Find out more about rehoming donkeys
Since 2003, more than 600 donkeys have been given a second chance and are now living in adoptive homes across Spain. Adoptive homes are an incredible help for donkeys and mules urgently needing to be relocated, providing them with the care and time they require.
Currently, due to the increasing number of external donkeys in need of rehoming, we are prioritising these adoptions over those of donkeys from our centres.
Our role is to connect individuals, rescue centres, town councils, or authorities that need to rehome donkeys and mules with people willing to adopt them.
How to apply to our Rehoming Scheme
If you are still interested in adopting donkeys, we would greatly appreciate it if you could complete this brief form (it will take no more than two minutes). This will allow us to share your contact information with individuals or organisations urgently needing to rehome donkeys or mules in your area.
As a prospective adopter, you must meet certain legal requirements, such as having an Equine Operation Code (which can be obtained at your local Agricultural Office – OCA) and providing suitable facilities, including a stable or shelter.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us or call our office Monday to Friday on (00 34) 952 735 077 and we will put you in contact with our Welfare Team.
What to consider
Before deciding to provide a home for donkeys, it is advisable to discuss it with your veterinarian and get in touch with a local farrier to ensure you can rely on their services (we can also assist by providing contact information for equine veterinarians and other specialists). You may also want to calculate the costs involved in caring for donkeys (feeding, farrier, veterinarians, dentist, etc.). We typically advise estimating between €800 and €1,000 annually per donkey, depending on the animal’s health.
Donkeys are very sociable and make fantastic companions. By giving two donkeys a loving home full of care and attention, we are confident that the reward will be enormous.
We are sure we don’t need to tell you, but donkeys are wonderful creatures and make the greatest of friends. Read our top 10 reasons why you should rehome a pair of donkeys.
Frequently asked questions
A minimum of 250 m2 of grazing/land is required. The actual amount of land required will vary dependant on the type of terrain, soil, drainage and climate and so the Donkey Welfare Adviser will discuss this with you. A hard standing area - donkey’s feet are really porous so they need to be able to get off the soggy ground when it’s really wet.
Strong stockproof fencing is also a must as donkeys are great escape artists! We also advise to get in touch with the local authorities to find out which licences are necessary in your local area in order to build and which are the legal requirements to own equines, such as the “Código de Explotación Equina”. For more information, see our advice on the legal requirements to own a donkey in Spain.
Donkeys can live happily with horses, however remember that there is a risk that they may become bonded and you will not be able to separate them.
Yes. Donkeys are very social animals. We will do our best to provide a single donkey as a companion to your own but will need to chat through all the details with you first. You can contact us via email or call us on (00 34) 952 735 077to discuss this with us.
Donkeys don’t have as waterproof coats like horses and will always need access to a shelter or stable, it also provides shade from the sun on long summer days. But don’t worry if you haven’t got one yet, our team can advise you.
We are a non profit organization, so our mission is to help donkeys and mules to have the best quality of life and we do not charge for our services. However, we always encourage, if possible, to contribute with the transport cost involved to move the animals from where they are to your property. Once in their homes, adopters are responsible for their animals’ care and expenses.
A general guide of costs involved in caring for your donkey is approximately €1,000 per year per donkey, so it pays to have pet insurance or a contingency fund to cover any unexpected vet bills.
Donkeys are very sociable and would love you to spend as much time as you can with them. We recommend visiting the donkeys to check they are OK and have food and water twice a day. We also recommend that you check them for injuries, pick out feet, groom, muck out each day. You may even be the talk of the village by taking them out for walks.
We always offer free training and information through our resource hub. Support and advice is always available from us too, we are here to help.
Donkeys in our supported move programme are those that are outside our sanctuary and need a home urgently. We can not control or select donkeys but we will always share all the available information about the animals with you before you have to make a decision of if you want to rehome a donkey or pair of donkeys.
As we rescue so many donkeys, we already have a lot to care for. We therefore have a no-breeding policy which also covers our rehomed donkeys.