Welcome to the El Refugio del Burrito website

We really do thank you for taking the time to visit our site and hope you will be able to support the work we do here in Spain. We have tried to make it as easy to navigate the site as possible and on the left hand side you will find all the information relating to our work and on the right all the ways that you can help us.

The fact that you have taken the time to visit means a lot to us and if you can make a small donation before you leave it will make such a difference to our work as we receive no government grants or other income other than donations from our supporters. If you have any suggestions for improving this site or do not find what you are looking for please leave a comment for us as we need all the feedback and help w can get.

If you would like to keep up to date with work at El Refugio del Burrito, please follow my El Refugio updates.

Once again thanks for visiting.

Shotguns and Surging Crowds for the Shrove Thursday Donkey Submitted by Rafael Benjumea on Tue, 21/02/2012 - 14:06 Campaign This morning a donkey has once again endured cruelty at the hands of drunken crowds at a traditional Spanish festival, international animal welfare charity The Donkey Sanctuary has witnessed. On Shrove Tuesday every year the village of Villanueva de la Vera hosts the carnival of Peropalo, where it is traditional for a donkey to be pulled through the very narrow cobbled streets of the village, ridden by an intoxicated rider and surrounded by a large crowd, some of whom fire shotguns. It is an extremely frightening experience for the animal, and one which The Donkey Sanctuary has been campaigning against for 25 years. A representative of the charity attended the event this morning and has sent this report: » Read more Peropalo 2012 Submitted by Rafael Benjumea on Tue, 07/02/2012 - 13:50 Campaign On Tuesday 21st of February 2012, with the knowledge of both the Local Council and the government of Extremadura, once again, a defenceless donkey will be condemned to be dragged, pushed and pulled through the streets of Villanueva de la Vera, a small town with no more than 2000 people. The donkey will be forced to endure, as part of a local ‘fiesta’, stress, violence and suffering. » Read more 1 attachment
A new start... Submitted by Rafael Benjumea on Thu, 12/01/2012 - 16:37 Rescue With the New Year, a new life has also begun for some donkeys and mules; the very first ones to join our big family in 2012. From Almería in South-Eastern Spain, three animals have just joined us. They are Juan, Andrea, Negrita, Rosy and Poppy. Here's a photo of them and some information on how they came to join us here at El Refugio. » Read more		The result of much work and love Submitted by Rafael Benjumea on Mon, 19/12/2011 - 14:41 Therapy Not a month ago, some workers at El Refugio del Burrito thought it nice and interesting that we participated in a Project from the Andalucian TV Station "Canal Sur Televisión", whereby anyone could send a video that would later be broadcast in the station to wish Andalucía a very merry Christmas. » Read more