Summer is officially here which can only mean one thing – our donkey herds are back in their paddocks.
Every winter we bring all our herds in to live in barns until the following spring.
We do this is for welfare reasons, as donkeys do not cope well with the wet and cold weather.
We then take a gradual approach to reintroducing them to grass, building their time up while carefully monitoring their weight.
Senior Press Officer Maria Thompson said: “The male (jack)and female (jenny) herds are now both out on grass and doing well, enjoying the sunshine and coping well. They’re still having their weights monitored closely to ensure they aren’t putting on too much.
“Barney and Oscar, and Janice and Daisy are all in their barns overnight and get some turnout during the day due to recovering from medical conditions. Visitors might see them in our courtyard areas up close.”
Unlike horses and ponies, donkey’s coats are not waterproof, and their hooves do not suit wet, muddy ground.
“It’s always a welcome day when we get to turn them out again as it marks the start of summer and of course the moment our visitors get to see them all again.”
We have 30 donkeys in our care and 11 of these are on– site at here in Bransby.
There are three herds all in separate fields, consisting of females, older males, and younger male groups.
The fields can be found along the charity’s Gemma’s Jaunt walkway which is easily accessible by foot from the main Visitor’s Centre.
If you want to know more about our donkeys, we have free Donkey Tours starting again on and Wednesday, September 11.
If you wish to attend, please meet in the Visitor Centre Courtyard for 11am. There is no need to book.
We hope to see you soon. Plan your visit here.
