https://www.patreon.com/MinasAnimalSanctuary, http://animosanctuary.org/

AnimO - Mina's Exotic Animal Sanctuary, London (2026)

15/06/2026

I knew the hair loss was coming...
When I was first diagnosed with terminal cancer, one of the very first things I did was ask my sweet mama to shave my head. It sounds weird, but my hair was actually one of my favorite things about myself. So I shaved it because I knew cancer was going to take enough from me already, and I wanted to be the one making that decisionb and symbolically take some power back.

Since then, I've kept it short because everyone loses their hair at different stages and different paces. Lately I had gotten a little lazy about shaving, and it had started growing back to just longer than stubble. Then yesterday morning, I woke up and my pillow was absolutely covered in hair. I knew this day was coming, but somehow I still wasn't prepared for how sudden it would be. Even with my hair already shaved short, seeing that much hair on my pillow shook me a bit more than I expected And honestly, I felt like I looked like a monster. I can't imagine what it would have felt like if I still had my long hair so I'm actually VERY happy I shaved my head when I did!

Thankfully, I don't have to go through any of this alone. My dad saw me trying (and failing miserably to fight back tears and gave me a massive,well needed hug, and Rakan promised to clean it up with the clippers. Just when I was feeling so ugly and that I look horrific, again I was reminded of just how much love I'm surrounded by and I felt nothing but gratitude... and a bit of a cold head. But on the bright side, that just means I get to shop for summer beanies, scarves and hats without any guilt 😃 right? Plus with eyelashes and eyebrows going next, I'll have a reason to shop for sunglasses too! But one thing I AM going to brag about here is that I'm not going to shave my legs to have silky smooth legs all summer! 😂😂😂

*Also on a serious note, does anyone know what eyebrow pencils/pens/things that are easy to use? I've seen ones that look like a pen but draw what looks like individual hairs. I've also seen eyebrow stick-on tattoos, I think, but I have a feeling id mess that one up and be stuck looking a bit wonky for too long... I know eyebrows don't really matter in the grand scheme of things but it might be nice to have options is all.

Honestly, the people around me have been incredible. My dad has been working tirelessly sorting through the mountains of rubbish left behind on the property. Anyone familiar with buying old houses in Japan knows that one of the biggest hidden costs can be disposing of everything previous owners leave behind. It's exhausting work, but he's been tackling it day after day.

At the same time, Rakan has been helping to clear spaces to build and improve enclosures. He has learned every animal care routine, and makes sure I have nothing to worry about except for resting and healing. The animals are receiving all the love and care they need, and somehow everyone keeps finding ways to make me laugh. I feel like a princess here, it makes me blush and do a very uncharacteristic girly giggle sometimes!

And speaking of the animals, we have plenty of happy news. I'm so sorry I've been so bad at posting lately. But our little Japanese pygmy woodpecker is really thriving under Rakan's care. If everything continues to go well, he should be ready for release in around ten days. The family who found him will be taking him back to the exact location where he was rescued so he has the best chance of rejoining his family in the wild.

We've also adopted out ALL of our adoptable dogs. Saying goodbye to 6 dogs, 2 cats and 11 kittens in the span of 2 weeks or so has been incredibly difficult but a much needed step for AnimO to shift our focus to the animals that other places can't take in.

The two baby crows are also doing wonderfully. They haven't quite figured out how to eat independently yet so still need feeding every couple of hours, but since they're in an outdoor enclosure, it means I can still spend time working with them, even in my current weakened state. (My doctor has banned me from working with birds indoors because the dander can easily cause lung infections that my body won't be able to survive from.)

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love birds. Dogs may be my favorite animals, but birds are my passion. And honestly, out of all the things cancer has thrown at me so far, the hardest part hasn't been the pain, the nausea, the fatigue, the nosebleeds, or even losing my hair. The truth is, the hardest part of all of this is not being able to spend as much time with my birds! The good news is that every day gets us a little closer to recovery. Every day the animals grow stronger, and every day I get another reason to smile.

