Cheltenham Animal Shelter

24/08/2026

Are you looking for something fun to do with your four-legged friend this Bank Holiday Monday? Why not head to The Gloucester Old Spot for their fantastic Charity Dog Show – with all proceeds coming to Cheltenham Animal Shelter!

📅 Monday 31st August
⏰ 2pm–5pm
📍 The Gloucester Old Spot, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham

There’s plenty of fun planned, including a charity raffle, children’s activities and smokehouse specials, plus lots of fabulous dog show categories to get involved in!

This year's 10 fun categories are just £1 per dog, per category, to enter so grab your pup, bring your family and friends, and come along for an afternoon of fun – while helping raise vital funds for the animals in our care.

Dog show registration is now open - email 👉 [email protected]

23/08/2026

This Sunday’s success story features Border Collie, Skye, who came to the Shelter when she was three years old because of a change in family circumstances.

Whilst in our care, Skye could be easily spooked by unfamiliar situations and was reactive towards other dogs, so we knew this sensitive, affectionate, ball-loving Collie would thrive best in a calm, predictable environment.

Luckily, after two months at the Shelter, Skye found her perfect match with new owner Danielle, who shared these beautiful photos and told us:

“We adopted Skye last August after we both fell in love with her photo on Facebook – she is exactly what our home was missing - from her over excited tail knocking everything when you say her name, to her running into you because she can’t stop! We cannot believe how well she has fitted into our family.

She is so gentle when taking a treat, she will sit and wait to be called over for her food. She’s learnt to sit for a treat but hasn’t quite worked out giving her paw yet (a work in progress).

She loves running around the garden and local secure fields. However, in our house, she is known for loving the hosepipe a little too much - you cannot water the plants without her wanting to play and attack the water!

She loves to have a big fuss and will throw her tennis ball at your feet. She’s great company when I’m working from home as she lets you know when it’s dinner time (or Skye’s case playtime).”

We love reading these happy stories! Share yours with us at 👉 www.gawa.org.uk/success-stories

22/08/2026

Two-year-old Quiche is a super sweet and gentle boy who is sure to be a slice of happiness in his new home! He absolutely loves fuss and cuddles and is happiest when he’s spending time with his people.

Quiche enjoys his walks and loves having a good sniff around, taking in all the interesting smells along the way.

He could live with teenagers aged 14+ and would like to be the only dog in the home while he continues building positive experiences around other dogs. As Quiche arrived as a stray, we don’t have any history with cats or know how he will manage being left alone at home, although he has been fairly settled when left in his kennel here.

A secure garden would be ideal, particularly while he settles in and gets used to his new routine.

If you’re looking for a gentle, affectionate boy who is ready to find his forever home, Quiche could be your perfect match - email 👉 [email protected] 👈 to apply or find out more.

To see all our pets waiting to be adopted, please visit 👉 www.gawa.org.uk

21/08/2026

Does your dog sometimes go from 0 to 100?

Understanding trigger stacking can help us recognise when our dogs are becoming overwhelmed - a leading cause of dog reactivity - and support them before things escalate.

Join us on September 12th at Cheltenham Animal Shelter for our in-house Dog Reactivity Workshop, where we’ll explore what causes reactivity, how to spot the signs, and practical ways to help your dog feel safer and more comfortable.

Spaces are limited, so book your place and take the next step towards understanding your dog at 👉 www.gawa.org.uk/event/understanding-dog-reactivity

20/08/2026

Three-month-old Barney and Betty were found together and brought to us as strays - we think they had been abandoned. These two are very much bonded and we’re looking for a loving home where they can stay together.

They adore grooming each other, playing together and even insist on eating side-by-side, despite having their own individual dishes! They’re both affectionate little characters who love catnip toys and chasing spring toys around.

As they can be a little jumpy at times, we feel they’d be happiest living with teenage children who can give them the time and space they need to settle in.

Barney and Betty will need to be the only pets in their new home, but with each other for company, they’ll have their perfect little partnership.

If you could give this adorable duo their forever home together, email 👉 [email protected] 👈 to apply or find out more.

To see all our pets waiting to be adopted, visit 👉 www.gawa.org.uk

19/08/2026

Six-year-old Kandi is a wonderfully friendly and fun-loving girl who is always thrilled to meet new people! She’s an energetic pooch who loves keeping busy and heading off on adventures. A secure garden would be a fantastic bonus for Kandi, giving her somewhere to zoom around and burn off some of that energy!

Kandi would suit a home with children aged 12+ and will need to be the only pet. She can be reactive towards other dogs and likes to chase cats, so her new family will need to be mindful of this.

She’ll need plenty of exercise, enrichment and positive training to keep her happy and fulfilled. Kandi also doesn’t enjoy being left alone so she’d love a home where someone can be around for most of the day.

