spring 2015 (issue 80)

ISSUE No.80

SPRING 2015

NERON’S LIFE-SAVING CAREINDAR’S SHOCKING CASE OF NEGLECT

www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.ukPages 2&3

Dawn Vincent(née Svendsen)Head of Communications

STAYING IN TOUCH

I met children like Isaac (see page 17), who benefit so much from spending time with donkeys.

Recently two staff members, Jenna and Emma, visited our project in Mexico through our staff scholarship programme set up in memory of my Granny and our Founder, Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE.

Dr Svendsen was affectionately known, particularly by Donkey Weekers, as ‘Mother’ [of donkeys] and she would be so proud of you all. It would humble her immensely, as it does us, that you help us achieve all these wonderful things for donkeys and people in the world by supporting The Donkey Sanctuary.

As she would say, “Bless you all”.

Dear FriendsThis must be the biggest newsletter we’ve ever

produced, which reflects what a challenging year 2014 was.

Since our last newsletter we’ve come across the most shocking case of neglect I’ve seen in a long while. Whilst the story of poor Indar, on pages 4–6, might shock you, I am relieved to report that he’s now with us and making an excellent recovery, as you can read for yourselves.

I have been fortunate to see our work in Northern Ireland, where I visited one of our busy holding bases where donkeys like Shamrock and Clover (see page 8) receive our loving care the moment they arrive. I also visited our Sanctuary near Belfast where

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOUPlease do send us your letters, as your feedback and support are really appreciated.Write to: Dawn Vincent, Head of Communications, The Donkey Sanctuary, (Spring Newsletter 2015), PO Box 85, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 1BRT 01395 578222E [email protected] us at Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 0NUKeep up to date with what’s going on at www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk

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HAVE YOU SEEN A DONKEY IN TROUBLE?If you are concerned about the welfare of a donkey or need expert help and advice, please call us on 01395 578222. We treat all calls in confidence.

Cover caption: Thanks to your support, Neron is leading a happier life. Read his story on page 25.

The Donkey Sanctuary (registered charity number 264818) and its sole corporate trustee, The Donkey Sanctuary Trustee Limited (Company number 07328588), both have their registered office at Slade House Farm, Sidmouth, EX10 0NU. Incorporating: The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys (EST); The International Donkey Protection Trust (IDPT).

ISSUE No.80

SPRING 2015

NERON’S LIFE-SAVING CAREINDAR’S SHOCKING CASE OF NEGLECT

THE EDITOR

Pages 4&5 www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk

PROTECTING SICK AND INJURED DONKEYS

INDAR’S SHOCKING CASE OF NEGLECTThis poor donkey had the most neglected hooves we have seen in years. We’re thankful to the person who tipped us off about his extremely remote location, which turned out to be near our Sanctuary in Spain.

His front hooves, without regular trimming, had grown and ‘corkscrewed’ right round, making walking impossible. When Indar did try to stand, his front legs buckled as his curled hooves made contact with the ground, and he had wounds all over his body from falling over.

After a short journey to our Sanctuary, he took comfort in his new stable where we had prepared a very deep straw bed for him. At first Indar was nervous, as he had been neglected for so long, but he soon began to trust us, responding to the kindness of our staff, their words, strokes and reassurances. His wounds were cleaned and dressed, and the farrier began a series of visits to trim his hooves.

Continued…

As we continue our journey into 2015, we are caring for over 6,200 donkeys and mules through our rescue and rehoming work across the UK, Ireland and Europe, and will reach over a million through our international projects. These latest stories highlight the plight of so many, and we are truly grateful for your constant support which enables us to help them.

Above and right: Indar’s shocking ‘corkscrewed’ hooves.



After


patchy rough coats. They were suffering from severe malnutrition, lice infestation and rain-scald, a painful skin condition brought on through continuous exposure to wet weather.

We took them in immediately.All eight hurried up the ramp of our lorry without any hesitation.

I had to wipe away a tear when the youngest,

weakest little yearling, whom we have named Rudolph, tucked his head under my arm and leaned in for a cuddle. His tiny body felt so frail and cold that I was sure he couldn’t have survived much longer without help.”

