Donkey welfare in Ireland has reached crisis point, a situation The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland warned was imminent.
Understanding the welfare crisis
Several issues affecting the wellbeing of donkeys in Ireland are happening at the same time, with a history of unplanned and unmanaged breeding lying at the root of this complex crisis.
Many donkeys have yet to be registered with a passport agency or given a microchip, which means that the number of donkeys at risk of poor welfare in Ireland is currently unquantified.
Unfortunately, Covid-19 and an increased cost of living have only added to the challenges for donkey owners and placed even more donkeys at risk.
A sanctuary at capacity
These problems have put pressure on The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland's welfare services at an unsustainable rate.
In 2021, reserving space at The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland for only the most vulnerable became necessary. Since then, we have only taken in pregnant mares or mares with newborn foals at our sanctuaries in Ireland.
We have also had many donkeys returned to our sanctuary farms from guardian homes. Last year we took over 100 of these donkeys back into our sanctuaries, and we predict an even more significant number to return in 2023.
As of March 2023, The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland has reached capacity.
We commit to our relinquished donkeys for the rest of their lives, so it's vital that our teams can continue to ensure high welfare standards for them.
Our welfare teams in Ireland continue to respond to extreme cases of neglect, abandonment and cruelty. The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland responded to over 2200 telephone advice calls in 2021 and 2022.
By offering support in the community, we hope to be able to make a positive difference for more donkeys than if we have to rely purely on sanctuary-based care.
Collective effort required
The vast scale of the crisis for donkeys in Ireland means that investment in additional land or farms cannot resolve the situation.
This crisis requires a collective and long-term solution.
Those who can make a profound difference for donkeys in Ireland must come together to work towards a sustainable future.
From donkey owners to the Irish government, we are working with people who can affect change.
Working with donkey owners
At The Donkey Sanctuary, we place a strong emphasis on education and community support, offering a wide range of advice and support to help donkeys and their owners.
Our welfare team in Ireland provide support to donkey owners on a daily basis. The team advise on feeding and housing donkeys through to helping owners source emergency and routine treatment. In 2022 they provided support on over 1100 occasions to donkeys and their owners across Ireland.
We must encourage responsible ownership to begin to reduce the scale of the crisis in Ireland. Supporting donkey owners to make responsible choices regarding breeding is fundamental to tackling this crisis at its source.
Sustainable change for good
We believe that a lasting solution to the donkey welfare crisis in Ireland must involve changes to government policy and law enforcement practices.
By improving the lives of donkeys in the community and advocating for better welfare through government and law enforcement, we can help many more donkeys than we can by providing sanctuary care alone.
We are actively working with the Irish government to help those changes come about as quickly and effectively as possible. In the meantime, we continue our work on the ground, trying to help the donkeys in desperate need.
What to do if you're concerned about a donkey's welfare in Ireland
Knowing what to do if you see or hear about a donkey suffering from poor welfare in Ireland is an important step in helping us to resolve this crisis.
If you see a donkey in poor health
Contact the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's national helpline, the ISPCA's national cruelty helpline, your local authority, or your local Garda station.
If you own a donkey and need support
You can contact The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland’s welfare team on 022 49013 or by submitting an enquiry form.
The team can provide information and support on accessing critical donkey welfare services such as farriery and dentistry and advice on castration and other veterinary services.
Make a donation
The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland's welfare and farm teams continue to work together to improve donkey welfare throughout Ireland, and this would not be possible without the public's generosity.