Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary News | Winter 2014

Isle of Wight
Donkey Sanctuary
News | Winter 2014
Donkey heaven since 1987
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
K
-E E
AWD
S!
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
The importance
of the Christmas
Raffle and Gift
Catalogue
ER
page 2
We have had over 50,000 visitors this year to the Wroxall site and
people seemed pleased with the changes we have made to the site.
The walkways have been popular and people have enjoyed getting
up close and personal with the animals. The increased information on
boards, the ‘meeters and greeters’ at the car park and our children’s
treasure hunts have all proved popular; we have again achieved a Trip
Advisor Award for Excellence in 2014. Also popular have been our
calendered special events, featured in this edition of the newsletter.
The Trustees will look carefully at the financial implications of each of these options before pressing
ahead with any of them.
er
The
Sanctuary
will remain
open on
weekends
throughout
WinteR
Our priorities for 2014, whilst maintaining the progress we have already made are to;
• Plan a separate cafe for visitors
• Develop a heritage centre, to show visitors the great work that donkeys did for many years
• Bring more interactive activities on site for families, such as ‘care for a donkey day’
• A sand paddock for donkeys, particularly for the recovery of those who get occasional laminitis
• Open a through walkway in our main barns so that donkeys can be visited in Winter
Ord
The health of our donkeys has never been so
good! Our new vets, Kate and Leire from Vectis
Equine have worked closely with our own staff
and every donkey now has a care plan to help it
s!
enjoy
life to the maximum. For the first time in many
ey
nk
Do
Happy
years our donkeys have had proper dental check ups
and treatment and a full set of vaccinations and blood tests. This has enabled them to be split into
small groups where they are given specific feed regimes and where we can monitor the changes
in their condition quickly and easily. These groups utilise the new paddocks, split up by the new
visitor walkways and are beginning to get extra shelter from our new field shelters – which you can
read about in this newsletter. This new regime is complemented by a robust farrier regime from
Matt Sherring, who attends our donkeys every 6 weeks to trim their feet. All of this work is now
complemented by good record keeping which allows us to track a donkey’s condition at any given
time. It’s like BUPA for donkeys!
Our adorable
new foal - Toby
Our aim is to maintain the charm and rustic nature
of the sanctuary whilst improving everybody’s
experience when they visit us.
st
It is also the time of year where we look back at what has been achieved and look forward to what
we want to do over the next 12 months. It has been a whirlwind year in many respects but we have
put things in place which will hopefully last for many years, and serve the sanctuary well in the
future.
Our mission is to work on 4 things:• Health and Welfare of Donkeys
• Improving the site for Visitors
• Improving the site as an education resource
• Working with other charities and groups
Our relationship with local groups and groups from the mainland
continues to flourish. We have worked with charities such as
Wighthope, groups such as the WI and the Townswomens Guild
and have supported groups such as the Hampton Trust. However
there is a great deal still to do! The charity finances have been
stabilised. We are still playing ‘catch up’ in terms of improving the
facilities on the site, for animals and visitors, and so our spending is
currently higher than we would ideally like it to be.
o
po
As I write this article for the Winter newsletter, the 2014 summer is
determined to stay with us for as long as possible. It is the beginning of
October, the sun is still shining, visitors are still flocking to the sanctuary
and we seem to be constantly re-stocking everything from toilet rolls
to visitor leaflets! It has been a record year for the Isle of Wight Donkey
Sanctuary and it came just at the right time, after a tough couple of years for all of us.
We believe that children and young people are a basis for the
continuing future of the sanctuary and we have worked hard
with schools and colleges from the Island and the mainland. Our
local school, Wroxall Primary, give wonderful support and visit the
sanctuary regularly. We have developed links with 3 local colleges
who send animal care students on placement to us and in return
our staff have been offered enhanced training at these centres.
DON
Welcome...
nli
ne or
by
We are grateful to you, our supporters,
for your continued support of the
Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary. We
understand the many demands that
are placed on people at this time of
year, so we are especially grateful to
people who buy raffle tickets, make
donations or buy shop items. This is a
time of year when our costs are high,
with winter feed and vets bills, and our
income is low. The November–March
months are always a struggle. A special
thank you to all of you for your help.
Finally, and as a great relief to the Trustees, we will
become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation
from January 1st, 2015. Trustees will continue to
ensure that we reach the highest standards of
financial management and financial scrutiny in the
way we report our accounts and activities. This is our
responsibility to people who support us through
donations, adoptions and by buying gifts. We will
ensure however that people will continue to enjoy
the ‘personal’ approach that we are determined to
maintain.
There is lots to look forward to in the future.
Carol Foote, Chair of Trustees
Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 3
Calendar 2015
February
Sat 14th/ Opening Weekend
Sun 15thValentines ‘Love A Donkey ‘
Weekend
March
Sunday 1st
Daffodils & Donkeys
St David’s Day Celebration
for Eiffion, Dylan, Emyr and
Daffyd!
