Donkey welfare
Our mission is to promote donkey and mule welfare in Spain. Our commitment is to be able to offer help and/or permanent refuge to any donkey or mule that, as a result of abandonment, illness, cruelty or any other reason, is in need of it.
We carry out investigations and campaigns to stop the cruelty, ill or unnatural treatment these animals are still unfortunately suffering.
We are making owners, vets, farriers and other professionals or associations related to these animals aware of the proper way of caring for their donkeys and mules by means of facilitating them with the "Professional Handbook of the Donkey" and other publications.
Latest welfare stories
To Paradise... From Hell
El Refugio del Burrito has now rescued 9 neglected and mistreated donkeys that were enduring an unsustainable situation in the province of Alicante. 5 of those are already enjoying their new home at our headquarters in Fuente de Piedra, Málaga.
Right after receiving a video recorded by a Dutch horse rescue association, El Refugio del Burrito was set in motion to help donkeys that were in the same facilities. Fortunately, five of those donkeys are now safe at our sanctuary, a true paradise after the hell they’ve been living.
Shotguns and Surging Crowds for the Shrove Thursday Donkey
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:
Peropalo 2012
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.
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