So for now, I'll keep focusing on healing, loving the animals, laughing and loving with the people around me, and maybe investing in an impressive collection of sunglasses, scarves and hats 😉 I will need sunglasses because without the hairs that protect my eyes from airborne debris and direct, harsh sunlight on the sanctuary, I'll have other issues. Plus I'll look a lot cooler 😎

Thank you to everyone who continues to support AnimO, the animals, and me. We're all doing okay. And on most days, we're actually doing much better than okay ❤️

If you'd like to help in any way by sending towels and blankets etc, please contact us for details on where to send them, or even come by for a visit and drop them off and have a look around!

There are also many other ways to help.
Patreon is the absolute best because from only $3 a month (there are many tiers to choose from), you can help build a stable income for the animals' needs, from food, vet bills, enrichment toys, and of course enclosure upgrades.
patreon.com/MinasAnimalSanctuary

We will be updating our Amazon wishlist today. This is for animal foods and supplements etc.
https://www.amazon.jp/hz/wishlist/ls/1NB6PNYVFWBI7?ref_=wl_share

I made an Amazon wishlist with a few things that will make the upcoming hospital stays and upcoming chemo side effects a little easier. I'm off to the hospital again for a few days tomorrow for the next round of chemotherapy.
https://www.amazon.jp/hz/wishlist/ls/3SA584ZO2WK6X?ref_=wl_share

My dear friend has created a GoFundMe to help with cancer treatment costs. Even after I finish chemo, because of the difficulty of my specific cancer, I will be on treatment long-term. I'll be going every 3 weeks for the next 2 years for immunotherapy, and more chemo here and there.
https://gofund.me/382b22937

I'd you'd like to know more about my cancer, you can look up "small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma stage 3C1r." The prognosis is very grim but I'd do plan on fighting this and living a long time. I have too much to do to set AnimO up to become the light and the way forward for animal welfare in Japan that it was always meant to be...

13/06/2026

Even sitting down to have a little meal with the father is funny when you're deep in the sanctuary life.

We've been really bad at taking photos to upload but we'll get better. We made a promise. Time is going by so quickly because we're having such a fun time.

The guys are getting so much done and it's been like a dream. But I do promise more photos and updates!

Love you all!!!

09/06/2026

Yesterday evening, a tiny male Japanese pygmy woodpecker arrived at our gates after being found by a local boy while he was playing in the park. His mother found our information thanks to our recent TV appearance and immediately called us and drove the little one straight over.

Sadly, they had witnessed the mother bird being taken by a cat, leaving this baby alone in the world.

Wildlife rehabilitation is never guaranteed. All we can do is give each animal the best possible chance and hope they choose to keep fighting. We've provided warmth, safety, and the specialist care he needs, but from here it's up to this little woodpecker.

If he survives and grows strong, the family who found him will be able to return him to the area where he was found so he can be released back where he belongs. We always try to offer families that choice. Some people prefer to show us where an animal was found so we can handle the release ourselves, while others like to come back and be part of that final journey. When you've helped save a life, it's only natural to want to say goodbye.

Japanese pygmy woodpeckers are Japan's smallest woodpecker species and are unbelievably tiny. Despite their size, they spend their days climbing tree trunks and tapping away at bark in search of insects hidden inside. They may be small enough to fit comfortably in your hand, but they work just as hard as their much larger relatives.
One of the greatest joys of running a sanctuary is getting to watch people discover talents they didn't even know they had, and Rakan has been doing that almost daily since he arrived.

No matter what challenge lands at our door, he approaches it with curiosity, patience, and genuine compassion. He never complains when plans change, never hesitates to step outside his comfort zone, and somehow manages to stay positive even when things get complicated. Today that meant learning how to handle and feed a very delicate, wild baby woodpecker, an animal that most people will never have the opportunity to even see in person, let alone up close.

What impresses me most isn't how quickly he learns, although he learns incredibly fast. It's the way he throws himself wholeheartedly into helping. Whether he's caring for animals, tackling sanctuary projects, making me laugh on my most difficult days, or solving whatever unexpected problem has appeared that morning, he does it with enthusiasm and such incredible kindness.

The animals seem to recognize that too. The best animal carers aren't always the people with the most experience. They're the people who show up every day willing to learn, willing to listen, and willing to put the animals first. Rakan has those qualities in abundance. He has that rare combination of positivity, humour, patience, and genuine respect for every living thing he meets. Whether they are human or animal, he treats everyone with the same kindness.

