Our Donkey-Assisted Therapy programme brings people and donkeys together here in the UK, in Europe and in the developing world, providing vulnerable people with opportunities for emotional connection, social interaction, communication and confidence-building.
A large number of the donkeys involved in these activities have been rescued from terrible lives or circumstances.
Now safe in our care, they have gone on to become wonderful teachers and helpers for human beings facing particular emotional, psychological and cognitive challenges.
When we look at donkeys carefully, we can often see how they feel, and as social, herd living creatures donkeys are very good at sensing our emotional disposition and reacting accordingly.. The donkey’s ability to mirror our feelings is what makes them such fantastic teachers of people and transformative experiences can happen as a consequence.
There is no better demonstration of this magic than Bluto, one of the rescued donkeys at our Italian sanctuary, sharing a special moment with a resident of a nearby care home. Bluto absolutely loves spending time with the residents, as they do with him.