Cathy Griffin, Welfare Adviser

MORE ABANDONMENTS IN IRELAND

On Christmas Eve our welfare team in southern Ireland collected more abandoned donkeys. A group of eight donkeys had been corralled by a farmer who found them wandering along a nearby road. They were a heart-breaking sight when we arrived to collect them.

The donkeys were huddled together, trembling in the freezing winter weather and so terribly thin their bones protruded through

Although a massive improvement has been made, Indar still has a long way to go. Due to long-term neglect to his hooves, he has what is called ‘ballerina syndrome’, whereby his tendons have shortened, forcing him to walk on his ‘tip-toes’. To enable him to put his hoof flat to the floor and correct his stance, he will need remedial surgery.

The suffering Indar endured is all behind him now and, whilst still on the road to recovery, he is beginning to enjoy life, and loving the care and attention given to him by our staff.

After



The owner was arrested and Stevie was taken to the HHCU farm where he was treated and has lived happily ever since.

Your continued support means that we can grow and support a worldwide network for donkey welfare.

Although left partially blind, Stevie is now the babysitter for new arrivals at the farm. He teaches younger equines the ropes and keeps them out of mischief. He loves children and meets each school group with cheerful affection.

STEVIE THE TOWNSHIP DONKEYIn the last 12 months we have been funding a donkey project in South Africa, in collaboration with Highveld Horse Care Unit (HHCU), helping donkeys like Stevie live a better life. The majority of HHCU’s work is focussed on providing outreach work, sending its team, trained in farriery, harnessing and clinical examinations, to townships across the country.

HHCU also rescues and rehomes a number of animals, and Stevie is certainly one of the lucky ones. About seven years ago Stevie was beaten horribly by his owner. The team was contacted and rushed out, to find Stevie with a severely swollen head and bleeding from his damaged eyes.

We were relieved when we finally got them to safety in our care, with a helping hand from the police. They were lucky to be found and given sanctuary. Both donkeys quickly tucked into a fresh bale of straw when they arrived, and clearly appreciated their warm, dry stable.

LUCK FOR SHAMROCK AND CLOVEROn New Year’s Day the police in Northern Ireland called our Sanctuary to assist with two abandoned and malnourished donkeys wandering on a dangerously busy road.

Our welfare adviser, Jane Bruce, found that both donkeys, two very young colts, had long hooves, which needed attention from a farrier, and rain-scald.

Before


After

Before


They are currently at our Reception Unit, where all new donkeys arrive to settle in. They have really enjoyed all the contact with our staff — and Georgie in particular will do anything for some extra attention, often resorting to nibbling her carer’s jacket! Later on this year, they will move to Brookfield Farm, near to our main Sanctuary in Sidmouth, where more of our younger donkeys live. If you’re attending Donkey Week this year, you may get to meet some of them!

A HOME FOR TWELVE BEAUTIFUL DONKEYS

A perfectly timed photo, of ten beautiful donkeys with eyes alert and ears pricked.

They are part of a group of twelve, called Billy, Daisy, Delilah, Doodah, Esme, Flora, Georgie, Lena, Mosey, Petal, Rio and Rufus, who have all been relinquished to The Donkey Sanctuary together.

These donkeys have come from a very loving home, but sad circumstances meant that their owners could no longer keep them. Thanks to your support, we are able to provide a home for them all, and keep them safe and happy.

DONKEY STABBING IN WALESWe were horrified when we heard that Cheeky, cared for by one of our loving foster homes on a community farm in Wales, had been stabbed 12 times in a vicious attack whilst in her stable at night.

She has lived in this experienced home for many years and in all our years caring for and fostering out donkeys, this is the first time anywhere that such a horrific incident has occurred. Thankfully Cheeky survived the terrible ordeal after receiving life-saving veterinary treatment. Our welfare adviser, Lizzie Ellis, offered support and guidance, and efforts were

made to step up existing security. We’re thankful to report that there have been no further problems.

