Donovan – a gentle soul still waiting for his home

Donovan arrived at the pound in August 2025, estimated to be around 7 years old.

He sadly came into the pound in a very poor condition. He had been living in a house alongside a cat and a rabbit, and his previous owner was suffering from Diogenes syndrome. It is heartbreaking to think how he ended up in such circumstances.

When he first arrived, Donovan was understandably a little timid and unsure of his surroundings. Everything was new to him, and the sudden change into a busy pound environment, surrounded by unfamiliar people and constant barking, was clearly overwhelming for him. He also seemed unsure when going out, as if he was not used to walks or new environments.

Donovan gets along well with other dogs. At first, he shared his cage with a female dog, Kelly. They coexisted peacefully without any issues, although they did not really interact or play together.

Kelly went into foster and since then, he has been sharing his space with a new pen mate, the beautiful Panda, and the two of them are a wonderful match. Donovan has really lightened up since Panda arrived, and you will often see them playing together and enjoying each other’s company. In the middle of such a chaotic environment, these small moments of joy are truly special to witness.

He also really enjoys his walks now, whether going out on his own or alongside Panda, and he takes everything in with much more confidence than before. On walks, he is wonderful on the lead — he walks calmly without pulling and is very easy to handle.
He doesn’t seem bothered by people, cars, or other dogs passing by, and even cats don’t appear to worry him. He’s also happy to pause along the way for a little break, enjoying some cuddles and treats and taking the world in his stride.

Unfortunately, these walks are very rare due to the lack of volunteers, and he is lucky if he gets out even once a week. He is such a sweet, gentle boy who deserves so much more than this 💔

Now, around 10 months after his arrival, Donovan has settled in much more and seems more comfortable in his environment. However, he is still very much in need of a home. He spends over 23 hours a day in a small cage, with only a short daily break in the patio, and he simply does not deserve this kind of life.

Adoption event 2026 🐾
In 2026, Donovan and Panda attended our big adoption event at our new land, where we hope to build our future shelter. They shared a pen together and had their very own dedicated volunteer with them for the day. It was a very busy event with lots of people, music, food, and children running around, but they both did incredibly well.
Throughout the day, they could be seen either playing together or enjoying gentle cuddles from their volunteer and from visitors who came into their pen to meet them. They truly enjoyed spending a few hours away from the crowded pound environment and handled everything with great calmness and balance.

Unfortunately, nobody fell in love with them at the event, and they had to return to the pound afterwards.

We are really hoping to find Donovan and Panda their forever homes soon — they truly deserve it.

Donovan is a kind, gentle dog who deserves nothing more than safety, comfort, and a family of his own.

www.spanishstraydogs.org.uk

This gorgeous dog is available for adoption in the UK. Homecheck and adoption fee apply. Adoption fee includes neutering, passport, microchip, all vaccinations, blood tests to screen for diseases, worm and flea treatment. Adoption cost in Spain (if no transport required) 155€ for males and €165 for females.

Adoption costs to the UK are £595. This includes all DEFRA paperwork and transport by DEFRA registered carrier ( using the TRACES system) direct to your door, except London, within the M25 motorway, Highlands of Scotland beyond Perth, and all off islands (if we cannot deliver direct, a mutually convenient meeting place will be arranged). We sort out all the arrangements and delivery/ meeting times will be advised in advance by the transporter.

For dogs brought to the UK by SSDUK to go initially into foster care, adopters will still be required to pay the full adoption fee of £595 to cover the above expenses.

In some cases, for example a failed adoption of a dog already in the UK, the fee may be reduced to £350 where the initial transport costs from Spain have already been met. This is to cover transport within the UK, kennel fees and any checks required. 

For adoption costs elsewhere, or for help and advice please e-mail adoptions@spanishstraydogs.org.uk

For more information about this dog, including advice and custom made video contact adoptions@spanishstraydogs.org.uk now.