The Donkey Sanctuary Leeds

Pete is onto his final race this Sunday, raising money for The Donkey Sanctuary - please do check out his fundraising page, and please donate if you are able...

Date for your diaries 😀😘

Yippee!! New boys Dominic, Lewis and Doug have finally come down from the fields to join the rest of the herd!
Just as a little teaser, here's Doug and Lewis settling in at the centre - feel free to come and say hello to them this week between 3pm and 5pm weekdays (except Wednesday, when we are closed) or all weekend between 10am and 3pm.

We have no need to Escape to the Country here at The Donkey Sanctuary Leeds, but last year a couple planning to do just that and hopefully become Donkey Guardians visited us along with a BBC film crew!
Skip forward to 15 minutes to see how many of your favourite Leeds donkeys and Adopt A Donkey boys you can spot...

Fantastic photo taken at our Experience Day last week, and a perfect reminder of how much fun we have had with our happy herd this summer!
Please keep an eye on our events page for all upcoming experience sessions, and you could be a part of the fun (and learning!) too.

Just so beautiful ...

A massive thank you to the Enterprise Rent-a-Car Foundation Fund and to their representative Tom for dropping off an amazing huge cheque and equally large donation for us here at Leeds!

Good Afternoon !!! The recent rain has made the grass green and sweet again ... what a lovely sight watching our herd grazing away so happily ...

Found in the car park at The Donkey Sanctuary Leeds- please call 0113 2619249 to arrange collection. Thank you

All items in stock at our shop at the Leeds centre...

Calling all adults.... Looking for something unique to do tomorrow ?... We have space on our donkey experience day. The day offers you the opportunity to get stuck into normal donkey routines, including grooming and getting to know our herd, exploring the grounds with your chosen donkey and much much more. The day starts at 9.30-2.30pm and the price for this wonderful experience is £50 pp If you would like to join us please call the centre on 0113 2619249. Thank you.

A few more images from today’s Sculpture Experience Workshop... Well done to all participants on your excellently designed donkeys.
If anyone missed the opportunity and would like a donkey for themselves, please contact Richard at Twisted Earth Ceramics on 07525 635612 , he is very willing to make some special donkeys for you. Alternatively book a place on our next course on the 22 Feb 19, or buy a place for a loved one for a Christmas or Valentine’s Day gift. Simply. ... Contact us on 0113 2619249.

Sharing the donkey love ! Here we are at Leeds General Infirmary , Clarendon Wing entrance ... please stop by and say hello to Jack, Vikki and Judith

Today’s sculpture experience is causing extreme frivolity and also deep concentration !!!!
We also have now the fired donkeys back from the course held earlier this month, they are here ready and awaiting collection from their sculpting masters. Please ring to arrange collection 0113 2619249.

Just a little update on our recent arrivals, as a few of you lovely supporters have made enquiries about them. Dominic , Lewis and Doug have settled in very well, they are all very playful boys and love charging around the field with each other, the staff here are slowly getting to know them and will soon learn their personalities and quirks! We will keep you all posted, for now here are a few pictures taken this evening. Mmm Troublesome trio?!

Super Congratulations to Karen, Katilyn and David on successfully completing The Donkey Sanctuary Diploma. Their studies help us to ensure consistency in the high level of care we provide to our wonderful donkeys. Well done!

Another grown-ups experience opportunity available for next week - join us for a full day of donkey-related activities, working with our herd throughout.
Spaces are very limited now, so please do give us a ring at your earliest convenience on 0113 2619249, thank you.

Yesterday my Hubby and I took part in the Experience Day. We had a lovely day learning from the staff and getting to know all the Donkeys. It was nice to be able to interact with them all. Thank you to the Staff who made the day interesting and enjoyable. We've been to lots of events run by the Team at Leeds and they are always well worth trying.

We visited the Sanctuary yesterday and after an hour and half drive we wasn't disappointed at all. My daughters and I loved watching the donkeys Ripple and Harbin and adopted Billy O also while we were there. Staff were very nice and talkative and we enjoyed a sandwich from the cafe. I could of stayed all day just watching them and Ripples bottom lip made us all laugh. Can't wait for our next visit. Keep Up the good work.x

We had a lovely time yesterday at the summer fun day and brought our 4 year old Granddaughter she loved it especially Dave the Donkey she can't wait to come again

Visited yesterday with a Guide Dog owner and her dog. The staff were very helpful, friendly and accommodating. We were able to get up close to the donkeys to give them a stroke and volunteers grooming the donkeys were very informative about each donkey. Cafe very reasonably priced and had a lovely cuppa and sandwich.



