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Welfare

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Protecting donkeys from insects

Insects can cause great distress and irritation to donkeys. We offer advice to help you keep your donkeys safe from flies and midges.

To do this you need to know which insects your donkeys are susceptible to and which insects are likely to be living in their environment.

Insects tend to be a seasonal problem in Spain, where they are not usually seen during the winter months. However, in some countries they can be a year-round problem.

burro con mascara

Physical and mental enrichment for donkeys

Physical and mental enrichment is essential to the wellbeing of donkeys and mules. Enrichment helps to maintain normal behaviour, prevent problems associated with boredom, ensures their instinctual needs are met, increases exercise and maintains a healthy weight, to name but a few. The goals for enrichment are to increase behavioural diversity and increase positive utilisation of the environment they are in, subsequently increasing their ability to cope with daily challenges and be able to make their own choices. Just think of one thing each day that you could do differently.

donkey enrichment

Unprecedented sentence for the abuse of rented mules during El Rocio pilgrimage

El Refugio del Burrito has welcomed the sentencing of four men who abused two mules during El Rocio, the largest pilgrimage in the Western world.

The owner of the animals, the intermediary and the two men who rented the mules were sentenced to six months in prison, a two -year ban on owning and trading animals and the payment of veterinary and upkeep costs at the Huelva Criminal Court on the last 17th of February for animal abuse.

 Eufrasia (right) and Maria Antonieta (left) enjoy a sunny day at El Refugio del Burrito.

Filipo´s big improvement

Filipo came to the sanctuary together with her best friend Megara after they were found suffering in Motril, Granada due to a terrible lack of basic care.
Two other donkeys, Diana and Era, came to the sanctuary with Filipo and Megara but sadly passed away because of the very bad condition in which we found them.

Filipo mejora

Donkeys face population collapse due to skin trade

• Donkey populations collapsing in some countries across Africa, South America and Asia
• Millions of donkeys killed by traders for their skins to be used in traditional Chinese medicine
• Pregnant mares, foals and sick animals illegally stolen, transported and killed
• Biosecurity risk of anthrax and equine flu throughout the trade
• Donkeys key to the livelihoods of 500 million people worldwide

 Donkeys face population collapse due to skin trade

More than 20 animals close to death in Villanuevas de Algaidas (Malaga)

Last 14th January we were involved in probably the worst case of neglectment of El Refugio del Burrito. We rescued more than 20 equids living amongst waste and dead bodies of other animals. We got the case thanks to an anonymous letter received by post asking for help for those animals.

When the staff arrived a horror movie scene shocked them. 21 equids were living amongst the waste and dead bodies of other animals.

Veterinario y Seprona atienden de urgencia a un burro que agoniza

Emergency at the Sanctuary after torrential rain causing flooding

When we think of Malaga in southern Spain, most of us think of sunshine, but the area was hit by heavy rain over the weekend with over 120mm failing in just 12 hours. Some of you may have seen from our Facebook page that El Refugio del Burrito placed in Fuente de Piedra (Malaga) was badly affected.

Yesterday our team battled the elements to ensure that donkeys were evacuated from flooded areas of the sanctuary as this short video clip shows.

burros se refugian en establos tras las lluvias torrenciales

More than 15 years fighting to improve their conditions

Since the Donkey Sanctuary established its Spanish base in 2003 (el Refugio del Burrito), one of its priorities has been to improve the welfare of the donkeys working in Mijas. Back then, the NGO started to take donkeys that were unfit for work into its sanctuary, carrying out regular health inspections on the working animals, advising owners on basic care and behaviour and even providing free veterinary treatment for those donkeys that needed hoof and dental care.

Donkey taxi mijas

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