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Adopt a donkey

You can help us by adopting one (or more!) of our donkeys.

Become an adopter from a minimum €5 per donkey per month. You will be contributing to guarantee its care and that of other donkeys and mules which have been rescued from cases of negligence, abuse, mistreatment and abandonment.

An adoption makes a great gift too. If it is for a special day, let us know the date and we do our utmost to make sure you receive it in time to give to the person you have bought it for.

You will receive a welcome pack and regular information from our sanctuary (you can request to receive it by email, thus contributing to environment). The donkey will become a member of your family!

Alicia

Alicia was born at El Refugio del Burrito in May 2009… completely by surprise! Her poor mother, Nana, had endured a life of abandonment and neglect; she had 16 owners in 11 years and the last one exchanged her for a moped. When she arrived to us, Alicia was so thin and in such a poor condition that we never thought she could be pregnant. Then, on Spanish Mother’s Day 2009, we found a beautiful foal running around Nana’s paddock. Unfortunately, Nana passed away one year later, but her wonderful gift lives with us.

Alicia

Apache

Apache was rescued in Alicante from an unscrupulous dealer who kept him, together with other thirty equines in terrible conditions of undernourishment and hygiene. His hooves were so overgrown when we rescued him, that he needed urgent treatment and three months of care and recuperation before he was able to travel to us in Fuente de Piedra. He is now a very happy donkey, and one of the most beautiful ones at El Refugio del Burrito, sporting a tricolour coat that make him unique!

Artemisa

Artemisa arrived at the sanctuary from Villanueva de Algaidas, where around 20 animals were living in very bad conditions, surrounded by the corpses of other equines. When we rescued her we got a big surprise: Artemisa did not come alone, she was pregnant and soon after Zeus was born. It was like if she had waited to give her foal a better life.

Artemisa

Manolo Garboso

Manolo’s story is almost a fairy tale. For years Manolo worked as a donkey taxi in Mijas (Málaga), where donkeys and mules are commonly used to carry passengers and luggage. Unfortunately he could no longer continue working due to a problem with his hooves, so his owner locked Manolo in a stable for seven months. Luckily, Manolo was rescued by a German Princess that brought him to El Refugio del Burrito where he now has sanctuary for the rest of his life.

Manolo Garboso

Paco de Lucía

Paco de Lucía, a beautiful mule, is one of the 13 animals that we rescued in a huge operation in Callosa de Segura. They were all in terrible condition. The donkeys and mules were extremely thin, without access to any water and only fed with rotten vegetables. Now, he lives a happy and safe life at El Refugio del Burrito.

Paco de Lucía

Toto

Toto has come a long way since he was first rescued in France and rehomed at our Sanctuary Fuente de Piedra in 2003. He has become such a gorgeous and gentle donkey! Not only is he a “looker” who attracts a lot of attention from visitors, but he’s also a clever and dedicated donkey. Toto trained as a donkey assisted therapy donkey to help children with additional needs.

Toto

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Rehome

Find out more about rehoming donkeys