We were assured by the police that this appalling attack was likely to be an isolated incident, and later two 17-year olds were arrested in connection with the crime. We are left confounded as to how anyone could inflict such suffering on any animal.



Ibai is now free from suffering, and is able to enjoy having space to explore and play — as every donkey should.

FREEDOM FOR IBAIFive-year-old Ibai was found living inside a small, ruined building (pictured below) in Adra, Spain. He only had 10 square metres of

living space, little food, and was terribly underweight. Ibai was used by gypsies to pull a cart, with an ill-fitting harness that made him sore and wounded in several places. Poor Ibai was suffering. Thanks to the swift collaboration of local authorities and our team in Spain, Ibai was rescued and taken to our holding base in Almería. Here he received immediate veterinary care for his wounds, nutritious food and a comfortable living area.

in an appalling condition. Now he has love and protection for the rest of his life. We will never turn away a donkey in need, no matter how difficult the circumstances are. Here at The Donkey Sanctuary donkeys always come first, second and third.

AERO TRAPPED BY RAILWAY TRACKA vigilant walker alerted us to Aero’s plight. Aero was found by our welfare adviser, Ian Coulton, trapped in a small area between a railway track and a flooded trench in the west of Ireland. Ian worked with the Garda in Co. Galway to bring Aero to safety, which was no easy feat considering the precarious surroundings. Aero had been abandoned and left hungry, and his hooves were distorted and


As members of Eurogroup’s Equine Working Party, we attended their #Act4Animals event in Brussels late last year and were delighted that Andy Foxcroft, our Director of Care and Welfare, could speak on behalf of all equine charities on the issues facing equines in the European Union at the moment. We are also developing a report to take to the Commission this year to highlight the value of the equine industry to Europe, and discuss what steps can be taken to safeguard both the industry and the welfare of the millions of horses and donkeys involved.

Through Eurogroup we have also been able to establish important leads for our Take S.T.E.P.S. campaign and form collaborative links with animal welfare charities in countries where we work or that we are looking to expand into.

Left: Andy Foxcroft, Director of Care and Welfare, speaking at a conference held in the European Parliament about the welfare issues for equines.

LOBBYING THROUGH EUROGROUP

Eurogroup For Animals represents over 48 animal welfare organisations across 24 European countries. It helps charities like ours campaign at the European Parliament to drive change in favour of animals, through evidence-based lobbying with the Commission, and the dissemination of knowledge.

We will continue our Take S.T.E.P.S. campaign throughout 2015, and are collaborating closely with the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and a large number of tour and cruise ship operators, including Cruise Lines International Association.

Some are now even briefing tourists before they disembark from the cruise ships, and providing information on their Apps and literature. We will build on this in the coming year as the campaign gathers momentum and support.

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Being the world’s ‘voice of the donkey’ has its challenges, but we will never stop working to improve welfare conditions for these beautiful animals whenever and wherever suffering and neglect are inflicted.

TAKE S.T.E.P.S. CAMPAIGNMore than 20,000 people signed our petition to improve the poor working conditions for donkeys and mules in Santorini, Greece. In December Andrew Judge, our Head of Operations for Continental Europe, together with a representative from Animal Action Greece, met with the Ministry of Tourism in Athens to hand over the petition.

The petition was accepted, and it was agreed that the Ministry of Tourism would write an official letter to the Ministry of Agriculture to put pressure on them to regulate the welfare conditions of the working equines. The letter would also be sent to the Mayor of Santorini and the Santorini Donkey Taxi Association. We hope to meet with the Mayor to discuss the steps to be taken to improve care and welfare of the donkeys and mules.



DONKEYS HELPING PEOPLE

many changes in her son since he’s been coming.

When he started at The Donkey Sanctuary

he couldn’t walk — now he is walking! Isaac loves riding. He’s always waiting at the door for his turn. We are just thrilled how happy and confident he looks. He used to be extremely nervous about getting on anything high but since being on the donkeys he has ventured onto the play slide, so the outside activities have become a part of his visit, too.

“I have told so many people what a wonderful facility this is. The donkeys seem to have a calming effect and the staff and volunteers who bring the donkeys and children together are marvellous at what they do.”

Sheena, Isaac’s mum

ISAAC’S DONKEY PASSION SHINESIsaac is a regular visitor to our Sanctuary in Belfast, where he receives life-enhancing donkey-assisted therapy once a week. He was born with Trisomy 21 and this has affected his walking and speech development.

Seeing the donkeys is the highlight of Isaac’s week. During the riding sessions he plays games, which he loves, and which encourage him to practise his sign language, Makaton. This, in turn, helps him to communicate with his family and friends. His mum, Sheena, says that she’s noted

Her mum, Cate, says that receiving donkey-assisted therapy has helped Florence to interact with people and animals.

At first Florence wouldn’t let me out of her sight and I

had to go into the riding arena and walk around with her. But over time she has built up a relationship with the people and the donkeys that she sees every week, and has grown the confidence to go it alone, even talking to people. Overall, it has given her a happy time every week where she can interact socially and not be scared.”

Cate, Florence’s mum

FLORENCE IS FRIGHTENED NO MOREFlorence is one of the many children who attend our Birmingham Sanctuary for donkey-assisted therapy. At the age of two she was diagnosed with a number of conditions, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, that has had a profound affect on her social interaction.

Everyday situations can be very frightening for Florence and her reactions to fear and stress can be severe, from hives to sickness. At worst, her throat swells up and she finds it hard to breathe.


In Cyprus we operate such a programme and have increased the number of donkeys we help from 60 in 2008 to a record 180 during 2014.

We currently work in over 30 countries worldwide. Outreach programmes are just one of the ways that we are able to extend our work, providing a combination of veterinary help and educational support to owners of working donkeys and mules.

Many people in Cyprus still rely on their donkeys for everything from carrying water and firewood to tending the vineyards and transport. The relationships we have built up over the last seven years have resulted in people contacting us if they have a problem with their donkeys. Through our work we’ve helped not only the donkeys, but also their owners, educating them by giving them advice and easy-to-understand literature.

Our visits are usually the only time a vet or farrier will check or treat these donkeys throughout their lives. Long hooves, dental problems, feeding issues and injuries are frequently seen and dealt with by the team.

In extreme cases we will take in donkeys that owners are unable to cope with, such as Vasilis, who has ongoing hoof problems.

Vasilis (pictured left) joins 97 other donkeys at one of our three holding bases. Many of these donkeys have been rescued from ill-treatment, abandonment and severe health problems. It costs nearly €400,000 each year to fund our Cyprus Project, including its holding bases and outreach work. We are forever grateful to our supporters for making this possible.

FOCUS ON… CYPRUS

Pages 18&19

Vasilis


NEWS IN BRIEF

The first thing that struck me was how much the

owners respect the vets from The Donkey Sanctuary, Ethiopia, and how grateful they are for their help.

“But the clinics aren’t just about veterinary care. The Ethiopia team works with owners to help them understand the best ways to look after their donkeys. This ensures the work they do is sustainable — every donkey owner that is shown how to prevent wounds means one less donkey that will need treatment in the future.”

Rachel

VET STUDENT VISITS ETHIOPIA PROJECT

Veterinary student, Rachel Argyle was selected by The Donkey Sanctuary and the British Veterinary Association for this year’s veterinary scholarship, and visited our major project in Ethiopia.

She visited the village of Awhana, helping at our weekly mobile vet clinic.

for seconds and thirds if she could. We all adore Tessa and hope that she has many more happy years with us.

ANIMALS IN WARAt 11am on Friday 14 November 2014, two representatives from The Donkey Sanctuary, Martin Taggart and Jenifer Tucker, stood with others for two minutes’ silence at the Animals in War Memorial in Park Lane, London to remember the animals who gave and continue to give their lives in war and areas of conflict.

