The Donkey Sanctuary

Founded in the UK almost 50 years ago, The Donkey Sanctuary has developed to become the world’s largest equine welfare charity. Our experience rehoming thousands of donkeys rescued from lives of neglect and abuse has established us over the decades as a global authority in equine husbandry and veterinary care.

We share our wealth of both practical expertise and scientific research with communities, businesses, educational institutions, government organisations, the media and the public in order to sustainably transform the quality of life of donkeys and mules, and the people who depend on them for their livelihood.

There are an estimated 55 million donkeys and mules worldwide. While many are farmed for the production of meat, skin and milk, the majority are used for work by rural and urban communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Whether pulling ploughs, collecting water or carrying goods to market, their socio-economic value can be taken for granted, with people taking advantage of their stoical, hardworking traits.

Our global programmes currently support 1.8 million animals annually in almost 40 countries. Whether for harness-making workshops, animal welfare education for children or veterinary training for university students, our approach is always collaborative. We treat every interaction as an opportunity to learn and teach, so we can help donkey owners and care-takers become welfare ambassadors, wherever they live and work. Through our network of local partners, we aim to make a sustainable difference at scale to those animals and communities in greatest need.

Complementing our global programmes, our advocacy projects help inform government legislation regulating the welfare standards of equines in industry, agriculture, tourism and production. In China, we are developing partnerships with key stakeholders to enhance veterinary skills and knowledge of equine welfare, and to learn more about the roles of equines in the country.

Our collaborations with communities, academia, business, governments and other non-governmental organisations worldwide support our vision of a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering, and their contribution to humanity is fully valued.