Homes appeal for credit crunch donkeys

Published by Jane Gething-Lewis for 24dash.com in Environment and also in Bill Payments

The Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary is looking for people to foster the increasing number of donkeys neglected or being given up by their owners as a result of the credit crunch.

Since October 2008 the charity has seen almost twice the number of unwanted or neglected donkeys come in compared to any quarter over the past two years.

This increase has seen the charity's six farms in Devon and Dorset fill to near capacity and the sanctuary is now promoting its donkey fostering scheme to try to ease the burden on them.

Dawn Vincent from the sanctuary's press office said: "Taking in more donkeys has an obvious impact on our finances and therefore fostering a pair of donkeys is a great way of directly helping donkeys.

"We foster out donkeys that would benefit from the individual attention a home can provide. It also means we have more time to care for donkeys who are elderly or require expert veterinary care."

The sanctuary's head of welfare, Martin Taggart, said: "We are looking for people who are very serious about taking on a pair of our donkeys. They take a great deal of time, money and commitment and therefore, we retain high standards and have minimum requirements prior to anyone being accepted on the waiting list."

Potential foster carers must take in a pair of donkeys and have at least an acre of grazing, a stable and field shelter, a hard standing area and good fencing.

All prospective owners must attend one of the Donkey Care Induction days, which are held throughout the country, and receive a home inspection.

Once accepted The Donkey Sanctuary delivers the donkeys to your door free of charge and a welfare officer will visit every three to four months to check the donkeys and provide any help or support needed.

The charity asks foster carers to take on all costs of the donkeys, including feed, farriery and veterinary costs. The donkeys remain under the ownership of The Donkey Sanctuary.

For more information (including full terms and conditions) and an application form, visit www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/fostering or call the welfare team on 01395 578222.