I could spend all day talking about his wonderful qualities and just how much I appreciate him and still not do him justice.

It is such a privilege to work with these incredible animals, but it's also a privilege to work alongside people who care about them as deeply as we do. We have another guy named Alun, who will be joining us in July. He also seems like such a genuine and hard-working animal (and human) lover. We can't wait to bring him into our little family unit and introduce him to all our supporters. It seems that these two guys will be around for the long haul. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed because it's honestly a dream team!)

Please keep this tiny little woodpecker in your thoughts. He has a difficult journey ahead of him, but thanks to the kindness of the family who brought him to us, and because Rakan will be taking over his care while I'm off to the hospital yet again today, he has been given the very best chance we could offer.

Now it's up to him to keep fighting.

08/06/2026

Some exciting merch news!

We've already added a range of new colors to our existing products, which meant I absolutely had to get myself a dark grey hoodie (it was SO HARD deciding between dark grey and light grey). Even though summer is on the way, the evenings can still get a little chilly, and hospital stays are always freezing, so I've been getting a lot of use out of it already!

We've also taken another small step toward looking a little more professional and have created some staff attire exclusively for the AnimO team. They're meant for when we do school field trips and have special occasions like that but I think they look so good, we might wear them a little more often 😉

At the same time, we're working on some very special new designs that I cannot wait to share with you. We're creating a series of Japanese ukiyo-e style artworks featuring some of our special sanctuary residents, as well as a collection based on sketches that I actually drew myself and have since had one of my best friends digitized for printing. I wanted to wait but you'll get a sneak peek today but these new products will be dropping soon, and I'm genuinely excited about them.

Not only is it a beautiful way to support AnimO, but they're also incredibly comfortable. As part of quality control (and definitely not because I wanted one of everything 🤪), I've tested quite a few of the products myself, and honestly, even I'm surprised by how good the quality is!

07/06/2026

I'll be making a proper post about this soon, but my dad, my real, flesh and blood, loving dad, just flew in to Japan to support his baby girl. He'll be here for 3 weeks, so expect to see him a lot in the next posts. I don't have the energy to make a proper post today but I just couldn't wait to introduce my dad. My DAD! I haven't seen him in 12 years.
I'm so happy!
Please say hi to my dad!

03/06/2026

Yesterday we welcomed 2 cockatiels and a beautiful little conure around 2 years old to AnimO.

Dogs will always be my absolute favorite animals, but birds have a very special place in my heart. Since starting chemo, I can't work with them the way I used to. I can only spend short periods with one at a time in large, well-ventilated areas, but just knowing I'll get to spend time with these incredible little souls again helps me push through some of the toughest days, and boy have these past few days been tough!

Thankfully, the birds (and all the animals) get plenty of love thanks to the amazing people helping at the sanctuary. Rakan has been spending his spare time researching the animals here so he can understand them better, and after only a week he told me today that he's gained a whole new appreciation for animals and the individual personalities all animals have. I'm so proud that AnimO is still doing good work and helping good hearts and minds grow.

I really hope we can build a large outdoor aviary like we had at our previous location soon. Being able to spend more time surrounded by my feathered little loves would mean the world to me ❤️🦜

31/05/2026

This is a post basically telling you all how much I love you.

The other day while I was in hospital, I mentioned that I was craving these mango candies. They taste like real mangoes and are absolutely delicious. More importantly, they've been amazing for helping with the metallic taste chemo leaves in my mouth and even seem to help with the nausea.

I'll definitely be sucking on these all summer and throughout the next four months of chemotherapy. I'll also be taking extra with me to the hospital to hand out to other chemo patients who might appreciate a little bit of sweetness during treatment.

I came home to the best surprise ever and wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent these candies. Opening those packages, I felt so much love, and in return, such deep gratitude. You are all absolutely amazing. I can't put into words just how much your kindness, support, and thoughtfulness mean to me.

Thank you for making a difficult journey so much sweeter 🥭

31/05/2026

As many of you know, AnimO is changing direction. Or more accurately, going back to our original mission. Our future is in exotic animals, wildlife rehabilitation, education, conservation, and building the sanctuary we've always dreamed of. To make that possible, we need to reduce the number of dogs in our care until only my own pets, and perhaps one or two behavioral cases, remain.