Sunday 8th
Volunteer’s Day
Recruitment day for new
Volunteers
Spring Market with
Courtyard Stalls
Sunday 15th
Sunday 29th
urphy & Paddy’s Irish Party
M
St. Patrick’s Day
Irish music in the courtyard
alm Sunday Procession
P
and Hymns led by the Vicar
of Wroxall and two of the
Sanctuary’s donkeys
April
Good Friday 3rd G
rand Donkey Sanctuary
Treasure Hunt
Easter
Sunday 5th
Chocolate Donkey Day
Special Chocolate Donkeys
for sale in the Shop
Sunday
19th
Concert in the Courtyard
Musicians TBA
May
Sunday 3rd
S pring Open Day
Stalls , Entertainment
Sunday 10th
Mother’s Day
Cream Tea Adoptions
page 4
Sunday 17thConcert in the Courtyard
Musicians TBA
June
Sunday 7th
Sunday 21st
July
Sunday 5th
Pet Friendly Donkey Day and
Animal Blessing Ceremony
this would cover the monthly running costs
of the Donkey Sanctuary. A small regular gift
really does go a long, long way.
y Dad Loves Donkeys!
M
Father’s Day Donkey
Adoptions
Have-a-Go Buskers
iniature Magic – Fun with
M
the Miniature Donkeys
Donkey Auction – Unusual
Adoptions by Auction
Sunday 19th
Concert in the Courtyard
Summer Market
August
Sunday 16th
Concert in the Courtyard
September
Sunday 20th
If every one of our
supporters gifted
just £1 per week...
A
utumn Open Day - Market
Stalls and Entertainment
A few examples of what
your donation will help
towards
£5 will purchase a bale of hay
£5 feet trimming
£5 worming mixture
£5 ear drops
£10 dentistry
£20 foot care
£30 special food for the old donkeys
with very few teeth
£50 blood samples when required
£70 guardian mask for donkeys with
sensitive eyes
How your generosity
can help support the donkeys...
Give a regular gift
A regular monthly gift makes a huge difference to
caring for the donkeys - no matter how small.
Please fill in the enclosed form or visit the website
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com, click on ‘donate’ and
follow the instructions. All donations go towards caring for the donkeys.
Adopt a Donkey/Adoption Renewals
(from £20 per year, for yourself or as a gift)
November
Sunday 29th
Christmas Market
December
Sunday 6th,
13th, 20th
Meet Father Christmas
in the Stable
Saturday 12th
Carol Concert
Farrier Days
To be announced
Please check the website for more details
and extra events
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
Archie, Brandy, Poppy, Snowy, Scott&Oliver and Blossom are our adoption
donkeys – you can meet them on pages 14-15! Fill in the enclosed form or
visit the website www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com, click on ‘adopt’, and follow
the instructions. You can also renew an existing adoption. Our adoption
pack (which makes a lovely gift) includes a certificate, picture of your
adopted donkey and twice yearly newsletters.
One-off Donation
Please fill in the enclosed form or visit www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
click on ‘donate’ and follow the instructions. All donations are greatly
appreciated and go towards caring for the donkeys. Or, if you prefer,
you can donate at www.justgiving.com/iowdonkeysanctuary or instantly
donate £5 by texting IWDS33 £5 to 70070. More details on our website.
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 5
Down on the Farm...
Take part in the
Donkey Christmas
Draw with a chance
to win £1000!
OUR FIELD SHELTER PROGRAMME
For everyone receiving this newsletter by post, please find enclosed your
book of raffle tickets for the next draw. The draw is a vital source of income for the charity,
helping to boost funds throughout the winter months when the Sanctuary is closed to
the public. Each book costs £10 (£1 per ticket) and if you would like further books to sell
to friends, family and colleagues, then please contact us on 01983 852693 or email info@
iwdonkey-sanctuary.com and we will be happy to post some more out to you. The proceeds
of the raffle will help to purchase hay, feed and straw for the donkeys. Please return your
tickets to us as soon as possible - closing date is Saturday 27th December 2014.
The draw will be held on 1st January 2015. GOOD LUCK!
Our Spring Draw Winners, as follows: 1st Prize: £1000 Katherine Lowther from Tring
2nd Prize: £250.00 Val Smith from Solihull 3rd Prizes: £100.00 Boni Reeks from Newport,
Mr D Robbins from Poole and Ms I Beeles from Felixstowe
Myra had heard about our determination to support our donkeys by providing them with more
shelter in the Wroxall fields. Donkeys need shelter not just from the rain but also from the hot
sun, and occasionally the strong winds that rip through the fields.
She therefore decided to donate enough money to buy our first large field shelter; it was agreed
that once the field shelter arrived it would now be placed in the adoption field, which is now
home to 7 adoption donkeys, 3 miniature donkeys, and in bad weather Jack and Cherry.
After many delays and difficulties the field shelter finally arrived in July. The donkeys were quick
to get in there and explore their surroundings; when the first heavy rain came they rushed
into the shelter but in a very strict order! The miniatures went into the middle compartment,
Scott, Oliver and Snowy occupied one end, whilst Archie and Brandy took the girls, Poppy and
Blossom into the other end.
Thanks to Myra for all of her help and support. The field shelter is brilliant and should be just
the first one, as we write this newsletter, we will be taking delivery of the other shelters in
November.
We’re housekeeping
at the Sanctuary!
We are also greatly indebted to the family of Nat Mills who have been great supporters of the
sanctuary and the field shelter programme. A plaque commemorating Nat’s life will be put on
our second shelter, which we hope will be built in November.
It is one of the Sanctuary’s future aims to be able to communicate with
the majority of our supporters by emaill. This could be news about your
adopted donkey, about events or progress at the sanctuary - and in
addition to our twice yearly posted newsletter.
