DONKEY DERBYSHIRE!

Rescued animals ARE living their best life in our countryside

FOR more than 30 years, unwanted and neglected donkeys have been given a home in the green fields of Derbyshire.

The Donkey Sanctuary, which is based nationally in Dorset, has a series of sites around the country and the one in Derbyshire is off the A515 at Hurdlow between Ashbourne and Buxton.

The sanctuary is not normally open to the public but it does have a series of open days each year and the next one is on May 5 from 10am to 3pm when people are invited to meet the staff and “get on hands on” with the donkeys, who all enjoy the extra attention.

The open day is the first of five such events on the first Sunday of each month through to September.

Mention donkeys and there are probably two thoughts that spring to mind – seaside holidays and rides on the beach and seeing them as work animals.

But never underestimate them or think of them as stubborn, according to sanctuary manager Chris Pile.

He said: “They are very intelligent, fiercely loyal to each other and are often to be seen in pairs, and are very gentler and loving.”

This winter has seen most of the donkeys staying indoors much of the time because of the wet conditions that have prevailed. As a result, he sanctuary to abandon the first planned open day at the beginning of this month.

Chris says he can’t remember a wetter winter in 17 years he has been at the Donkey Sanctuary. On the day we visited, it was dry if not very warm and a few were outside grazing. Chris said: “In the summer, they are out all the time.”

Life at the 20-acre sanctuary is busy. Many of the donkeys are elderly and have long-term medical conditions. Those who are fit and healthy can be put forward for rehoming, where they will go to live with guardian families.

Nationally, between seven and 10 donkeys are rescued every week and are taken to one of the six sanctuaries across the country, of which the one at Hurdlow is one.

Chris said: “Donkeys are given up by people for different reasons. Some because they lose the land they have them grazing on, others through changed circumstances and of course the cost of living has hit some people hard.

“Taking everything into account, including the fact that donkeys most often are found in pairs, it can cost around around £2,000 a year for stabling, feeding and welfare provision.

“Donkeys are very close-bonding animals and you often find them being companions for ponies.”

The Donkey Sanctuary charity operates around the world in about 40 countries and operates clinics for donkeys, especially in third world countries where people rely on them for a living.

Chris said: “In this country, strict rules apply to donkeys on beaches and there is a weight limit of around seven to eight stone for them to carry. Welfare officers keep an eye on what happens to them. But people often also keep them for showing or ploughing.”

The Donkey Sanctuary relies on donations to operate which means that new arrivals – some could be in a bad way while others could be muchloved pets that people cannot cope with any more – will undergo medical checks and a chance to relax if they are stressed all within six weeks of arriving.

The age range of the donkeys at ranges from around three years through to one in their early 30s.

They can easily live to be around 50. All the donkeys are given names and if a member of the public wants to name a donkey, they can do so for a donation.

Among the donkeys, there are tall and short ones, as well as miniature donkeys, which are more like a Shetland pony height.

As well as a number of permanent staff, the sanctuary also relies on a small army of volunteers who come in to muck out and groom the donkeys, as well as helping to maintain the paddocks. There is a waiting list of people wanting to be volunteers.

Chris said: “The donkeys enjoy meeting people and we love visitors to come. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leads. Refreshments and catering will be available. But to help keep everyone safe, we have limited the number of cars that we can accommodate on our farm and to help us manage this, we have implemented a booking system.”

To book for the open day go to www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk.