Cork Donkey Sanctuary facing growing financial pressures

Sanctuary in Liscarroll experiencing higher demand for services

The Donkey Sanctuary supported more than 650 donkeys between January and May of this year alone. Pictures: Dan Linehan

The demand for the services provided by the Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll, Co Cork, is rising due to growing financial pressures in the community.

An unprecedented financial toll is being placed on the work being done by the sanctuary to transform the lives of the animals across Ireland, according to its latest newsletter.

The sanctuary supported more than 650 donkeys between January and May of this year alone.

But it has reached capacity for sanctuary-based care and is experiencing a higher demand for its services.

Head of donkey welfare at the sanctuary Cathy Griffin explained meeting this demand comes at a significant cost.

“Since reaching capacity at our sanctuary, we’ve been prioritising supporting owners to better understand their donkeys' needs.

We provided ongoing support to 250 donkey owners from January to May. These repeat visits are essential for our mission to make a sustainable change in the way donkeys are cared for.

“But this work requires a significant amount of time and resources — with our support work averaging around €22,000 per month.

“We have tried to find ways to reduce costs, but there are still more donkeys who require our help.

The sanctuary’s welfare team responded to 123 donkey welfare concerns from the public in the first five months of 2024.

Our welfare advisers cover hundreds of kilometres to provide care for donkeys in need. Public support makes this possible,” the newsletter said.

The newsletter disclosed the sanctuary’s welfare team responded to 123 donkey welfare concerns from the public in the first five months of 2024.

It stressed public support was a lifeline that ensured it could continue offering critical care to these gentle animals.

In a letter to supporters, Donkey Sanctuary chairman Michael Cronin thanked them for helping to provide much-needed relief to so many donkeys in need.

“It’s an unfortunate reality that donkeys often find themselves overlooked. However, I firmly believe that with our shared compassion and respect for these animals, we can provide a better quality of life for donkeys in Ireland.

Caring for all the donkeys living at our farms and holding bases never stops, despite the dramatic increase in the cost of essentials.

“What’s more, there are more and more donkeys in need of our support in the community since we reached capacity for sanctuary-based care.

“Our work extends far beyond our open farm in Liscarroll and we support donkeys and mules across all 32 counties to help improve their welfare.

“Our mission to support every donkey in need is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. That’s why your continued support is so vital,” he added.