Therefore we are doing a bit of housekeeping of our database to get
all our records up to date, and would be really grateful if you could
email the following details to us at [email protected])
with the following details:
• Your Full Name • Postal Address • Postcode
• Contact Number • Name of Adopted Donkey (if applicable)
• Date of Original Adoption (if known)
We will never share your details with any other organisation.
Thank you to all you who have sent your details in already.
Congratulations to Wendy Austin of Leighton Buzzard who was
our draw winner.
page 6
Its not often that people come in to the sanctuary and say ‘please can I buy you a field shelter’.
However that was the case with our great friend and supporter, Myra Baker from Brigg in
Lincolnshire.
Mr & Mrs J Smith
Bramble Cottage
Whitstable
KENT
POSTAL COSTS
In a bid to reduce our postal costs,
we would be really grateful if you
could enclose a suitable Stamped
Addressed Envelope whenever
you require a response from us.
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
Myra and Mac with Scott, inspecting the
new field shelter
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 7
Autumn Open Day
CROWDS FLOCK TO THE DONKEY
SANCTUARY OPEN DAY pics by Laura Major
Over 1000 people came throughout the day to show
their support for the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, at
the Autumn Open Day on Sunday 21st September. The
event was blessed by glorious sunshine and residents
joined visitors to the Island to celebrate the work that
the sanctuary does in rescuing homeless and abandoned donkeys.
Over 90 donkeys and 25 horses and ponies were out in the paddocks enjoying the attention given to
them by the public. The various groups; pensioners, youngsters, adoption donkeys, miniatures, basked
in the sun and were stroked and petted all day long!
The event featured performances in the ring by Bloodstone, Wight Diamonds Marching Band, LVB
Dance and the Isle of Wight Dog Society Agility Team. In the courtyard there were a variety of market
stalls and displays, face painting, food and refreshments – all accompanied by the sounds of Scottish
Music played by the Scottish Fiddlers (clearly a favourite for the Shetland Ponies!)
Executive Trustee Carol Foote said after the
event ‘Our Autumn Open Day is our way of
giving something back and saying thank you
to our local community, visitors, guests and
volunteers for supporting us throughout the
year. After some tough times in the last couple of years we are all working hard to
build a better future for this sanctuary. We are building links with other charities, who bring their
supporters to us,with education groups who see us as an outdoor learning centre and with
visitor bodies who recognise our value as an island visitor attraction. All of these things help us to
sustain the best level of animal care for our donkeys.’
Mrs Foote went on to say, ‘We have invested in better facilities for our animals this year, with new
paddocks, new fencing, new field shelters and a new barn extension.’ Thank you to everyone
who helped make the day such a great success.
In the Press... read all about it...
We are delighted that the County Press continue to
support us by regularly featuring our good work.
Especially popular this year was the Victorian Funfair and a display from the Pearly Kings and
Queens, who described their heritage with donkeys as a means of transport in days gone by.
The sanctuary’s baby foal was named ‘Toby’ by the children from Wroxall primary school and he
joined his mother ‘Tabby’ in a paddock where many visitors gave them their undivided attention.
page 8
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 9
Mother & Foal arrive at
The Donkey Sanctuary
A grey Jenny donkey and a brown baby foal have arrived at the Isle of
Wight Donkey Sanctuary, after being rendered homeless from a farm in
Wales. The land on which the animals resided was being sold and the
donkeys needed a home. Fortunately their owner had visited the Isle of
Wight before, knew of the donkey sanctuary and contacted the Trustees
to see if there was any room at the Wroxall farm.
special
christmas
adoption
see page 16
for details
Very quickly a space was found and the two new arrivals have begun to
settle in. They are getting used to the public and spend most days next to
the sanctuary’s picnic area, where they are already proving to be a popular
attraction. It is estimated that the mother is 6 years old and foal 2-3 months.
Pic: Natalie Lewis
Neither had a name
and Wroxall Primary
School agreed to run
a naming competition
for both animals – the school carry out some
outdoor projects at the sanctuary. At the
Autumn Open Day it was agreed that the
donkeys would be named Tabby (mum) and
Toby (baby). Toby is growing in confidence
and is very friendly with visitors.
The addition of the latest animals bring the number of new additions at the sanctuary to 12 since
March of this year; all of the additions so far have been homeless young donkeys, and they have
become a young herd of donkeys who contentedly play in their own paddock each day.
Ground breaking
surgery at The
Donkey Sanctuary
One of our Shetland Ponies, Jet, was taken ill in October and
needed very special attention. The result was a pioneering
operation at The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary.
Jet has had a very deep corneal ulcer. The healthy equine
cornea consists of the outermost tear film, the epithelium,
Laura treating Jet
with
shetland Donna fo
the middle stroma and the innermost endothelium with
r company
a total thickness of 0.8 to 1mm. The epithelium and inner
endothelium are only a few cells thick with the middle stromal layer being the thickest. Jet had
a very deep corneal ulcer extending deep down into the stromal layer leaving only the very thin
endothelium preventing perforation into the anterior chamber of the eye. If this happens then the
eye cannot be saved and must be removed (enucleated) to prevent further pain and suffering.
Amniotic membrane grafts are used as a biological bandage to cover the ulcer and aid healing. The
amnion is a strong biomaterial which provides structure for the epithelium and allows migration
of new epithelial cells for renewal of the epithelium. It also has anti-inflammatory, antiorotease,
antiangiogenic and antifibrotic properties.
