We currently have four Adoption Donkey’s in our sponsorship scheme which is a much needed lifeline for the sanctuary. It is a wonderful way to show your support for donkey welfare.
By sponsoring a donkey you are helping provide funds for:
Veterinary check ups and care
Hoof trimming
Bedding
Feed: Haylage/Hay/Nuts
Equine dentistry
Adoption packs make a wonderful gift for a donkey loving friend or just for yourself! Each contains an adoption certificate and selection of donkey themed gifts.
Packs cost just €25 and are renewable every year. The ‘Adoption Donkeys’ are permanent residents here at the sanctuary so you are welcome to visit your sponsored donkey or donkeys at any time during normal opening hours. We are very grateful for your kindness and support.
Meet our Adoption Donkeys
Gender: Female (Mare)
Personality: Super Friendly!
Favourite Treat: Ginger Nut Biscuits! (Any brand!)
Zeta is a gentle and loving soul who absolutely loves people. She will always rush to her stable door or over to the fence when visitors are in sight. She loves to nuzzle hands and will accept hugs and scratches willingly!
Zeta has been a permanent resident at the sanctuary for a number of years now. She had been abandoned and left to fend for herself wearing a foal head collar which was much too tight for an adult donkey. It was fused to her face and causing extreme pain and infection.
She also has a very weak respiratory system as a result of a bout of untreated pneumonia in her earlier life. A delicate soul who needs a special diet and lots of tender loving care she continually amazes us with her friendly and loving nature.
ZETA
Gender: Male (Gelding)
Personality: Shy and Nervous
Favourite Treat: Bread and Ginger Nuts
Teddy is a beautiful boy who finds it hard to trust. He is very friendly but has a long standing fear of human contact. We can never know what horrors befell Teddy in his earlier life but all efforts to rehome him have failed as he collapsed in terror on the steps of the horse box on two separate occasions. After the second attempt was made a decision was taken to allow Teddy to live out his life where he feels safe as his terror has not decreased with time.
He has a lovely nature and clings fiercely to his two best friends Jay and Ben for companionship and protection. Donkeys are incredibly empathetic and Jay and Ben seem to sense his vulnerability and choose to stay close at all times. The three are stable mates every winter and spend many happy hours together. Teddy is a special boy and life at the sanctuary would not be the same without him.
He is home …
TEDDY BEAR (TEDDY)
Gender. Male (Gelding)
Personality: Friendly and loving!
Favourite Treat: Bread & Apples!
Binky was relinquished to the sanctuary by an elderly lady who could no longer care for him. He is a gentle soul who loves human company and is especially good with children. Instantly recognisable with his thick, fluffy, white coat, he is a great favourite with visitors.
His stable companion and very best friend is Quiney who has now retired from the adoption scheme but is still a permanent resident here at the sanctuary. The two of them spend many happy days together in the summer paddocks and long winter days staying cosy in their shared stable. They are so accustomed to one another’s ways that it would be impossible to imagine them sharing a space with anyone else. True friends ❤️❤️
BINKY
Gender: Male (Gelding)
Personality: Superstar who just loves himself!
Favourite Treat: Carrots
Timmy was born here at the sanctuary to rescue mare Twilight in the summer of 2016. Twilight had arrived at the sanctuary in a shocking state and had clearly been beaten with many cuts and scratches on her body. Sadly when her little foal was born he was unable to use his back legs and dragged himself around after his Mum in order to feed.
Timmy’s survival was far from certain but he had tremendous spirit and it was quickly clear that he was going to fight to survive. After lots of veterinary consultations Timmy was provided with a set of special shoes which held his damaged legs in the correct position and gave them a chance to heal. After many months and regular changes of shoes he was walking normally and on his way to leading a normal life.
Timmy still needs lots of special care in order to ensure that his vulnerable legs remain strong. He has received support from all over the world in his journey back to full health and has a regular stream of visitors who come to the sanctuary to meet their hero. This fuss has led to him having a ‘superstar’ attitude as he knows that he is pretty unique. We wouldn’t have him any other way!
TIMMY
Gender: Female (Mare)
Personality: Playful, friendly
Favourite Treat: Milk pellets
Rose was rejected by her Mum Daisy at birth. Daisy had arrived at the sanctuary four months before little Rose arrived in the world. She had been abandoned and left to fend for herself in a heavily pregnant state. She was extremely thin and covered in cuts and lacerations.
We believe that she has had too much trauma to be able to cope with her little newborn foal. As she walked away from the moment of birth we had to begin bottle feeding straight away. Fortunately we were able to get the colostrum from Mum which gives a newborn foal its immunity to disease. All attempts to reunite Mum and her little daughter have failed as Daisy was lashing out violently at Rose. Sadly this window for attachment has now passed.
Rose is a tremendously tough and resilient little character. She has put up an amazing fight for life after starting out at such a disadvantage. She is a little superstar!
