Day on Sunday, 6th September 2026, a day that is the absolutely highlight of our yearly calendar. From the moment the gates opened, there was an incredible atmosphere as families, friends and furry companions came together to enjoy a fantastic day filled with fun, community spirit and plenty of wagging tails.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone who attended, donated and supported us throughout the day, we are thrilled to announce that we raised an astonishing £11,851.21 a truly incredible achievement. Thank you ALL. Every penny raised will go directly towards supporting the animals in our care, helping to provide the vital food, veterinary treatment, rehabilitation and care they need. It allows us to continue our mission: Rescue. Rehabilitate. Rehome. Educate.

This year, our amazing volunteer team, The Danateers, played a huge part in making the event such a success. From helping to organise the dog shows and creating the site layout to answering queries and supporting visitors throughout the day, their dedication was truly incredible. Their hard work helped everything run smoothly and ensured our visitors had the best possible experience. We simply cannot thank them enough!

The dog shows were, as always, one of the biggest highlights of the day, with attendance reaching an all-time high. There was something for everyone, with classes ranging from “Junior Handler” all the way through to “Golden Oldies”, before finishing with our incredibly heart-warming “Best Rescue” class.

Seeing so many former Danaher residents returning with their families and thriving in their forever homes was incredibly special. It was a beautiful reminder of the difference our supporters help us make every single day.

A huge thank you to our Dog Class Sponsors for their generous support: 

Arlo Consultancy Serices 

Mazpom 

Leaders 

Emmerson Barnett 

Braintree Canine Retreat 

Quirk Build & Design 

Bucking Coatings 

Ian Holmes Water Softener Services 

Thaxted Stoves 

Waggy Tails 

And Bailey Accounts.

We were also incredibly honoured to welcome our special VIP guests, including Lisa Baggs and family, Ronnie Buckingham and TONI LAITES, who kindly joined us and generously judged some of our dog shows. We were so thrilled this year to make Lisa Baggs and Ronnie Buckingham our first ever Danaher Ambassadors. We have appreciated all their support over the years, shouting our name, raising money for us and coming to the home to spend time with our animals (even adopting!) - so a huge thank you to them.

Our visitors were also treated to a fantastic variety of stalls, with everything from delicious treats to unique handmade gifts. There was truly something for everyone to enjoy!

As always, a huge shout-out goes to Jenny Garvey and her BBQ Crew for doing such a fantastic job and keeping our visitors well-fed throughout the day with plenty of delicious hot food. We also hoped you enjoyed our new addition of our Horse Box Bar this year! 

And, of course, we cannot forget the other incredible volunteers, supporters and attendees who helped make the day possible. Whether you donated, volunteered your time, supported one of our stalls or simply came along to enjoy the day, every contribution made a difference and we are incredibly grateful.

One of the most special parts of the day, as always, was seeing so many ex-Danaher dogs and their families return to visit us. The “Best Rescue” class was a particular highlight, showcasing just how incredible the transformations of our former residents can be once they find their loving forever homes.

We were also over the moon to see several of our current residents find their forever homes after being seen at the event. There could be no better reminder of the reason behind everything we do, helping animals in need find the loving homes they deserve.

From everyone at Danaher Animal Home, a huge and heartfelt thank you to every single person who attended, donated, volunteered, sponsored, supported or celebrated alongside us.

Together, we have achieved something truly incredible and raised vital funds that will make a real difference to the animals in our care.

We are so incredibly grateful for the amazing community that continues to stand behind Danaher and our animals. Here’s to making next year even bigger and better! 

We’re looking to build meaningful partnerships with organisations that share our passion for animal welfare. Through your corporate social responsibility initiatives, your organisation can help us make a lasting difference to the hundreds of animals who come into our care each year.

Whether you choose to support us through a financial donation, provide essential goods or materials, or share your team’s time and expertise, every contribution plays an important part in helping us give animals the care, love and brighter futures they deserve.

Partnering with Danaher offers more than simply the opportunity to give back. It provides rewarding and memorable experiences for your organisation and your employees. We welcome your team to visit our centre, meet the animals they are helping to support, and see first-hand the positive impact their involvement is having.

Hear from our Gold Sponsors

We’re incredibly grateful to our Gold Sponsors for their continued support. Here’s what two of our valued sponsors have to say about their experience:

“We have loved being a Gold Sponsor for Danaher over the past year. The regular updates are wonderful to receive and really make you feel like you're making a genuine difference. The team keeps us informed about the kennel we sponsor and regularly features us on their social media channels. This has helped increase our business's visibility and introduced us to an audience we may not otherwise have reached. We've seen more engagement with our own social media through our connection with Danaher, and our regular customers enjoy hearing the updates we share about the dogs and the impact the charity is making. If you're considering sponsorship, I would highly recommend the Gold Package. Not only does it make a real difference to the charity and the dogs in their care, but it can also have a positive impact on your own business through increased exposure and community engagement.” - Leaders Estate Agent.

“As a sponsor of a kennel at Danaher animal home, it brings us so much pleasure to know we are helping the poor animals who are looking for their forever homes, the staff at Danaher do a fantastic job, this especially special to us as we were trusted with our dachshund coco." - Will and Sarah Parker (Thaxted Stoves)

Become a Gold Sponsor

Becoming a Gold Sponsor comes with a fantastic range of benefits, giving your organisation plenty of opportunities to get involved and connect with the work we do.

As a Gold Sponsor, you can name an animal at Danaher Animal Home, enjoy an exclusive tour of our centre, take part in a Corporate Day, and benefit from much more throughout your partnership.

By becoming a Gold Sponsor, you’re not only supporting animals in need — you’re also giving your team the opportunity to experience the difference your organisation is helping to make.

Please contact [email protected]