A day in the life of a Donkey Welfare Adviser at Christmas

Charly’s work takes her from Yorkshire all across the North East, ensuring every Guardian home has donkeys who are healthy, happy and loved. But today, Christmas has very much come early in Derbyshire…

Welfare beyond our walls

At The Donkey Sanctuary, our responsibility stretches far beyond our sanctuaries’ walls, gates and hedgerows. Through our Guardian Home process, we place carefully selected paired (or more) donkeys into loving, fully assessed forever homes – but our involvement doesn’t end there.

Even though Guardians take on the daily care and responsibilities for their donkeys, we remain committed to ensuring welfare standards are upheld and all of the donkeys’ needs are met. Donkey Welfare Advisers like Charly continue to guide, support and protect the donkeys entrusted to us by:

• Carrying out regular Guardian Home visits
• Offering ongoing support and tailored advice
• Providing training when needed
• Helping Guardians maintain an environment where donkeys truly thrive
• Stepping in whenever a donkey’s welfare needs are not met.

Every day is different

For Charly, the variety of her work is one of the greatest joys of the job. No two days are ever alike, especially at Christmas.

“Last week,” Charly recalls, “I visited some donkeys who we supported another charity in finding a new home for, then I visited some of our own lovely Guardian homes – some long term and others brand new. I finished the week creating enrichment ideas for our Guardian newsletter.”

And it wasn’t just any enrichment; it was festive enrichment:

Protecting donkeys across the region

While some days involve cheerful visits and festive enrichment activities, other days are far more serious. Donkey Welfare Advisers are the frontline protectors of donkey welfare. Charly, like her colleagues working across other regions, often investigates concerns raised by the public.

These concerns may relate to:

• Poor veterinary care
• Overgrown hooves or neglected dental needs
• Inadequate shelter
• Overcrowding
• Donkeys living alone
• Owners struggling to cope.

However, the goal is always the same. Charly strives to ensure every donkey in her region is safe from suffering and all owners are supported to find practical, lasting solutions to ensure this is the case.

As Charly explains: “This is the biggest challenge – finding donkeys who are in need of help and trying to ensure I do all I can to improve their welfare.”

Sometimes, the answer is simple guidance and reassurance. Other times it requires ongoing support, hands-on training, or collaboration with other animal and welfare organisations to ensure donkeys receive the care they urgently need.

The Christmas spirit

Whether Charly is supporting a long-term Guardian, assessing donkeys in need, helping an owner who is struggling or guiding donkeys as they explore their new homes for the very first time, her work is vital.

Every donkey deserves a life free from pain, stress or neglect, and thanks to Charly and all our Donkey Welfare Advisers, we are one step closer to that becoming a reality.

Christmas is one of the busiest times of year for the team, but no matter how full the schedule is, Charly always finds time to bring a little festive joy.