A handsome foal born at our sanctuary on Easter Monday during the COVID-19 lockdown has been named Lockie.

Looking after the mental well-being of our donkeys and mules is very important as it can affect their physical health and behaviour.

Physical and mental enrichment is essential to the well-being of donkeys and mules. Enrichment helps to maintain normal behaviour, prevent problems associated with boredom, ensures their instinctual needs are met, increases exercise and maintains a healthy weight, to name but a few.

The Donkey Sanctuary Worldwide made a one off £10,000 donation to help an Australian donkey sanctuary earlier this year.

In 2019 a group of fourteen donkeys from Co. Cork came into our care. Parsley was one of the youngest donkeys in this group. Unused to being handled, he was nervous and frightened.

Parsley was thin and his lice infested coat was dirty and matted. The New Arrivals team knew they needed to treat Parsley urgently. Given that Parsley was a wild foal - due to lack of human contact before his rescue - he was sedated in order for his coat to be fully clipped.