TESSA TURNS 50We celebrated a very special birthday in January this year when Tessa, our oldest donkey, turned 50! Born in January 1965, she is a very special girl who is so kind and gentle, and absolutely loves cuddles. Tessa is in excellent health, and certainly doesn’t look her age. She rarely needs to be visited by our vets for health problems and doesn’t even need any extra feed on top of her daily chopped fibre. Tessa is always first in line at meal times and for grooming, and would queue up

been identifying and converting barns from storage functions into donkey-housing. In the latest such project, 50 donkeys have recently moved into Warren Barn at Trow Farm in Sidmouth.

BARN CONVERSIONSWith 836 donkeys arriving into our care in the UK, Ireland and Europe during 2014 alone, space is certainly at a premium at all of our Sanctuaries. Where feasible, and where funds allow, we have

The Donkey Sanctuary was one of many animal charities to proudly lay a wreath as a gesture of remembrance to all of the courageous animals who fought 100 years ago in WW1, in particular the donkeys and mules, whose great sacrifice will never

be forgotten.


NEWS IN BRIEF

FIRST-EVER CHARITY SHOPBy the time you read this newsletter, our first charity shop, in Otley, Leeds, will be close to opening its doors and we can’t wait to let you know more about it nearer the time.

Did you know? We have fantastic volunteering opportunities in the UK, including caring for our resident donkeys, helping us provide donkey-assisted therapy, raising funds in the community, and now helping out in our new charity shop.

Whether you have a couple of hours, a morning or afternoon, or even a whole day to spare, we would love to hear from you.Visit www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/volunteer for more information.

Hero Awards. Subsequently, The Donkey Sanctuary was lucky enough to be selected to join the panel of judges for the 2014 Animal Hero Awards — a fantastic way to raise awareness of our charity and our welfare work. Annie Brown, who has worked at the Sanctuary for over 24 years and is our General Farms Manager, represented us, helping to judge the 2014 event, and said,

It was a truly amazing experience, and the

stories we heard were so heart-warming. It was an honour to be invited to take part.”

Annie

NEW PROJECT IN ROMANIAWe have started a new donkey-assisted therapy project in Bradet, Romania. Donkeys, Sile and Remy, who were rescued through our wider Romanian project, are now ready to reap the rewards of their interactions with children.The project will help bring a smile to disadvantaged pupils and orphans through riding therapy, petting and animal care. The children have warmly welcomed the donkeys to the school, even helping to design and build the stables the donkeys are now living in.

JUDGING THE ANIMAL HERO AWARDSYou might remember that back in 2013 our donkey Shocks won ‘Rescue Animal of the Year’ in the Daily Mirror/RSPCA Animal

MOROCCAN MULESOur international team have recently held a weekend workshop for a group of Duke of Edinburgh Award students visiting the Toubakal National Park in Morocco. The workshop was designed for two different school groups, their teachers, their leaders, local guides, muleteers and mules. The workshop was undertaken as part of the community-project phase of the group’s expedition, and included an educational walk, a dentistry demonstration, the distribution of

humane tethers and an evening slideshow and talk. The main aim of this workshop was to promote pack-mule welfare across the mountain-tourism industry in Morocco.


WILD SANCTUARY

Above: (L-R) Our successful scholars Jenna and Emma will be giving a talk to supporters at this years’ Donkey Week, in May.

Without the help of The Donkey Sanctuary Neron

would have endured a lot of suffering as I did not know how to treat him myself and there are no local vets. I would have been very sad because I love my donkey and I am concerned for his welfare.”

Eberado

Top: Our Community Programme Manager, Rebeca, speaking with Eberado, helping to ensure donkeys like Neron receive the care they deserve.

Continued…

SPECIAL REPORT

FLIGHTPATHS FOR BATSThe Donkey Sanctuary is working in partnership with Devon Wildlife Trust to provide a venue for hedge-laying courses at our Sidmouth Sanctuary. Bats use the hedgerows as flightpaths between

roosts and as foraging habitats. Managing the hedgerows around our donkey fields will help greater horseshoe bats, a particularly rare bat species with a strong population in East Devon, to thrive.

