This is a photograph of Poppy posing for the camera and looking cute - see previous

In an East Yorkshire village, at the end of January 2008, Carole and her husband heard a cat cry from up a tree. They took the cat in and fed it, she was very hungry. Being in the depths of winter they kept her inside and although they had never had a cat before got quite attached to her. Their name for her was Poppit. Nevertheless, they could not keep her and despite many enquiries could not find her owner. Eventually Poppit came to us for re homing.

Along came Ian and Andrea who also live in East Yorkshire. They wanted another cat after losing the last of their elderly ones.

Andrea says 'The house just wasn't the same without the patter of four feet. After spending time with all of the cats looking for a home we couldn't say no to Poppit. She looked nervous and wasn't interested in coming to the bars to say 'hello' but there was something about those big eyes and even bigger ears! We decided to re name her Coco after the infamous Coco Chanel, although some of her habits are not that refined! Her first time out in the garden was a nervous one but she soon decided that her new surroundings would be OK. Now the hardest choice is when and what to eat (she will only eat Whiskas dry food and turns her nose up at meat unless it's ham) and which of her may beds she should sleep in. She has settled into the role of the princess she clearly is and at the moment her favourite game is chasing all the new frogletts around her garden and of course terrorising the hedgehogs. We cannot imagine her not being here'.

Frodo was a gangly little scrap of black and white fur with huge eyes and ears. He had an awful start in life, taken from his mum at three weeks and given to some kids but fortunately handed over to us shortly after, that was spring 2005.

He was adopted and now lives with Alice a border collie, Birgitta and Oliver. For Birgitta it was love at first sight, Alice growled and put him in his place. The first few weeks with the newly named Henry weren't easy for Birgitta and Oliver but they are so please they persisted. When they first had him he spent most of his time sucking on scraps of material from his basket. Over the months and years he has become more confident and settled. He was neutered and continued his training and three years later Henry is a beautiful big strong dog that has totally bonded with Alice. Alice is definitely the boss, perhaps the mummy he didn't have long enough when he was tiny. He loves to chase ball with Alice and other doggie friends and sits next to Birgitta in the kitchen when she's cooking, waiting for something to drop on the floor. Henry and Alice curl up on the settee together where after a while there's a tangle of black and white limbs and tails sticking out every which way, both of them fast asleep. Henry is frightened of thunder and fireworks or any loud noise, he ducks under the table now rather than panic and race off blindly like he did to start with.

Birgitta says 'life would be unimaginable for us without our dogs'. So much so, that now Birgitta and Oliver are re locating to Germany, both dogs have got their own passports and are heading for a new life near Bonn. Good luck to Birgitta Oliver Alice and Henry.

Having lost his elderly mate Jess it was decided that Jack needed a new friend especially as he seemed to have slowed down as his mate Jess had got older. His owners John and Beryl visited Sunnydene, our centre in South Cave, where they found Fred. Fred was an abandoned dog, left tied up outside a large supermarket.

John and Beryl, who live in Hornsea, fell in love with Fred as soon as they saw him and after formalities completed took Fred home re naming him Danny.

Jack soon livened up as soon as he saw Danny and became 'Jack the Lad' an eight year old teenage delinquent that goes off on walks, refuses to come when called etc.etc. One word to Danny however and he goes off at high speed to find and retrieve Jack. With his teeth firmly in Jack's collar and telling him off all the way, he brings him back at the gallop. It's a job he's taught himself and he just loves to do it. Friends are amazed and amused by this - it's a form of entertainment.

Danny is very affectionate, loves Jack, defers to Monty the cat and is a very happy dog. Loves car travel, Scotland, new places. BUT NOT TO BE TRUSTED NEAR CHOCOLATE THOUGH!

These three cats were lucky enough to have caught the eye of Stef and Dave. Stef tells us:

'We've had the boy's now for eighteen months (you'd named them Elvis and Cliff but we re named them Bruce - black and Theo - black and white). We initially only came to HAWT to get one cat but when we saw these two together we couldn't resist, they were about five months old when we got them. They have grown up into the most chilled out and laid back cat's ever!! About three months ago we decided it might be nice to get them a little sister. . . . so we cam back to visit you - and there curled up in her igloo (in the same pen that Bruce and Theo were in!!) was little Audrey as you had named her, She was about nine months old and had been living in someone's garden, she had been with you about three weeks. She's very timid but will give as good as she gets if the boy's think about bullying her!!
We asked our four year old niece to name her as she chose Bruce's name (after the shark out of the Finding Nemo film!) She named her Poppy.
So Bruce and Theo are getting used to having a little sister and they are all getting on well.'

Jan arrived at the centre because her owners just didn't want her any more.

She is a very attractive, small to medium size, terrier so we were quite surprised when she became one of our 'long stay' dogs. Poor Jan was a bit 'down in the mouth'.

As with all our dogs someone special will come along for them and after five long months of waiting it was Jan's turn. That person was Ann who lives near Hull.

Ann took Jan home in June 2007 and writes to tell us it hasn't always been a smooth ride for her. Jan is a typical terrier and very wilful. Given the chance she will slip out of her collar, so much so, Ann puts her on both lead and harness at the same time to ensure she walks safely round her area. Ann says 'she's such a character but she just cannot be trusted as she is a real Houdini but at the same time she is loving and often gives me cuddles'. Jan plays with her toys, she doesn't like fluffy or squeaky ones just smooth ones and she likes 'to shake them to death'. She has her own little rug in the back garden and loves to lay in the sunshine. Her hair has grown longer and her moustache and beard have turned ginger so now I call her gingerjan'.