I've spent the last few days writing adoption profiles and, honestly, I kept having to stop because I was crying. I wish with my whole heart that we had the funds, space, and of course my life expectancy to keep them, so while it hurts my heart to write them, they have to be done.

Dogs are my favorite animals in the world. I truly believe they are the perfect companion animal. They bring us loyalty, comfort, laughter, adventure, and unconditional love. If it were up to my heart alone, I'd keep every single one of them. But that's not what's best for these dogs.

Anakin was actually adopted and returned because he was too good. I know this stinks like a made up piece of crap to flog him off but, I promise, his family could only walk him once a day, but he's so perfectly house trained that he refused to use the indoor potty area they provided and held everything until he could go outside. It sounds unbelievable, but that's our Anakin.

Then there's Bizcochuela Esperanza Frijolita la Sancha de Martínez. A HUGE part of me wanted to keep her. But she deserves a family who can love her for the next 15 years, but with my diagnosis, I can't even promise her the next 5 years 😔 She came to us frightened, stressed, and almost completely bald. Today she's happy, confident, affectionate, and absolutely thriving.

And then there's Bob, who survived a terrible start in life after a broken leg was left untreated as a tiny puppy. Despite everything, he's one of the sweetest, happiest little dogs you'll ever meet and melts into your arms for cuddles.

There are others too, including Eos and several more wonderful dogs, each with their own story and each deserving a family to call their own.

This is where I need your help. Please go to our adoption page and read their profiles. If you've been thinking about adopting, come and meet them. If you're not in a position to adopt, please share this post, share their profiles, send them to friends, post them in groups, and help us reach the right people for these precious little ones.

AnimO has always been built by a community of people who believe in what we're trying to do. Today I'm asking that community to come together once again and help us find these beautiful dogs the forever homes they deserve.

I love every one of them with my whole heart. Now I need help finding the people who will take over and love them for the rest of their lives.

Adoption profiles:
https://www.animosanctuary.org/adoption-list

31/05/2026

Sometimes the right person arrives exactly when you need them most.

We had a great volunteer from Australia who was supposed to stay another month, but after running low on money, he started applying for jobs and unexpectedly got hired just three days before I was due to start my next brutal round of chemotherapy.

Suddenly I found myself in a difficult situation. I was about to be hospitalized, with dozens of animals depending on me but almost no time to find help or train someone new.

Rakan had originally planned to arrive in June. After hearing what was happening, he didn't need much convincing. He changed his flights and came early so he could learn the routines, meet all the animals, and take over their care while I was in hospital.

And I know I might get to say this quite often, but I REALLY mean it this time. This one is a keeper!

While I was away, he took incredible care of the animals and sent me regular updates on everyone. Knowing they were safe, happy, and loved gave me the peace of mind I needed to focus on healing instead of worrying about what was happening back at the sanctuary.

Since I've come home, he's continued to be an enormous help. He assists with the daily animal care, keeps me away from the animals I shouldn't be handling while my immune system is suppressed, and somehow always seems to know when I'm overdoing it. More than once, he's cleaned my room, taken chores out of my hands, and firmly informed me that it's time to rest and sent me off to bed. This is especially helpful with the new and more painful side effects of the chemotherapy.

What warms my heart most is the way he treats the animals. He handles every single one with patience, gentleness, and respect. Animals that normally only come running to me now happily flock to him as he whispers, "Come here, baby. It's okay," before scooping them up for cuddles.

And when every animal has been fed, cleaned, medicated, enriched, and tucked in for the night, he doesn't sit down. Instead, he finds cupboards to organize, corners to clean, and projects that need doing.
He has a heart of gold, a great sense of humor, gentle hands with animals, humility, kindness, and one of the strongest work ethics I've seen in a long time.

So if you've noticed a new face appearing around AnimO lately, that's Rakan. You'll be seeing a lot more of him in our posts from now on, and both the animals and I are incredibly grateful that he chose to become part of our little sanctuary family.

AnimO - Mina's Exotic Animal Sanctuary

15/06/2026

13/06/2026

09/06/2026

08/06/2026

07/06/2026

03/06/2026

31/05/2026

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31/05/2026

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