HELLO LITTLE OWLSNesting amongst the roof spaces at our Sidmouth Sanctuary is a family of little owls. Little owls are on the RSPB’s amber list as a bird of conservation concern. James Chubb, our wildlife expert, has recently worked with a local licenced bird ringer to catch the parent birds, ring them, and record details which will be logged with The British Trust for Ornithology. Little owls are one of the species which were once kept by our Founder, Dr Svendsen MBE, in addition to donkeys!

LIFE-SAVING CAREOn our first day in Mexico we visited a small village called El Naranjillo with the team. When The Donkey Sanctuary started working with this community three years ago, many of the owners were afraid of their donkeys and mules, and controlled them through twitching and by hobbling their legs together. Since then, Senior Vet, Omar Prado Ortíz, has been working hard with the community to improve welfare by demonstrating good handling techniques, explaining donkey and mule behaviour and offering veterinary advice.

While we were there a man approached the team accompanied by a sad-looking little black donkey named Neron (meaning strong). Neron had an open wound on his belly, which the owner believed was caused by his harness. The donkey’s owner, Eberado, was very concerned for Neron, who he uses to carry crops from the fields. As soon as Eberado noticed the wound he stopped working Neron and brought him to the team for advice. Vet Omar tended to Neron’s wound, which Eberado had kept very clean, and offered advice on how to manage Neron’s wound at home.

In 2013 we launched our first-ever staff scholarship scheme in memory of our Founder, Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE, providing an opportunity for staff from the UK to see our international work in practice, witness the difficult conditions for donkeys and mules, and share vital knowledge.

Our successful scholars of 2014 were Jenna Goldby and Emma Flavin, who help care for and train our donkeys and mules. They travelled out to our Mexico project and had these two story highlights to share with you all:


MEXICO PROJECT: INTERESTING FACTS• First donkey clinics set up

in 1984.• 99,000 donkeys and mules

are within reach of our project.

• We operate in Mexico City, Queretaro, Tlaxcala, Veracruz and Guerrero areas.

• We collaborate with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

• 15 staff are employed locally.

• Our veterinary and community education work in Mexico costs £276,000 every year.

Now, thanks to a new female manager, we have been able to start a community programme to help them ensure the future of their donkeys. During our visit

SPECIAL REPORT CONTINUED

we could see how much empathy the villagers had for their donkeys. Pancho’s owner, Juana, told us she’s owned him since he was a foal and that he was a well-loved family member.

With the men away, the women have always been reluctant to let male staff from The Donkey Sanctuary into their community.

PANCHO AT HEART OF COMMUNITY SPIRITOn a visit to a village called San Juana Tepulio, we met a donkey called Pancho, one of several donkeys used by the indigenous community to collect firewood from the mountains.

Because the community’s men travel as far away as the USA for work, it falls to the women to look after the children, animals and households.

Donkeys and their owners spend whole days collecting wood from the top of the mountain, carrying as much as 100 kg at a time. By the end of the day both donkey and owner are exhausted. But without wood, the women would be unable to cook or heat their homes.

Left: Juana with her children and her much loved donkey, Pancho.


DONKEY CHAMPIONS

FORTY-TWO YEARS OF FOSTERINGPam and Ron Lawes have been fostering donkeys from The Donkey Sanctuary for 42 years, which is just incredible. Our fostering scheme, which generally rehomes donkeys in pairs, helps make vital space on our farms and also creates opportunities for unique and enduring friendships.

The Lawes’ donkey, Timmy, who is 42 years old, is a big part of their

lives. After a recent visit, our welfare adviser, Sophie Carter, confirmed that Timmy gives the best hugs! He is a gorgeous donkey who is full of character. Timmy has a lot of love to give, and in return has a top-class home with the Lawes family.

