Warminster woman creates fundraising calendar for animal shelter

A Warminster woman who owns an animal care business has launched a charity calendar to raise funds for a local animal shelter.

Gemma Sheppard, the founder of More Than Human, a welfare-first animal care business in Warminster, has created a charity calendar featuring images of the animals she looks after. All of the profits from every calendar sold will be donated to Bath Cats and Dogs Home.

Gemma is a graduate in Human-Animal Interaction and Wellbeing, and her calendar also includes monthly welfare themes and reflective questions to help pet owners consider their relationship with their animals and strengthen their bond in 2026.

“I wanted this calendar to not just be cute pictures but also be educational and thought provoking,” said Gemma. “Our animals are sadly only around for a small part of our lives, but to them, we are their whole lives.”

“Now we know animals are sentient (have positive and negative feelings) and the human-animal bond is profoundly impactful; it is our duty as their carers to give them a life worth living. A second thought or quick pause can have a huge impact on an animal’s day. And we know from a concept known as One Welfare, that when animal welfare is improved, human wellbeing is also improved, so it’s a win win!”

The calendar features pictures of the animals Gemma looks after, such as Murdock, a golden retriever whose photo is on the front, and Nelly, Gemma’s Vietnamese rescue dog.

“Nelly is a survivor who I adopted from a ‘shelter’ in Vietnam when I was living there,” said Gemma.

“He made it through leptospirosis, a motorbike accident and a 24-hour journey to get to England. He is an integral part of the team and has educated me hugely about reactivity and the emotional world of dogs.”

The calendar is also a memorial to some pets who have died in the last year, including Gemma’s family dog Eddie.

“Eddie was named after my grandfather, Edward Jackson. He was the best dog I’ve ever known, and we have all missed him terribly this last year,” said Gemma.

Gemma chose to donate all profit from the calendars to Bath Cats and Dogs Home, because of “their dedication to rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming animals using modern, welfare-first approaches.”

The charity calendar is available to purchase online at https://morethanhuman.uk/product/the-more-than-human-charity-calendar-2026/

Calendars cost £15 each for collection in Warminster, or £17 with delivery.