The Donkey Sanctuary (world leaders in donkey welfare)

The Donkey Sanctuary is one of England’s few ‘big charities’ where nearly every penny donated goes directly to our donkey friends, both here and abroad. The charity was set up by Dr Elizabeth Svendson, after she discovered donkeys in appalling conditions at an Exeter market.

Soon after a lone donkey was rescued from an Island in Ireland, and after that work began in Mexico. Today this charity works worldwide to help all donkeys needing help.

It has a state-of-the-art hospital and beautiful sanctuaries nationwide, and has already helped to ban donkey slaughter in parts of Africa (the skins used for the ‘medicine trade’).

You can report of a donkey in need or donkey concerns, and their dedicated team of experts and volunteers will kick into action.

How to Support the Donkey Sanctuary

An easy way to support is to use this charity as your giving choice, when you sign up at easyfundraising. Then each time you buy a product or service, retailers donate a portion of sales on your behalf, at no cost to you. It does not affect loyalty points.

Like all small charities, they need funds. You can give anonymously if preferred, by opening an account at Charities Aid Foundation (remember to add Gift Aid, if you’re a personal or business taxpayer).

Another way to help is to ask your local donkey sanctuary if it would appreciate a purchase of MudControl slabs. This is the premier brand used by farmers and equestrians, to turn muddy dangerous land into safe places to pass through, or eat hay. They are used with sand for easy installation.

If you play the National Lottery, switch to the Donkey Lottery, a weekly £1 draw where you can win up to £1000. There are 33 cash prizes each week, and donkeys win whatever the outcome. Make a note, if you do not wish your name to appear on the weekly winner’s list.

The shop is not that inspirational, but you can buy a nice jute shopping bag, which helps the planet, and profits fund helping donkeys.

Don’t Support Beach Donkey Rides

It’s less popular these days, but donkey rides are (like horse carriages and Punch & Judy shows) gradually disappearing, in a better age of animal welfare. There are welfare checks (overseen by The Donkey Sanctuary) on remaining donkey rides on English beaches.

This was brought into place, due to needing strict riding weights, due to heavier children. But it will remains a boring life for sociable donkeys, who no doubt would prefer to be living in open fields, with their own kind.

It’s now the law that all donkeys on beaches in England, must have fresh water and shade. Only a few years ago, a petition to ban all UK donkey rides gained 100,000 signatures.

In a northern seaside town recently, some parents were in uproar, when the local man giving donkey rides, demanded to weight children, before letting them ride his animals. He was however inundated with support from the public, for trying to ensure good welfare for his donkeys.

Other Ways to Help Donkey Sanctuaries

• This local gin donates profits to Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary
• Enter the words ‘donkey sanctuary’ at Find That Charity, to bring up a list of registered donkey sanctuaries. You can volunteer locally, adding the county name to your search request.
• Obviously all donkey sanctuaries would welcome trained volunteers like vets and veterinary nurses, or anyone with skills in animal husbandry. And volunteers who offer other skills like cleaning, feeding animals and building shelters.

Did you know that actor John Nettles is passionate about donkeys (and horses – he supports the Mare and Foal Sanctuary, which offers lifelong sanctuary for equines and welfare advice). He even helped to rescue a donkey from Ireland, who now happily lives with a new donkey friend!

Helping Working Donkeys Abroad

• The Donkey Care Handbook (also in Chinese) educates communities on good donkey care, and the charity behind it works to stop millions of donkeys being killed for their skin to use as ‘eastern medicine’.
• SPANA provides free vet care and training and organises emergency responsible for natural disasters (you can report concerns). Donations also fund volunteer vets for ‘draught animals’.
• Animal Aid Abroad helps working horses, donkeys and camels and recently set up an Indian camel sanctuary, some are rescued from road accidents.
• Brooke helps working horses, donkeys and mules and has 3 vet clinics in Ethiopia (you can report concerns if on holiday). Its book Sharing the Load (download in several languages) educates communities on helping draught animals.
• Safe Haven for Donkeys helps donkeys in the Middle East (including Egypt where they work in intense heat to move bricks). Raise funds by donating scrap cars). Another charity helping in this area is  Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation.
• The Donkey Haven Charity helps donkeys use for meat and tourism (you can report concerns, they have adoptive homes if needed).

Helping Donkeys in Tanzania

SPANA is helping donkeys in waterlogged areas due to recent floods, some used for the mining industry to transport gold. There are many ways to help including:

• Sending unwanted (including broken) jewellery and watches, along with UK or foreign bank notes and coins, nwanted mobile phones, cameras, stamps (leave a 1cm surround to preserve the perforations)) and electronic gadgets. Again you can donate scrap cars, to sell scrap metal.
• Choose SPANA as your cause at easyfundraising. Then again when you shop at participating businesses, a portion of the price goes to them, and it won’t cost you a penny.
• If you prefer to give anonymously, just tick the box at Charities Aid Foundation.
• IAPWA (easyfundraising) and The Donkey Sanctuary (easyfundraising) are two other charities active in Tanzania.