The PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary

Sheila is always looking for volunteers at the sanctuary. In particular need right now is Saturday mucking out, please email Sheila if you can help. There are many different volunteer opportunities at the farm. Mucking out, giving tours on Thursdays and Sundays, grooming, helping during feeding time and replenishing water are frequent duties. There are volunteers who bake,paint, crochet or take photos of the donkeys. Onevent days there are volunteers who make coffee/tea or help with set up an...

It is interesting to observe the donkeys and mules; their personalities and behaviour are quite different. This series of equine photos also demonstrates their personalities. This is Austin, he is a mule having a donkey for a father and a horse for a mother. He looks positively regal in this picture. Austin is cautious with strangers and prefers not to be pet which can seem standoffish. After he lost his good friend Sheema he did enjoy neck scratches. When good friends Wilson and Gordon get f...

Donkeys roll in the dirt for different reasons and during different seasons. It is interesting to watch. In the early spring donkeys roll to fluff their coats which helps with insulation when nights are still cold. In late spring donkeys roll to help with shedding of their winter coat. In summer donkeys roll in dust and mud to keep the flies at bay. Donkeys will also roll if there is any itchy spot on their coats as the mud can be soothing. Often donkeys will prepare a spot to roll by pawing ...

Donkey hearing is quite similar to other equines but due to ear size donkeys can pick up sounds from quite far away. Interestingly the ears can move separately from each other.

Indiana Jones is listening to me as well as something in the opposite direction with the other ear.

Jenny is listening behind her.

It is quite interesting to watch two donkeys decide to mutually groom each other. They stand ever so slightly side by side and then muzzle along the other donkey’s side as if trying to find and agree on which is the right spot. Meanwhile at the exact same time the other donkey is doing the same nuzzling on the other side. Somehow they communicate that this is the right spot and they begin grooming at the same time, nibbling with their teeth. This goes on for a few minutes. Favourite spo...

This is a very informative video by the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada on donkey grooming.

Vivian

When a new Donkey comes to the sanctuary they often are already named. Reasons that they may be renamed is that they don’t respond to the name therefore not knowing it is their’s or if the name does not suit them. If a donkey has a name , recognizes it but it is still changed the first consonant sound is kept same as that is what the donkey recognizes. Here on the left is Moon, good friend of Star, who's small white star can be seen on the forehead. Marching over is Indiana Jones ...

Virgil is a small mule and had a donkey father and horse mother. It is possible Virgil has some Shetland pony in him noticeable in his colouring. Virgil has been at the sanctuary for years but remains very cautious around humans. This is the story of his rescue. Sheila got a call there was a mule for sale at an animal auction. When she arrived the auctioneer was prodding Virgil with an electric cattle prod making him squeal in pain which many there found humorous. So his caution around humans...

All male animals at the sanctuary are neutered preferably prior to arrival or they are segregated and are neutered here. As all the animals at the sanctuary are rescued it is clear there are many unwanted animals and reproduction is not desirable. Neutering is preferable prior to arrival at the sanctuary. Unneutered jacks cause the female animals (jennets) to go into heat which can get disruptive. Female donkeys can go into heat their entire lives but pregnancy before the age of 3 and after ...