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Welcome to the Big Build for Tiny Paws!

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Left to fund the Rodent Retreat!!!

Tiny Paws MCR has a new home – and it's full of potential. Help us build for the future! 

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Earlier this year, our home-run rescue took a big step forward by relocating to new premises, carefully chosen not just for today’s needs, but as the long-term foundation for everything we envision for Tiny Paws.

Thanks to your amazing support, Phase 1: The Rabbit Refuge is now complete – a safe, enriching environment that our rabbits are already enjoying.

Now, we’re moving on to Phase 2: The Rodent Retreat – a purpose-built facility designed for our mice, rats, hamsters, and other small furries. These little lives deserve our care and consideration, and we’re committed to giving them the specialised spaces they need to thrive.

Our Goal for Phase 2: The Rodent Retreat 

To build our brand new rodent cabin we need to raise a massive £15,000!

Thanks to your support in recent years – and some careful saving behind the scenes – we have already raised the first £5,000 of our target. And now, we have an exciting boost:

A generous partner has pledged £5,000 in match funding– but only if we can raise the remaining £5,000 ourselves. 

There’s a deadline on the pledge – we have limited time to raise the remaining funds and unlock the £5,000. If we don’t meet the target in time, we lose the match funding – and the build will be delayed.

We have just 6 weeks to raise the remaining funds and start building before the colder autumn weather sets in – so our rescued rodents can have a warm, secure home in time for winter.

Help Us Build Their Future

Please read on to explore our plans, track our progress, and discover all the ways you can help. Together, let’s make the Rodent Retreat a reality – and lay strong foundations for the future of Tiny Paws MCR.

“We started Tiny Paws because we saw a huge need for a dedicated small animal rescue in the Manchester area—and six years on, that need has only grown. The demand for our help is higher than ever, but one of our biggest limitations is space. The new Rodent Retreat cabin would give us the facilities to help more animals in need. We have the skills, the knowledge, and the compassion to make a real difference—we just need the support to create the space”

Suzi Rescue Manager & Trustee

At Tiny Paws MCR, we’re proud to be a home-run rescue. This means that our animals are cared for on-site in a space that’s part rescue and part home to our wonderful Suzi and Ben and their resident companion animals.

When we relocated earlier this year, we chose a new premises with plenty of potential - both for home life and for the future of Tiny Paws! 

We love our home-rescue set-up - it means we have everything in one place, we can closely monitor all of our animals and provide critical around the clock care. 

However, whilst our rescue and the family home share the same address, these areas are carefully divided and separately run. 

Our rescue and rehoming charity is 100% funded and supported by our wonderful community of adopters, donors and partners. Every single penny raised goes directly to the animals - covering things like vet care, housing, food, bedding, enrichment, and ongoing improvements to their spaces. 

We’ve come a long way since 2019. From a few enclosures in a spare room to a purpose-built rescue space with big ambitions! Every milestone we’ve reached - from our first adoption, to building the Rabbit Refuge, to launching Phase 2 of the Big Build - has been made possible by your kindness, donations, shares, and encouragement.

We’re incredibly grateful for the community that’s formed around Tiny Paws MCR. You’ve helped us grow, and more importantly, helped the animals in our care find safety, comfort, and new beginnings.

The next chapter is all about creating a lasting home for the rescue - a place with the facilities to support our work not just now, but well into the future. With your continued support, we’re excited to keep building - new spaces, better care, and more second chances.

Thank you for believing in us, backing us, and helping us give Tiny Paws MCR a fresh start.

Phase 1 - Rabbit Refuge - Complete!

Thank you so much to every single person who donated to Phase 1: The Rabbit Refuge. Together, you raised over £2,400 and enabled us to complete the first stage of our Big Build!

Now, we have four wonderful full-sized, predator proof enclosures where rescued rabbits can safely recover and wait for their forever homes! Each enclosure meets the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF) standards, ensuring our rabbits receive the best possible care.

We are so thrilled that our bunnies have been able to start moving into their new residence - Rupert and Iona look very much at home and Meadow is having a great time exploring!


Thank you for providing this facility which will help hundreds of rabbits in years to come, helping them hop into a bright new future.

