Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary (how to support it)
Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary rescues animals from England and abroad, and is set in 55 acres with walking trails (it also rescues mules and ponies, and educates on donkey welfare).
Residents have been rescued from donkey beach rides to turning water wheels, others simply due to guardians becoming ill or losing their land.
- Rescuing each donkey costs around £1000, so again sign up as your chosen charity at easyfundraising, then anytime you buy at shops or services, a portion of the price goes to them, at no cost to you. Again you can donate anonymously through Charities Aid Foundation.
- Switch lottery tickets to Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary Lotto. It’s £1 a ticket, with 60% of sales benefiting them (there’s a 1 in 50 change to win, the top weekly prize is £25,000).
- Hedgerow Gin uses herbs, fruits and berries from local hedgerows, with profits supporting the sanctuary. Wildheart Sanctuary Gin also benefits a local animal sanctuary.
Check medication, before consuming grapefruit gin. Choose soda water (over tonic water) for some medical conditions (check paper inserts). Recycle corks at off licenses, or send off in bulk to Recorked.
Other Ways to Help Donkey Sanctuaries
- Most sanctuaries appreciate purchase of MudControl slabs, used by farmers and equestrians, to turn muddy land into safe places to pass through or eat hay. They are used with sand for easy installation.
- Enter the words ‘donkey sanctuary’ at Find That Charity, to bring up registered donkey sanctuaries. You can volunteer locally, add the county name to your search.
- All donkey sanctuaries welcome trained volunteers, and others to help with cleaning, feeding animals and building shelters.
- Also read of reasons to avoid donkey rides and how to help working donkeys abroad.
Actor John Nettles is passionate about donkeys (and horses – he supports 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!