The equine amnion was harvested aseptically from a placenta 4 years
ago. The amnion is prepared and stored frozen on nitrocellulose paper
in antibiotic solution. Prior to surgery the amnion was thawed naturally
and then placed over the entire surface of the cornea from top to
bottom.
in 1910 the first reports of use of amniotic membrane were reported in
human literature. In 1940 de Roth first reported using it in the eye and
it is routinely used in human medicine. The technique in horses was
described by Dennis Brooks, Professor of Pphthalmology in the large
animal department of the university of Florida.
The technique has been used in the UK at The Liphook Equine
Hospital over the past 4 years. Normally the graft would be placed
directly over the ulcer site and sutured to the cornea. However this necessitates a general
anaesthetic which has its own complications and cost implications.
Two more mums
and babies
arriving soon!
page 10
We have been asked to find a home for two more
mothers and foals, bring our total of new donkeys
in 2014 to 18. Watch out on Facebook or Twitter
(#iwdonkey) for more details.
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
Professor Andy Durham has performed an amnion graft in a sedated standing animal only twice
before. As the patient is awake the amnion is simply sutured to the conjunctiva and covers the
entire surface of the eye. Suturing to the cornea would be too dangerous in an unanaesthetised
animal. Both previous times were in horses so to our knowledge Jet is the first pony in the UK ever
to have this procedure done under sedation! The graft will be left in place for up to 2 weeks.
Thank you to Professor Andy Durham from Liphook Equine Hospital, Kate Vincent from Vectis Equine
and our own staff Laura Major and Julia Newton who supported Jet through the operation.
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 11
Staff Focus:
How donkeys bray
in 17 languages
Michael (Mac) McLoughlin
Donkey Sanctuary Volunteer
with thanks to Trish Boyle, IOWDS Volunteer
Albanian: i-a, i-a
Arabic, (Algeria): hiihan, hiihan
Bengali: chuuchuu
Catalan: i-haa
Croation: i-ja, i-ja
Dutch: ie-ah
English: hee-haw
French: hihan
German: iaah, iaah
Hebrew: iya, iya
Hindi: si:po:-si:po
Italian: i-oo, i-oo
Polish: iha, iha
Russian: ia-ia
Spanish, (Costa Rica): iii-aah, iii-aah
Turkish: a-iiii, a-iiii
Ukrainian: ii-aa, ii-aa
Mac
Furthermore, I had visited the Donkey Sanctuary whilst on holiday and I had become
enchanted with these wonderful animals. So, after unpacking one box only! I put myself forward as a
volunteer. Having no experience with equines I did wonder what good I would be.
Nevertheless, a week later I met with Carol and Derek and have not looked back since. Initially I
worked through the winter helping to clean out stables, the fields and working in the shop when
required, all the time getting to know the staff and other volunteers. Once I had attended my first
training course, this enable me to work safely with the donkeys. I moved on to grooming and more
donkey related work. As spring and summer arrived I spent much of my time “meeting and greeting”
visitors. I gained a great deal of satisfaction and really enjoyed doing this. It allowed me to meet and
talk about the sanctuary and its donkey to a range of diverse people, young, old and disabled to
name just a few.
The Adoption Herd
Congratulations to Sam & Rachel
To all the staff at
the Donkey Sanctuary
I am just writing to say how much my partner
and I enjoyed visiting the Donkey Sanctuary.
We came to the Isle of Wight last year and
visited the sanctuary for the first time and we
loved how well run and peaceful it is. It was
lovely to see the donkeys being so well looked
after. After our first visit my partner adopted
me one of the donkeys (Archie) for my
birthday. We came back to visit him this week
and while we were there my partner proposed
to me! So now we love the donkey sanctuary
even more. Keep up the good work!
Rachel and Sam
page 12
Born in 1954 and raised in Castleford West Yorkshire. I joined the Royal
Navy in 1971 and served for 9 years as an Air Electrician on Seaking
helicopters. During this period I met my wife Moira and we have a son
called Kevin. In 2013 Moira and I moved to the Isle of Wight. We had
visited on several occasions on holiday and really loved the island and
I really missed the sea.
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
Recently I have moved back to working more closely with the donkeys and after undertaking further
training in donkey healthcare. I am now more capable as a volunteer and am able to assist staff
with dressings, feeding and giving medication. My latest challenge was to act as compare for this
year’s autumn open day. Although initially I was filled with some trepidation, all went well and I really
enjoyed the day, meeting some terrific people.
As the anniversary of my first year at the sanctuary approaches, I can honestly say that it has been
wonderful. Every morning as I arrive at the sanctuary, as I see my first donkey, a smile magically
appears on my face. Surrounded by superb countryside, what a place to work!
Of course, one of the great benefits of the job is being able to go into the fields and mingle with the
donkeys. I make time to do this every day I’m at the sanctuary. Other highlights of the year include the
arrival of many new young rescued donkeys. Watching them go from being shy and reclusive animals
to running to meet visitors for a pat and stroke all in a matter of 3 weeks. Learning new skills and
becoming confident with the animals. Sadly, I found it very difficult initially to deal with the death of
some of our ‘old friends’ at the sanctuary, but I know I was not alone in this.
As if being a volunteer at the donkey sanctuary was not enough. I now find myself as a volunteer and
qualified watch-keeper for the National Coast Watch Institute, working at the Needles watch tower.
However, my heart is still and always will be with the super people and donkeys at the Isle of Wight
Donkey Sanctuary. Thanks for having me as a volunteer!