 

Phase 2 - Rodent Retreat - Coming Soon! 

 

Phase 3 - Guinea Pigs

Another important species we care for at Tiny Paws are guinea pigs. Due to their housing requirements they need more space than our Rodent Retreat will offer, so we are housing them safely in our garage. In time we will be upgrading this space into a piggy paradise but for now our focus is on the Rodent Retreat. Watch this space!

Now, we’re thrilled to be gearing up to launch Phase 2 of our rescue dream - The Rodent Retreat! 

Example log cabin

This purpose-built haven will provide a safe, warm, and enriching home that can welcome around 50 animals at any one time, or 150 individuals over the year! 

  • 12 units for rats, degus, or chinchillas (four triple stacks as below)
  • Six units for hamsters, mice, or gerbils (two triple stacks as below)

And what’s that open space for in the middle of the room? Well, this is an extra important area that we can set up enclosures as needed to help bond our friends over in the Rabbit Refuge before they head off to their forever home! It will also provide a space for all of our rodents to stretch their tiny legs and exercise in a secure pen outside of their enclosures.

“I have seen some really sad things at Tiny Paws. Animals coming to us in pain, suffering from health problems or injuries that need urgent medical attention. Or animals really scared and stressed. It has been such a huge honour to be able to see them get healthy and confident once again and to finally find a new loving family who will never neglect them. This is what Tiny Paws exists for, and that is why we need the Big Build to be a success.”
- Ben, Trustee

To bring this vision to life, we need to raise £15,000 to cover:

  • Laying strong foundations
  • Constructing the cabin, a solid wooden structure where our animals can recuperate safely and securely  
  • Adding insulation to make the space warm and cozy in the winter
  • Installing climate control to keep optimum temperature throughout the year
  • Installing electrics for light and heat
  • Setting up plumbing for water bottles and easy cleaning

And one vital upgrade we’re especially excited about:

  • A dedicated eco-friendly volunteer compost toilet! This small but mighty addition will hugely improve flexibility, comfort, and accessibility for our amazing volunteers – no more relying on the main house, meaning more hands-on help, whenever it’s needed.

Over the next few months we are going to be sharing exactly how you can help to make these plans a reality - so please keep an eye on our website, social media and newsletters to find out more as it happens! Thank you! 

Sadly small animals are often overlooked and undervalued. Some people do not understand their needs, and may buy them thinking they are easy pets. Many of the animals come to us from situations of neglect, abandonment, or even cruelty. They may be scared, unwell, or simply misunderstood. They need comfort, safety, and care tailored to their species-specific needs.

A purpose-built Rodent Retreat means we can give them exactly that.

“I have been so fortunate to spend some of my life living with and caring for mice, all of them from rescues. They may be small but they have big personalities and each of them took up a big space in my heart. That is why I am so passionate about the Big Build for Tiny Paws, we need to help these little guys and the Retreat will enable us to do just that.” -- Nicola, Trustee

This dedicated space will provide secure, quiet, and enriching environments designed specifically for rats, mice, hamsters, and other small furries. All of this will reduce stress, prevent illness, and provide better enrichment, all of which are crucial for their recovery and wellbeing.

Every detail of the Rodent Retreat has been designed with their welfare in mind. 

What’s more, with more room and more suitable setups, we can say “yes” to more animals in need. Including urgent or large intake cases that we struggle to accommodate right now. 

The demand for our help is huge - our stats from the last year show just how many animals we are asked to help

“Last year we were asked to take in 851 animals. Over 800 animals in need of homes, many of them suffering from health problems in need of medical attention. This is why building the new Rodent Retreat is so urgent, we want to be able to provide space for as many animals as we can whilst giving them the best care and chance at a new life. We need to do everything we can to make this happen.”
-- Isobel, Trustee

This space will also allow us to welcome more volunteers, whose crucial help gives us more time to carry out animal care. Adopters too can come to the space, to meet their new family member and see examples of high welfare enclosure set ups.

Our main goal is to give rodents the space they need to heal, and be ready to go to new, loving families to live out their days.

