About Us

Founded in 1994 by on the outskirts of Kildare town by Geraldine O’Hanlon and a group of very dedicated volunteers, the Kildare Animal Foundation is a charity organisation (Registered Charity Number 20206380) dedicated to the welfare of cats, dogs and small animals.  Located in an ideal setting, the Foundation today cares  for almost 100 animals, providing sanctuary to injured, sick and abused animals.

Our shelter is open daily from 2 to 4pm and we offer an adoption service for our cats and dogs that are ready for rehoming.

Our Aims

  • To provide protection and health care for sick,injured,abused or neglected animals.
  • To prevent cruelty and to provide a rescue service.
  • To promote spaying and neutering.
  • To provide education on animal welfare.

Our HistoryAbout Kildare Animal Foundation

“I remember leaving my night shift job an hour early at 6am with the intention of going home to look after my own animals and then going over to
Kildare for a few hours to help out. I had heard the Animal Shelter at Kildare had been left vacant, leaving animals with no one to care for them. I arrived at 8am and have never looked back.

When I looked around I cried with despair. Everywhere I looked there were animals; dogs, cats, donkeys and goats, all waiting, all hopeful of someone spending even a minute with them.

And so it began, they were fed, cleaned and hugged. After months of working 18 hours a day, order was born out of chaos. Our commitment to neutering is unshakeable, better beautiful creatures not be born at all than to suffer neglect and hunger.

Our focus is on the poorest of the poor. The ones who because of their condition, no one wants and we will take the time to get it right. We have our own concept of time here, “Animal Time”. When a volunteer asks when will a particular animal be ready to go to a new home, I reply “When it’s heart, mind and body are all three ready to face the world.”

Geraldine O’Hanlon.