May 2008

Well, if 2007 was a busy year 2008 is set to be even busier; since 2003 we have set up refuges in Spain, Italy and Cyprus and established our presence through small holding centres and by working with existing charities in, Romania, France, Albania, Greece, and Portugal. With the main refuges now set up and taking in donkeys we are in a good position to help the thousands of donkeys and mules who so desperately need our help in Europe. Donkeys like these who were abandoned and poisoned by a farmer because they were eating his crops. Luckily for them we found them in time and managed to administer an antidote, they are now at our sanctuary in Italy after our specially designed lorries transported them to safety.

The problems for donkeys and mules is growing all over Europe, although the total number of donkeys is declining due to machinery replacing the donkeys role in many European countries. This leaves the donkeys abandoned and without purpose and very often they face the prospect of terrible journeys to abattoirs which are often thousands of miles away. Our job is to be there for those donkeys who need a refuge when they are no longer required and that is a major undertaking but we are determined to help as many as we can. We are also investigating the transportation and treatment of donkeys destined for slaughter and will expose those dealers who make money out of the misery of these poor animals.

We are hard at work helping those donkeys who are used for work in agriculture or tourism and have this year expanded our project in Santorini, Greece where we have been providing free treatments to the working donkeys for many years. We are now, with the help of the Municipality and in particular Dimitris Sigalas, able to open a small refuge and employ a welfare officer there are over 900 donkeys and mules on this one Island alone and they provide much of the labour needed as lorries and cars cannot get through many of the small streets.

In Spain we have purchased our second farm enabling us to take up to 400 animals into care and in Italy we have just opened our first refuge which will be able to house up to 300 animals when completed. In Cyprus we have taken over the refuge started by Patrick and Mary Skinner and are looking to see if we can find a better location to continue to progress the wonderful project they started.

Although we have an immense task ahead of us, we are starting to make a difference to the lives of many donkeys and mules in Europe, none of this would be possible without our supporters and my heartfelt thanks goes out to every one of you.

Together we can make a difference.