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 13
YOU CAN’T TAKE OUR LOVELY DONKEYS HOME...
...BUT YOU CAN ADOPT ONE!
Archie is the
youngest donkey
on the Adopt a
Donkey list and
came to us as
a very timid youngster. He has
now made excellent progress
since coming to the Sanctuary
and has made many friends – donkeys and
human alike! He is a cheeky youngster who loves to run around
the fields playing with the other donkeys on the farm.
Snowy came to
the Isle of Wight
Donkey Sanctuary
as a small foal,
on the same day
as his donkey friend, Brandy. He too was in
need of specialised care and attention, being very
young and still in need of mother’s milk. He has
since grown into a fine snowy white donkey with a
kind, gentle temperament and is a firm favourite
with the visitors to the farm.
Our Adoption
Donkeys
Brandy was rescued as
a small foal with his
companion Snowy. He had
been taken from his mother at less than three months
of age and was sold at a market. When he came to the
Sanctuary he was very weak but with the 24 hour care
given to him, he has grown into a very confident and
strong, healthy adult donkey. He is still firm friends with Snowy and
runs with all the other donkeys out in the fields.
are both inseparable friends, having
arrived at the sanctuary 25 years
ago. They were rescued from the New
Forest and were brought to the former
sanctuary site at Newport, before
moving to Wroxall 18 years ago. Scott is
the more mischievous of the pair, whilst
Oliver is more laid back with a very
relaxed approach to life.
page 14
oliver
BLOSSOM
Blossom is a
chocolate brown
donkey who has a
placid character.
Her owners were
unable to keep her anymore and needed to find her
a new home where she would be cherished. Luckily
the IOWDS were able to oblige and Blossom is now
popular with donkeys and people alike.
Poppy is a very striking donkey
with her beautiful chestnut coat
and distinctive cross markings
on her back. Poppy came to the
Sanctuary some years ago after
she lost the use of her grazing. She really enjoys
the company of the other donkeys and especially
loves meeting visitors to the Sanctuary.
by adopting one of our lovely donkeys YOU ARE HELPING US to CARE FOR
all The donkeys THROUGHOUT THE YEARwww.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
WWW.IWDONKEY-SANCTUARY.COM
scott
Adoptions
From £20 for single adoptions (Archie,
Brandy, Fred, Poppy, Snowy and Blossom) |
From £25 for Scott&Oliver
Miniature Adoptions (see page 17)
Donkey News
MARIUS
Donkey News...
The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary is sad to announce the loss of our newly
arrived French donkey Marius.
Marius only joined the sanctuary on Thursday 11th September, with his
friend Busby. They settled in quickly to life at the sanctuary and were set to become very popular
donkeys. Unfortunately Marius was taken ill on Monday 15th September. Staff at the sanctuary
and our vets took immediate action and took Marius
to Liphook Equine Hospital. He was diagnosed with
an intestinal issue and had two operations to clear
the problem. Unfortunately Marius failed to recover
from the second operation and sadly passed away
late at night on the 20th September.
Staff at the sanctuary were devastated at the news
and our thoughts are with Adrienne and David, the
donkey’s previous owners, who have recently moved
to the Island.
The second donkey, Busby, who had travelled to Liphook with his friend Marius, is back at the
sanctuary and is now settling again with his new donkey friends. He is in a special stable and
paddock with Seamus, one of longstanding residents and we look forward to him enjoying happy
days at the sanctuary.
Tabby & TOBY
At present we have over 90 donkeys and over 20 ponies. We
have a big imbalance of boys over girls – the arrival of Tonic
and Tabby has added to our Jennies but we still have only 25
girls. Boys rule at Wroxall!
The arrival of our young donkeys will mean that we will have
to think of suitable activities to stimulate and interest them
during their active years; although it may seem a blissful life
to stand and graze in a field for over 40 years, it may create
medical issues stemming from inactivity. We are looking very
carefully at things that our young donkeys will enjoy together
as they grow up!
Tonic (a very pretty Jenny)
has just arrived from
Coleman’s Farm Park
Miniature News!
Felicity, Angelica and Geraldine had their turn in the spotlight
this year, featuring in our children’s Miniature Donkey Day.
We have extended the opportunity to adopt these
donkeys over the Christmas period.
Special Christmas
Adoption
Adopt Tabby & Toby (starting from
£25 for a year). Adoption includes
a certificate with a photo of Toby &
Tabby and 2 newsletters per year.
PERFECT
GIFT!
page 16
There have been so many changes in the number of donkeys
this year. As we write this newsletter we have already taken
in PINKY, PERKY, FRANK, EVA, EMYR, EIFFION, DAFFYD,
DYLAN, PADDY O, WILFIE, TABBY, TOBY and BUSBY to the
sanctuary thus far; and TONIC, a female donkey who has
failed to settle at Coleman’s Farm Park will be arriving on the
29th October. We are expecting 2 more mothers with babies
in the first week of November. This will mean that we will
have taken in 18 new donkeys in 2014!
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
Mini Adoptions start at
£10 per year per donkey
and include a certificate
with photo of adopted
donkey and 2 newsletters
per year.
PERFECT
GIFT!
Felicity
Angelica
Geraldine
SIMPLY FILL OUT THE ADOPTION
FORM ENCLOSED WITH THIS
NEWSLETTER. MORE ADOPTION
FORMS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD FROM THE WEBSITE.
