A trio of players from Manchester City’s Women’s Team visited The Donkey Sanctuary Manchester last week, where they spent time meeting and grooming the resident donkeys.
Ruby Mace, Kerstin Casparij and Julie Blakstad made time to journey from their training ground at the Joie Stadium on the Etihad Campus to the sanctuary where they helped staff care for the donkeys.
Despite freezing temperatures, the three were eager to spend time with the donkeys and learn about how to care for them, each gaining a further understanding of how connections with animals can be mutually beneficial for all involved.
After an introduction to the herd of 20 donkeys, they got to spend some one-on-one time with donkeys Jerry, Dennis and Hector, grooming and learning about the services provided by the donkeys on a day-to-day basis.
The guests then concluded their visit by making some enrichment toys for the three donkeys. Rubber and plastic balls were stuffed full of hay and fresh herbs, which the donkeys enjoyed exploring and moving around the yard. Enrichment is incredibly important for the donkeys, as it provides mental stimulation and allows them to display their natural foraging behaviour.
The sanctuary in Abbey Hey supports people throughout the community through a range of donkey-assisted activities. While living at the centre, the resident donkeys are also being trained for their eventual forever homes on the animal welfare charity’s Rehoming Scheme.
Just being around the donkeys can improve a person’s wellbeing, bring calmness, and relieve the pressures of everyday life, something the three players experienced during their visit.
Robina Melling, Centre Manager, said: “Ruby, Kerstin and Julie asked loads of great questions and were really interested in the work we do at the centre and in The Donkey Sanctuary as a charity.
“We put out some enrichment for the donkeys, which included footballs that were kindly donated to the herd. The enrichment included forage balls, and were red, purple and blue. I couldn't help noticing that out of all of them, Hector chose to play with the blue one, not sure if he now has a club allegiance.”
Before they left, the players were gifted an adoption pack for Hector, with whom they’d formed a special bond, so now they can receive regular updates and stay in touch with their newest four-legged fan.
For Julie, the visit was one of the last appointments out with her teammates, as the 22-year-old has now just left Man City to join Swedish outfit Hammarby.
For interviews, images and information please contact The Donkey Sanctuary press office on 01395 573124 or 07870 849563 (including out of hours) or send an email.
The Donkey Sanctuary is the world's largest equine welfare charity. Our vision is a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering and their contribution to humanity is fully valued. We run 10 sanctuaries around the UK and Europe, giving lifelong care to more than 7,000 donkeys and mules. Our hospital treats sick donkeys and trains vets both nationwide and worldwide. Our donkey-facilitated learning programme helps vulnerable children and adults develop life skills by connecting with donkeys on an emotional and physical level.
Please note that the name ‘The Donkey Sanctuary’ should not be abbreviated to ‘Donkey Sanctuary’, and the word ‘The’ should always appear with a capital ‘T’ as above.