IN MEMORY OF JOANWe were touched to receive a letter from Mark Gould, enclosing a donation of £320 in memory of his late mother, Joan, who supported our work for many years. He wrote,

My mother loved all animals and as a result she supported

several animal charities, including The Donkey Sanctuary. She was upset by the way donkeys are, in

STAR LETTERThis Star Letter comes from Marie Autie, who kindly wrote to say: “I have just received the latest newsletter from The Donkey Sanctuary and would like to say how much I admire all the work you do towards giving the donkeys a better life. However, it works the other way, too. My grandson Christopher, who was born with learning

CENTENARY WOOLLEYSHelen McAteer is a keen knitter and has been making Woolleys for us to sell in our gift shop and online. She started knitting when she came across a picture of a ‘Woolley’. She told us, “I was hooked. I have always enjoyed knitting and felt this was a perfect way to support The Donkey Sanctuary. I usually knit about two donkeys a week and find that knitting them relaxes me and helps soothe away the stresses of a busy day. I am still

A BIG THANK YOU

We are so incredibly grateful to you all for supporting us during 2014 and making everything you read in this newsletter (and beyond) possible. The responses you gave to our appeals through the year were the best we’ve ever had, and will go a long way towards supporting our projects around the world — so a BIG thank you!

enjoying knitting them, and am now well past my 100th donkey!” Well done and thank you, Helen, and all our wonderful Woolley knitters out there! If you would like to knit, crochet or craft a donkey, please follow the link on our website.www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/register/woolley

many parts of the world, used without any regard to their welfare. She was always a very caring person and donkeys seem to have a certain innocence and charm.”

We are indebted to all the incredible support we have had from supporters like Joan and those who have kindly given us a legacy gift, helping us to plan a brighter future for donkeys and mules all over the world.

difficulties and has Spina Bifida, volunteers at your Sanctuary in Birmingham, and I can’t tell you what a difference it has made. He really adores ‘his’ donkeys and, hearing him talk to us about what the donkeys are doing, you realise that they are helping him, too. So you see, it can work two ways at the Sanctuary, each helping the other.”

Marie

GRANT FOR BARN IMPROVEMENTSWe have received a £30,000 grant from the W. G. Harvey Discretionary Settlement to extend a shelter at one of our outlying farms close to our Sidmouth Sanctuary. This vital

funding will provide housing for 50 more donkeys in the summer and create more space for the donkeys in the shelter in winter. This Trust has previously funded projects at the Manchester and Derbyshire Sanctuaries, and we are truly grateful for its support.


If you celebrate Easter and are looking for an alternative gift to chocolate, why not buy your loved ones a donkey adoption instead? (Or just treat yourself.) It’s the gift of unconditional love that lasts the whole year round. We have some wonderful characters to choose from on our adopt-a-donkey scheme.

ADOPT A DONKEY

For more information about visiting, our events, or how to adopt a donkey, go to www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk or call us on 01395 578222.

Above: Cisco is one of our wonderful donkeys you can adopt.

VISIT AND FALL IN LOVE

SIDMOUTH SANCTUARYSpring Craft Fair, 3 MayInternational Donkey Week, 5–12 May (booking preferred)Bray & Stay, 13–14 JuneDog Show, 21 JuneSummer Fair, 16 August

BELFAST SANCTUARYSpring Fair, 18 AprilSummer Fair, 20 June

BIRMINGHAM SANCTUARYSummer Fair, 11 July

IVYBRIDGE SANCTUARYSummer Fair, 6 June

LEEDS SANCTUARYSpring Fair, 9 MayDog Show, 7 JuneSummer Fair, 29 August

MANCHESTER SANCTUARYChildren’s Character Riding Theme Day, 27 MaySummer Fair, 18 July

Our main Sanctuary in Sidmouth is open 365 days a year, with free admission and parking. We have excellent facilities such as a restaurant, gift shop and family maze, not to mention many hundreds of donkeys for you to come and see.

You can also visit our other Sanctuaries (opening times vary) in the UK, Ireland, Spain and Italy. We have some fantastic events lined up over the next few months that we’d love to see you at. Here are some of our highlights:

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Our vision is a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering and their contribution to humanity is fully valued. Thank you for having the compassion to support us.

OUR JOURNEY CONTINUES...

spring 2015 (issue 80)

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