Retired donkeys have specific welfare needs that differ from working animals. Quality sanctuary care ensures dignified, comfortable lives for donkeys no longer in active service.
Retired donkeys require careful management of their diet — they are highly efficient feeders prone to obesity on rich pasture that would be appropriate for horses. Obesity leads directly to laminitis, a painful and potentially crippling hoof condition. Retired working donkeys often carry the physical legacy of their working years: untreated hoof problems, harness sores that healed with scarring, and musculoskeletal wear. Quality sanctuary care addresses these legacies through remedial farriery, dental treatment, and appropriate nutritional management while providing the social companionship and environmental enrichment that allows these animals to enjoy their retirement years comfortably.