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page 17
DONKEY
HOSPITAL
FROSTY and ROANA are on steroid tablets for their
bronchial conditions and are being monitored by the
staff on a weekly basis.
2014 has been a landmark year for the health and
care of our donkeys. We have changed our whole
veterinary regime and modernised our processes
so that our donkeys get the level of care they
deserve.
Our emphasis is on managing the donkeys in small groups, who have similar characteristics.
We are pro-active, manage their feeding regimes more closely and have a systematic daily
medicines process, which makes sure that our animals get ever improving care.
We have changed vets to Vectis Equine, and our vets, Kate and Leire, have made a significant
difference to the support our animals receive. All of our animals have received baseline
checks, some for the first time in their lives. All the donkeys have been blood tested, which
will be repeated on annual basis and all of the records stored on a spreadsheet so that we can
measure and monitor improvements in their condition.
As a result of these blood tests a number of donkeys were
given blood tonic, to enhance their condition; these included
POPPY, OLIVER, CHUCKY, EMILY, EIFFION and WINSTON.
All of the donkeys have had a dental check, and several
donkeys have had teeth removed. We are keeping a special
eye on ERICA’s teeth. As donkey’s get older their teeth are
worn down and have a finite length and so as the animal gets
older their teeth fall out or become loose.
CHUCKY
Some donkeys and Shetlands are on sloppy feeds including
WHISKERS, POLLY and ERICA and Shetlands NOBBY and
BESSIE. This sloppy feed is the usual mix of beet, pony
nuts and conditioning cubes mixed with more water and
vegetable oil so the fibres break up – making the meal look
like a type of porridge. This means the donkeys can take in
food without any chewing.
Several of our donkeys have enjoyed the grass too much over the summer and are on
restricted grazing. These include SEAMUS, COFFEE, NAOMI, WINSTON, BUSBY.
WHISKERS, SNOWY, JET (Shetland) and BUFFY (Welsh Cob) have all tested positive for
Cushings disease, a common disease in ageing horses in which the pituitary gland
produces abnormally high levels of cortisol. These animals will require medication for the
rest of their lives.
page 18
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
CHERRY
ELVIS, SELENA and DORIS have had abcesses
poulticed, we are coming to the time of year where
abcesses become more common as the ground
gets softer. Donkeys hooves are designed to absorb
moisture, so in our damp climate they become
unusually soft and are prone to getting debris
penetrating their hooves, thus causing an abcess. All three donkeys have been treated
successfully and are now back with the herd.
CHERRY has poor eye site so has quiet time in her own stable.
Our staff and volunteers have received training from ‘The Donkey Sanctuary’ at Sidmouth
and their dedication is greatly appreciated by our animals and our visitors.
When our donkeys go to
greener pastures...
If a donkey passes away who
has been adopted, we will
automatically continue your
adoption in memory of that donkey, or we can
transfer your adoption to another donkey if you
so wish. Our website always has up-to-date news
on the donkeys. Please contact us for more details.
Loved this Place
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed September 14
We visited on one of the open days, entrance was free and
there was plenty of car parking. It was a gloriously sunny day
and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the entertainment on
offer as well as having a picnic in the sunshine and wandering
around meeting the residents, all of whom are obviously very
well cared for and happy. I wish I lived nearby as I would love
to volunteer to work there. Definitely worth a visit to support
the work that they do there. Ellied100, Chelmsford
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 19
Our Donkey Heritage
Aunt Jane’s Laundry Service
The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary exists to support donkeys who have
been abandoned, rescued or made homeless.
The context of the sanctuary is that donkeys are part of the heritage of our
past - whether it was working in fields, carrying
small loads in villages, working as beach
Blackpool Donkeys
donkeys or giving pleasure as private pets.
We would like to learn more about the role of
donkeys in the past and eventually create our
own heritage information centre.
Annual MOT
The War Donkey
If you have any information / photographs /
films please contact us on 01983 852693,
we would love to hear from you.
Don McPhee
Blackpool’s famous beach donkeys receive
an annual 'MOT' (health check) to ensure
the donkeys are fit, healthy and licensed to
work for the coming holiday season. The
health checks reassure the public of the
high standard of donkey care and safety of
the riders.
Donkeys on Ryde Beach - circa early 1960s
Mr Saunders from the IOW contacted us
in October about our donkey heritage
plans. He recalled that in the 1930’s, his
Aunt Jane used to collect in washing from
Mark’s Corner, wash it and return it to her
customers. The transport for this service
was provided by a donkey and cart. He
kindly donated this picture of the his Aunt,
complete with her donkey and cart!
• General health of each donkey, including
condition of teeth, hooves and coat
• Scanning the donkeys to check
identification microchips
• Condition of the tack (saddle and bridle)
• Donkeys should work no more than six
days a week, with one full day of rest
• Donkeys should have an hour’s break
when working for long periods
• A maximum weight limit for riders should
not exceed eight stone or 51kg
I have thought about the war a lot over the last
few months for a few reasons. My son over in
Holland has been looking into my family’s history
and I lost a great uncle in a battle in France when
he was only 26.
I have thought about all the people who lost
loved ones, some of them young men. It made
me think of all the animals that had no choice
but to go where humans took them, into battle and I know a lot of them died. I knew horses
were used a lot but I only found out recently that they also used mules and donkeys. I just
wanted to speak for them in poetry. Eva Mon
Little donkey who can know the things your eyes have seen.