No pressure from staff to donate but plenty information around the centre advising ways to support this very worthwhile charity.



Will definitely come back and would highly recommend a visit

Visited on the day of the Spring Fayre, it was very busy which was a good sign and it was lovely to see and get up close to the donkeys in the stables - they were very calm. This was our first visit and we had come to see Ripple however, he was busy being groomed (and enjoying himself) so we didn't have a chance to be up close. However Billy O entertained us and a member of staff informed us how the donkey assisted therapy works. We will be back but on a quieter day. However it was a lovely day and I would recommend others to visit.

Me alesha and my mum came down today from Grimsby so alesha could meet ripple and if my she loved him it’s amazing little place you guys run all do lovely and friendly and always on hand for info see you guys again soon with treats for ripple

Just seen my adopted donkey Ripple this afternoon for the first time. What a fantastic job all the staff do for all the donkeys

I visited today with my 15 month old daughter and my mum who has been before. It was lovely and quiet and the staff were really friendly and helpful. We had a cuppa and a treat and a biscuit for the little one, a great natter and a play outside too. The donkeys were a great hit with my little girl and I've now adopted Ripple for her as he came straight up to her wanting a fuss! Can't wait to visit again

I visit 2 or 3 times a year, usually on the various fair days. Always a lovely day out for adults & children alike. The staff are all very friendly, helpful & informative. And, of course, the donkeys are absolutely adorable & very well looked after. You can get up close to the donkeys to stroke them & take photos. Also posters are displayed for you to read showing their names & a brief background. On fair days there are various stalls & food/drink refreshments on offer. I've eaten there a few times & it's always been nice. Would definitely recommend a visit :-)

I think you all do a great job of looking after the lovely donkeys, lots of you i know are unpaid to look after them. I have adopted Ripple for the past 2yrs. When you put pic,s on of the can you put the name of the donkey in the pic,s that would be nice. Keep up the good work xxx

Had a brilliant time, our daughter had a adoption for Ripple for Christmas from her gran and this was the first time we had visited, we loved it, it’s only small but the donkeys are great, brilliant couple of hours out x

Fantastic centre with wonderful staff and even more wonderful donkey's

Every time we go here my 5yo son has a lovely time, we adopted Harbin for him for Christmas and he asks to go see him every week, just wish we lived closer (from Barnsley). Friendly staff and lovely donkeys and you can even get a coffee �

Came for our first visit last thursday and adopted Harbin brilliant place lovely donkeys . Fantastic staff !�

An amazing place fabulously friendly staff doing some awesome work with vulnerable children with additional needs and the Donkey's are absolutely gorgeous definitely well worth a visit and the food from the cafe is great and everything is served up with a smile.

Amazing very kind and caring staff really take the time to speak to you and tell you all about the donkeys

had a nice day on sunday(when we finally found it as we came from hull) we went to see my daughters adopted donkey harbin, it was verynice to see him as her last adopted donkey had died, its lovely to see how well the donkeys are looked after but i do feel that the staff were not very friendly, i dont expect them to fall over themselves to meet and greet and do realise that on a sunday they might not have all staff working but no one spoke to us or offered us any information about our donkey or that we could go outside to see the other donkeys but having said all that we do think they do a fantastic job with the donkeys and really that is the most important thing

My friend and I came for our second visit yesterday unfortunately the visiting times had changed (our own fault for not checking). We explained that we had travelled a long way and the staff were great. Even though we could only see a small group of donkeys due to safe guarding rules (vulnerable children/adults sessions) we were made to feel welcome and we were given time with a lovely member of staff. We went on to visit the charity shop in Ilkley we're we enjoyed coffee & cake while still supporting the great work the donkey sanctuary does. Thank you all xx

Brought my twins to see and unfortunately my mistake I thought it was a Sun but actually it was Sat to make matter worse it was 1st month of Sat it was not open to public but the staffs(sorry forgot ur names) were friendly, accommodative and friendly, they let us in n directed us where to go n answered my children curiosities.... tq n well done definitely will come again