If you’re looking for a happy, enthusiastic girl with a BIG personality, Kandi could be your perfect match - email 👉 [email protected] 👈 to apply or find out more!

To see all our pets waiting to be adopted, visit 👉 www.gawa.org.uk

18/08/2026

Meet one-year-old Derek & Luca!

These lovely boys are a confident and curious pair who love exploring their enclosure and keeping a close eye on what their carers are up to!

They’re both very friendly and enjoy plenty of fuss and time with their favourite people. And when it comes to food, they’re big fans of their greens (and pretty much anything else edible!).

Derek is the more adventurous of the two and is into absolutely everything, while Luca is a little more reserved and takes confidence from his brother. Together, they make a wonderfully entertaining pair and would love to find a family to call their own.

Derek and Luca could be suited to either an indoor or outdoor home - email 👉 [email protected] 👈 to apply or find out more!

To see all our pets waiting to be adopted, please visit 👉 www.gawa.org.uk

18/08/2026

A huge thank you to Holly! 🐾

We were delighted to welcome young fundraiser, Holly, to the Shelter yesterday, as she dropped off an amazing £165.46 she raised for the animals in our care!

Holly adores animals and has been keen to help the Shelter for a long time, so she decided to organise her own car boot sale. She sorted through her old toys and books, priced everything, made posters and even created a sign to let everyone know she was raising money for our animals.

And what an achievement it was! Holly talked to customers, told them all about her fundraising, and even inspired some kind-hearted people to make donations without buying anything.

Holly got to see where her fundraising will make a difference and meet Seff, who was very happy to receive some fuss!

Thank you so much, Holly, for your incredible effort, kindness and determination. We’re so proud of you – and our animals are incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful young supporter!

17/08/2026

ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH FOR FIRE & ICE? 🔥❄️

Fancy an unforgettable night of adrenaline, courage and fundraising? On Wednesday 14 October, we’re challenging you to step outside your comfort zone at our incredible Fire and Ice Challenge!

🔥 Walk barefoot across hot embers
❄️ Take on the Ice Challenge across broken glass
💪 Push yourself, conquer your fears and raise vital funds for our homeless animals!

You don’t need to be superhuman – everyone who has taken on the challenge in the past has thoroughly enjoyed it, and some have signed up again for 2026!

We’ll be there to support and encourage you every step of the way. Places cost £30 to secure, with a fundraising target of £150.

And if walking across fire and glass isn’t quite your thing, you can still be part of the excitement! Come along as a spectator and cheer on our amazing participants while enjoying live entertainment, warming refreshments, a raffle and an incredible atmosphere.

✨ Wednesday 14 October | 6pm–9pm | Cheltenham Animal Shelter

There’ll be a fire show, dance performances, live music, hot dogs and hot drinks – plus a certificate, medal and celebratory drink for everyone who completes the challenge!

Could you take on Fire & Ice? Or will you be cheering from the sidelines?

👉 Find out more and sign up: gawa.org.uk/event/fire-and-ice/

Please note: it is free to come along and spectate, no need to book.

Join us for the hottest event in town! This will be a fantastic evening at the Shelter for walkers and spectators alike.

16/08/2026

This Sunday we are pleased to share this lovely success story about Roger, who was just two years old when he came to the Shelter from another rescue charity.

After two months in our care, Roger found his perfect match with new owner Maria who told us:

“We made the decision to adopt a dog two years after losing our previous boy, we felt the time was right. We had been looking on the Shelter’s website for several weeks when we spotted the most gorgeous, sad looking face in one of the photos. We clicked on Roger and the description of his personality sounded lovely and ideal for us. We completed our application and had a very quick response from Sam. He told us more about Roger and invited us for an interview and to meet him.

Sam was very welcoming and spoke in depth about Roger and we discussed how he would fit in with our life and home. Then we got to meet him, and it was love at first sight - he was very nervous but so gorgeous.

We had a few visits to get to know Roger and the staff were amazing in helping us get to know him and making sure Roger was happy. He came to our house for a visit which went very well and Roger and three days later he came back to us and his forever home.

He has grown in so much confidence and made lot's of doggy friends on his walks, and human friends. We've been doing some basic training which he has been very responsive to, and he is well behaved when we're out and about.

Roger is a sensitive, gentle soul with a huge capacity for love. He loves cuddles and kisses and enjoys a walk as long as it's not raining - he's not a fan of the rain, or if it's too windy!

He loves to go to the pub, any pub. He gets lots of fuss and enjoys meeting people which is a testament to how far he's come as he was very nervous of strangers in the beginning.

Roger has is become a wonderful much-loved addition to our family.”