Admissions

The Admissions Department is an important part of our welfare team. If you have a donkey or a group of donkeys that you are no longer able to care for then the Donkey Sanctuary is able to offer a home to them for the rest of their days, provided they are fit to travel.  Below are listed some of the commonly asked questions with regard to relinquishing your donkey.  If you feel that this is for you then do give us a call.  We will talk you through our relinquishment procedures and will arrange for one of our welfare officers to come and visit you and your donkey should you decide to relinquish them into our care.

“No donkey is ever refused admittance providing it has a certificate of fitness to travel”.

The Donkey Sanctuary will decide where your donkey is best suited. If you have any concerns with regard to the following then please discuss these with your visiting welfare officer, as by signing your donkey over to The Donkey Sanctuary you are relinquishing all rights of ownership.

Initially the donkey will be collected by the sanctuary and either come to Sidmouth, Devon or go to one of the sanctuary's holding bases. In each case a six week settling in period will be completed where vaccinations, farriery and worming will be updated. It is after this period that the donkey's future will be decided. 

Frequently Ask Questions

Where will my donkey go once relinquished?

• Reside at one of our sanctuary farms. Here you will be able to visit by appointment.
• Join one of our Elisabeth Svendsen Trust Centres.
• Join our Foster Scheme.
• Join our School Education Therapy Unit.

When will I be able to visit my donkey(s)?

• If the donkey resides at one of our centres or farms then you may visit by appointment.
• If the donkey joins our foster scheme then this is down to the individual foster home and the majority of foster homes do not agree to visits or contact by former owners.

Will I be kept in touch with my donkey(s).

• Most certainly. The sanctuary will always keep you up to date, by letter, regarding your donkey's whereabouts. This is normally done when the donkey changes location, becomes ill or passes away. You are more than welcome to ring or write for an update on your donkey at any time.
• If your donkey has joined the foster scheme then you will be told of the county but not the postal address.
• In order to comply with data protection legislation and to protect the privacy of our foster carers, we do not release anyone's details. If however former owners wish to pass or receive information relating to donkeys, we are more than happy to act as intermediaries on their behalf.

I have relinquished a pair of donkeys, will they always remain together?

• A bonded pair or group of donkeys will not deliberately be split up.  Although over a period of time it is common that donkeys find other companions and in some cases do split up.  Occasionally we have to split pairs due to veterinary care, although this is very rare.

The Donkey Sanctuary employs two full-time drivers who travel the length and breadth of the UK collecting donkeys. You may well have seen them on the roads. The lorries are designed especially for donkeys, by having low loading ramps for easier loading, rubber matting and low padding to ensure that the donkeys' travel is as stress free and as comfortable as possible.

If you have any further questions or wish a donkey to be relinquished please call on 01395 578222.