Donkey Rescue UK goes on despite hard times

The founder of an animal charity in Shropshire which looks after unwanted and ill-treated donkeys today said the last 12 months had been 'really tough'.

Amanda Ball said the nation's economic woes had hit fundraising at Donkey Rescue UK, based near Bridgnorth, with people not being able to afford to give to charities with all the added expense of Christmas.

Since it started in 2008, the charity has rescued nearly 50 donkeys, horses and ponies and is hoping to open its sanctuary at Billingsley to the public this year.

She said: "Last year was really tough for the Donkey Rescue. We lost a couple of our best loved donkeys – Big Jessie and Lily – as they both had irreparable damage to the pedal bones in the feet, caused through years of neglect. We also lost our giant donkey Bertie.

"Financially we have been struggling, too, with the recession people cannot afford to give to charities at the moment.

"We have managed to keep going, and although we are still keeping an eye out for new premises to move to, we are planning to stay where we are at Billingsley for the time being."

She said: "We opened the shop in Low Town in June 2011, and we have had a great response with people bringing in unwanted saleable items for us.

"We have met some lovely people and had new volunteers join the team to help keep the shop open."

Amanda said: "We started an appeal to raise £5,000 to bring over 10 donkeys due for slaughter in Ireland, and we have managed to secure the safety of at least six of these donkeys.

"They will be arriving this month, when they will be vet checked and treated before hopefully being fostered out to new homes.

"We are planning to open to the public four to five days a week from Easter and are currently completing work at the sanctuary to make sure this can happen.

"I think it is very important that the public can come and visit us and see the work we do and the magnificent animals we care for.

"We have arranged visits to Hope House Hospice so the children can meet the donkeys and we have also provided donkeys to a young people's education centre in Derby, for children and young people with learning problems or behavioural issues."