Your hooves on battlegrounds have trod o’er fields
where once the grass was green.
You fell like many of your brothers beneath the cannons blast,
faithful to the end as soldiers by your side held fast.
The ultimate price was asked of you in a war you did not make,
when humankind strove valiantly and fought for peaces sake.
No meadow sweet or stable soft and warm would be your bed,
but a battleground with shells and bullets whistling overhead.
Laden with the tools of war you struggle ever onward,
dreaming of your peaceful fields your memory flies on homeward.
Donkeys at the St Helen’s Sports Day –
Date unkown but probably early 1930’s
page 20
BBC
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
Your sacrifices and your sorrows carved on our fair land,
will never be forgotten while our liberty doth stand.
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 21
In the Community...
A big thank you to our supporters...
Thanks to children and staff from a number of local schools who have visited the Isle of
Wight Donkey Sanctuary, worked with the sanctuary, let us visit them, have fundraised for
us and have given us lots of good ideas...
•
•
•
•
Wroxall Primary
Gatten and Lake Primary
Broadlea School
St Helen’s Primary
•
•
•
•
The Bay School
St Catherine’s School
The Spinney School
Loose School
• Basildon School
• Windsor School
Thanks to the Hampton
Trust for their continued
involvement and a particular
thanks to Bembridge WI,
Freshwater Central WI, Totland
Bay WI and Lake Townswomen
Guild for their invitation
to be involved in talks and
presentations.
Paige, a student at Medina School grooming
Chucky and Seamus
Also our thanks to the Isle
of Wight College for their
support and involvement with
training and work experience.
Blossom at
Autumn House
In the height of the summer heatwave, Autumn
House from Sandown, contacted us and asked if
it was possible for a donkey to be present at their
‘beach theme’ day.
Trish Boyle, one of our hard working volunteers,
arranged for our adoption donkey Blossom to be
the star turn for the day.
Blossom loved the attention and behaved perfectly. She
reminded people about their childhood on beach donkeys and let the residents stroke her all day long!
It was a great day out for Blossom and thanks to all the
staff and volunteers at the sanctuary and at Autumn
House for making this happen.
Legacies – a life saver for our donkeys
Legacies provide crucial long-term funding which allow us to plan ahead for the care of the
donkeys. We recognise leaving a legacy as a supreme act of commitment to our cause. Leaving
a legacy is also a way to reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax you may have to pay. Generally,
gifts to a charity are 100% Inheritance Tax free and are taken out of your estate before any tax is
calculated. If you are interested in leaving a legacy please discuss with a
qualified adviser.
Please help us to continue our work by leaving a legacy or making a
donation from a will. If you choose to do so the following words may
be helpful:
“Happy, healthy donkeys!”
5 of 5 stars
Reviewed 30 October 2014
What a joy to see donkeys safe
and well cared for. Sad to see
the elderly and sick ones but
re-assured to know they too
have a safe place to see out
their days. Sian E
page 22
‘I give and bequeath unto the Trustees of the Isle of Wight Donkey
Sanctuary the sum of .............................’ or a % .................... share
....................... in the residue of my estate for the general purpose
of the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary and declare that receipt of
the administrator or other proper officer of the sanctuary shall be
sufficient discharge to my Trustees‘ Registered Charity 1001061
A Gift in Memory
Thanks to Ian Kugler for his selfie with Seamus –
clearly a natural in front of the camera!
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
This is a very special way to commemorate the life of a friend or loved one. ‘In memory’ gifts can
be arranged through funeral directors or direct to the Sanctuary. All donations, no matter how
small, are always gratefully received and acknowledged.
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 23
Jaar Ezelfriend
Shetland Sunday
Its very easy to forget that the Donkey Sanctuary at Wroxall is home to a lot
more animals than just donkeys! Our horses and ponies lead a blissful life at the
sanctuary but are sometimes forgotten as they graze happily in the sun in the
perimeter fields.
Our Shetland ponies are especially popular, particularly with youngsters, and
it was agreed that they should have their ‘moment of glory’. Shetland Sunday was conceived and
planned and our smallest equines were dressed up and made to look dandy by Trish Boyle, our
volunteer who does a lot of work with our ponies and horses.
Looking beautiful with red headcollars, and groomed for the occasion, the Shetlands strutted out into
the picnic area, to meet their public. They were stroked and petted all day long, and for the first time at
the sanctuary, special ‘Shetland Adoptions‘ were on sale. They were made to feel at home by musicians
who played Scottish Music throughout the day in the courtyard, and contributed to a lovely occasion.
It was great to see people appreciate these hardy animals, some of whom arrived at the sanctuary
having been left on the Island by a circus. Our Shetlands are great characters and deserve to be
supported. Thanks to everyone who supported the event.
www.de-ezelvriend.nl
2014 is going to go down in History as the year that the
Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary became the Isle of Wight
INTERNATIONAL Donkey Sanctuary. This year we have received
adoptions and shop orders from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand, visitors from all over
Europe and supporters staying in touch with us from Asia!
However nothing could compare with the happy, noisy, crowd who descended on Wroxall in two
buses, one August afternoon. This was the donkey club from Eersel in Holland, and they wanted to
visit this little donkey sanctuary on the Isle of Wight, which they had been told had been started
by a postman! One of the group had visited the Island 10 years ago and had brought along his
friends from the Dutch Donkey club to see the sanctuary.
