How we help our communities and charities
Animals in Mind support many charity events for local community groups with our visiting Therapy Animals. We select our featured charities every year and prioritise charities that support disadvantaged people and animals.
We also support via donations and fundraising / volunteering for charities.
This year, our featured charities are: The PDA Society, The British Hedgehog Preservation Society, the Donkey Sanctuary and our local RSPCA.
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We often get asked if people can donate directly to Animals in Mind, which will be coming soon in 2024, to collect money for bursaries to support children who can not afford, or have no access to funding to support the cost of sessions.
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We do also have an Amazon Wish List, where people can purchase items for the animals directly - see here.
The PDA Society
PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is widely understood to be a profile on the autism spectrum, involving the avoidance of everyday demands and the use of ‘social’ strategies as part of this avoidance. PDA individuals share autistic characteristics and also have many of the ‘key features’ of a PDA profile.
(PDA Society, 2022)
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Animals in Mind began working with a young child with a PDA profile in January 2022. This child was the inspiration behind AiM nominating the PDA Society as one of our main charities.
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The impact PDA has on the person and their family, particularly when struggling to get diagnosis is significant. Understanding of PDA is still emerging and this small charity is invaluable in raising awareness and supporting individuals and families who have a family member with a a PDA profile.
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To find out more, or donate, please visit the PDA website:
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British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS)
The native British Hedgehog Hedgehog (Erinaceus Europaeus) is in serious decline in the UK.
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Founded in 1982, The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is a registered UK Charity (number 1164542) dedicated to helping & protecting hedgehogs native to the UK. Through our campaigns, advocacy and educational projects we work to raise awareness of the practical steps we can take to help reverse the decline of hedgehogs in the wild, improve their welfare and safeguard the future of this much-loved animal. We also fund research that provides important new insights into the conservation and welfare of hedgehogs.
(BHPS 2022)
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Lynn at Animals in Mind is a Hedgehog Champion and gives free talks at charity events to educate on the preservation of our native hedgehog. The BHPS provide us with information flyers for these events and we encourage people to visit their site for free resources to learn how everyone, no matter where you live can protect our hedgehog. To find out more, or to donate visit the BHPS directly
RSPCA
Animals in Mind believe in 'Adopt, not Shop' to give the thousands of animals in rescue a good loving home and most of our beloved Animal Assistants have come from a range of rescue settings.
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Recent fosters / adoptees include:
Daisy, Duke and Honey the three young Rex Rabbits, all adopted from Essex Rabbit Rescue in February 2022.
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Bubble and Squeak, Luna, Zena, Baby Bear, Emily and Minnie, Queenie and Princess, and Tiger-Lilly and Bumble Bee some of our 13 Guinea Pigs were all adopted, most from the RSPCA.
Vicky, the 18 year old Turkish Spur Thigh Tortoise was adopted in 2021 from a couple who were struggling to look after her.
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Romeo, the African Pygmy Hedgehog was adopted from Essex African Pygmy Hedgehog Rescue.
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RSPCA Northampton, are our designated charity for Amazon Smile points for 2022. For more information or to donate to the RSPCA, please follow the link below:​
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Donkey Sanctuary
Animals in Mind took on foster Donkey's Rupert and Perry in June 2023 who quickly began assisting in Animal Assisted Therapy and so began our love affair of these beautiful, sentient animals.
We received unbelievable support from the Donkey Sanctuary during our time preparing for our Donkeys and particularly the team at the Sutton Park site, so we felt we needed to return their kindness by adopting and supporting their vital charitable work.
Drizzle (left) is our first adoption Donkey (probably of many), and you can read more about him or even visit him at Sidmouth, or you can donate to the Donkey Sanctuary directly by following the link below:​​
Animals in Mind - Amazon Wish List
We value all the support we can get to feed and care for the animals or support some of the activities our clients often enjoy during sessions with us.
We frequently get asked about donating directly to us and so have set up our Amazon Wish List so people can chose items that suit their budget, or for their favourite animal.
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We list and change items frequently, so we do not build up too big a stock of certain items. Please click the link below to be taken directly to our wish list and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for any given support.