Our approach to rescues
We provide loving care for donkeys in our sanctuaries across the United Kingdom and Europe.
Our mission is all about improving donkey welfare. While placing donkeys into our care has always been, and continues to be, a key part of delivering that mission, it is now just one of the many ways we work to improve donkey welfare. Our experience has taught us that alternatives to sanctuary care can often be the best option for some donkeys, and we work to reduce the need for us to intervene and ‘rescue’ by improving the welfare of donkeys wherever they live.
Donkeys that get relinquished into our ownership usually have complex needs that require specialist care and attention that can only be delivered in a sanctuary setting.
Making the right decisions for every donkey
Our aim is to be ever more proactive and to reduce the need for ‘rescue’ by improving the welfare of donkeys wherever they live. This includes the requirement for increased collaboration with international organisations as well as educating donkey owners to take care of their animals. The result will be a legacy of good on-the-ground welfare for donkeys everywhere.
Our activities have expanded well beyond the ‘rescue’ model. Across the globe we now provide donkey welfare education and outreach programmes. We also lobby governments and work with communities and organisations to improve the life of working donkeys.
A day in the life of New Arrivals
The path to rehoming starts from the very moment a donkey or mule comes into our care.
Not all donkeys that come to live at The Donkey Sanctuary end up being suitable for private homes. Nevertheless, we give each and every one of them as much attention as they require to help them get their best new start.
Our rescue stories
A ‘worryingly listless’ underweight colt who lived in a field littered with dangerous hazards is receiving all the support he needs to thrive once again.
A group of young donkeys born within a year of each other following their mums’ dramatic rescue from Wales are leading happy and healthy lives in Devon.
Sharon and Mango, the rescued mothers of adoption donkeys Peanut and Maverick, are thriving following one of our biggest rescue operations in 2021 – although Sharon still requires close support years later.
Three foals born into sanctuary care following their mothers’ rescue have built an unbreakable bond.
A tiny foal born to a mother who was rescued in one of our most complex and historic operations is thriving in sanctuary care three years on.
A group of lice-infested donkeys in Wales who had overgrown hooves and matted coats are now leading happier lives at one of our farms in Devon.
A donkey who was rescued in our largest and most complex rescue to date is now leading a happier life thanks to vital ongoing support from our teams.
Our team in Ireland worked with fellow equine charity My Lovely Horse Rescue to transport an abandoned donkey to safety.
In a remarkable end to a rescue that began in August 2023, five mares and their five foals have been successfully rehomed..