We've helped hundreds of animals since we started out - each one with their own story. With your support, we can create more happy endings for small animals in need.

“I have nothing but good things to say about Tiny Paws.  I’ve adopted from them a few times now, both gerbils & hamsters. They really care about the animals in their care and it is obvious they want the best for them.”

Sarah, adopter

BISCOFF

Biscoff the hamster was seriously underweight when she arrived with us. It was clear that she was not being given enough food in her previous home. Thankfully she started to put on weight when we gave her healthy, hamster appropriate food and we found her a new, loving home not long after. Without a space at Tiny Paws, she might have suffered health problems from her poor diet or worse.

DIDSBURY

Didsbury the rat was found abandoned all alone in a flat. The tenant had moved out and tragically left him behind. When we took him into our care he was very timid and spent a lot of time hiding away. Thankfully, Didsbury was adopted and he now lives with two ratty friends. His behaviour changed almost immediately when he met them both, he turned into a happy, confident boy!

MACY

Macy the rat was in critical condition when she was found dumped on the street. She had a huge tumour on her chest and needed urgent medical care. We were ready to step in and make sure she got the treatment she needed, and nursed her back to full health. She too found a new home with ratty friends.

BETTY

Betty the 7 year old chinchilla came into our care as her previous human noticed she was limping, but they weren't able to afford vet care. On collecting her it was clear she had a broken hind leg. We quickly had her examined by our exotic vet who advised amputation was required. We went ahead and Betty bounced back, then finding friendship with another chinchilla, Jinx, and a home with their very own chinchilla room!

SPINY MICE - Horus, Hapi, Aton, Anubis, Ra & Amun

6 males were brought to us after they were found dumped in the city centre and had clearly been housed incorrectly, with lots of fighting occuring. 3 of the mice needed partial or full tail amputations due to their injuries and we had them all neutered to allow them to live safely in small groups. They all found loving, spacious homes.

DAPHNE AND CELESTE

Daphne & Celeste the gerbil pair had been kept in a tiny unsuitable cage and the child they were bought for lost interest, so they found their way to us. They got an amazing forever home with a fantastic huge setup.

Join us in building this dream rescue for rodents, by supporting our Big Build!

“£15,000 sounds like a lot, and it really is for a small charity like ours. But we have some of the most fantastic supporters and people who have adopted animals from us, who are really behind this project. We all know how wonderful small animals are, and we all want to make sure they get the love and care they deserve. So I am confident that together we can achieve our target.” --Amy, Trustee

A donation would be such a wonderful contribution, or you could consider holding a fundraising event! If you have building skills or materials we could use, we would be really grateful for those too. Any way you can contribute brings us closer to our goal, and to the day we can start helping more animals. 

We need your involvement to make this happen - right now we don’t have all the funds to build the Rodent Retreat. We must keep our funds to care for the animals we have right now. But, with your help - whether you're an individual, a family or a business, we can do it! 

Changing the lives of animals is something we all care about - so let’s come together and make this vital retreat for rodents a reality. 

When you donate, we promise to keep you updated on the progress of the build, and how your gift is making a difference. 

Make a Donation

The most direct way to support the Big Build is to make a donation today. We promise that your donation will be ring-fenced specifically for this project only, meaning you will literally be paying for the cement, the timber, the lighting, the enclosures, even the plumbing! So please donate today and make this dream for rodents a reality! 

Host a fundraiser!

Why not host your own fundraising event to support the Big Build for Tiny Paws?

From bake sales and car boot stalls to quiz nights, sponsored walks, or even a “dress like a mouse” day (yes, please!). Whatever you love doing, you can turn it into a fun way to raise funds for animals.

Whatever your idea, we're here to support you. You can easily set up a fundraising page here to start collecting donations: https://www.justgiving.com/tinypawsmcr . Get in touch and let us know what you have planned! 

Got skills? Come help us build!

Are you experienced with construction? Are you part of a construction business eager to help? We’re looking for skilled volunteers or to help bring the Rodent Retreat to life! Building the main structure is going to be the biggest and most expensive part of our project, so your contribution could help us immensely! Please get in touch and we can chat.