The Dutch club are people who all support donkeys by owning them, walking them, showing
them at events and sharing their expertise with other members of their organisation. They meet
on club days with their donkeys, and the donkeys love the fuss and attention they get from these
activities.
The group loved their tour round the sanctuary. They met Charlie and swapped stories and tee
shirts – and invited the team at the sanctuary to their 25th birthday celebrations in 2015.
We agreed we would visit them and then set up a twinning arrangement, so that we could share
each others stories and knowledge.
Commercial Sponsorship
If you would like to sponsor a donkey, please contact Laura
Major on 01983 852693 for more details.
We are pleased to welcome the following sponsors...
JACKIE
MJ
Sherring
Adrian
Gallop
JOE
dizzie & DAZZLE
page 24
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 25
18 Jun 2014 Carol Foote wrote:
Hi Steven - No problem - we can replace
Don Quixote! Let me have your address
and we will send him via a red Post Office
‘ambulance’. Best of wishes, Carol
e
r
30 May 2014 Carol Foote wrote:
Hi Steven, I think I know which one it might
be but if you have a photograph, that could
nail it! Was it grey or brown? If we can find
a replacement, I can post it to you, though
from your first e-mail, it sounds as if you live
on the island? Sincerely Carol
page 26
Jun 28, 2014 Steven Boyle wrote:
Hi Carol, Just wanted to say a big thank you,
Don Quixote II came through the day after
you sent it and is a fixture in Finley’s life.
Steven
2 Jul 2014 Carol Foote wrote:
Just glad we could help out. Thank you for
the photograph - Finley’s smile says it all!
Carol
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
K
-E E
AWD
S!
May 29, 2014 Steven Boyle wrote:
Hi Carol, Thank you for getting back to me so
quickly – traumatic for all indeed!!! It was a
standing donkey, I think he’s adopted Poppy
if this helps? If you need a picture, I’ll have
a look through the thousands of pictures
I have of him, there must be one in there
somewhere!! Steven
New products,
best sellers and all
proceeds go directly
to the care and
upkeep of all our
donkeys.
ER
Jun 18, 2014 Steven Boyle wrote:
Hi Carol, Sorry I’ve taken so long to reply, I’ve
been in Egypt for 2 weeks sunning myself!
I’m not a local unfortunately, we live in
High Wycombe which is definitely a bit
less picturesque!! “Don Quixote” is grey,
I’ve attached a couple of pictures for you please excuse the little lad muching his way
through a packet of crisps! Currently Finley
believes Donkey is at the hospital getting
better, bless him. Hopefully you can help! :-)
Thanks Steven
New Gift Catalogue
Ord
29 May 2014 Carol Foote wrote:
Hello Steven, I am really sorry about the loss
of the donkey - I know how traumatic that
can be for the child - and the parents! Can
you tell me what the donkey was like? Was
it small, large, soft and furry (our ‘floppy
donkey), standing up, sitting down, with legs
that could hang over the front of a shelf or
on a stick? Let us know as closely as you can,
what your lost donkey was like - and we will
do our best to find a replacement.
Sincerely, Carol Foote, Exec. Trustee
Please EMAIL in your stories/pictures to [email protected] or post to Isle
of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, Lower Winstone Farm, Wroxall, Isle of Wight PO38 3AA.
st
May 29, 2014 Steven Boyle wrote:
Hello, my son adopted a donkey last year via a family member
and has since got very attached to the donkey soft toy that came
with it. Annoyingly he lost him this morning – have you any
replacements I can buy from you? I’ve had a look in your shop
but I cannot see that you sell the same one and so are hoping
you reserve special ones for adoptions?? I hope you can help!
Many thanks, Steven
A huge thank you to all our fundraisers whose continued hard work is essential to the
success of the Sanctuary. If you have any ideas for fund-raising – running a marathon,
knitting donkeys, cake sale etc., we would love to hear them.
o
po
The e-mail conversation went:
Our Fab Fundraisers!
DON
All’s well that ends well!
nl
ine or
by
5 of 5 stars
Reviewed October 2014
An absolute must-see when
visiting the Island!”
Visited the donkey sanctuary when on a visit
to the island last weekend. The donkeys are so
well looked after and the staff are all extremely
friendly and the shop is great. Cannot believe
that there is no entry fee but donations are
accepted. My sister and I both adopted a donkey
and bought Christmas cards in the shop! Would
highly recommend a visit. Enchanting. Will
definitely return.
Margaret B, Rustington
to instantly donate £5 Text IWDS33 £5 to 70070
page 27
Future vision
Help us to get there
Contact etc
Cowes
Ryde
Newport
St. Helen’s
Yarmouth
Freshwater
Brighstone
Rookley
IOWDS
Wroxall
Bembridge
Sandown
Shanklin
Ventnor
Visit us at the Sanctuary!
Come and meet our lovely donkeys
Open February 14th until November 8th 2015 10.00am-4.30pm
(please call if you wish to visit outside these
times as we may be able to accommodate you)
We welcome
coach groups
• Free parking (disabled access) • Adopt a Donkey • Dillon’s Shop & Cafe
Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary
Lower Winstone Farm, St Johns Road,
Wroxall, ISLE OF WIGHT PO38 3AA
(Bus Route 3)
www.iwdonkey-sanctuary.com
telephone 01983 852693
email [email protected]
twitter #iwdonkey
© 2014 IOW Donkey Sanctuary
Reg Charity 1001061
Entry
FREE
All donations
gratefully received

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