A sad goodbye to much loved Dartanyan

Dartanyan had a long history of severe white line disease and laminitis and had been undergoing long-term treatment to help manage his conditions. He also had skin issues which would cause painful sores on his legs.

On Friday 21 June, Dartanyan’s grooms noticed he had nasal discharge and a cough. He had also developed a high temperature and was distancing himself from his companion, Jump the mule. Our veterinary teams acted quickly and radiographs taken by the team confirmed that Dartanyan was suffering from sinusitis, stemming from a tooth root infection.

Unfortunately, due to Dartanyan’s on-going health issues affecting his quality of life and the extensive surgery he would have required, our team made the heartbreaking decision to put Dartanyan to sleep. Dartanyan passed away peacefully outside in the sun on the evening of Tuesday 25 June, with his loving groom team by his side.

A tribute to Dartanyan

Dartanyan’s friendly nature and charming character made him loved by so many, including visitors, webcam viewers and his grooms who had taken such dedicated care of him at our Sidmouth Sanctuary.

Marianne Steele, CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “Dartanyan was truly an icon of the Sidmouth Sanctuary and his presence will be dearly missed. It is hard to say goodbye to any donkey in our care, but our priority is always to act in the best interests of the animal concerned. Thanks to an incredible team of vets and grooms, Dartanyan was able to enjoy a long and happy life among his companions, just as he deserved. The legacy he leaves is a deep understanding of this rare and extraordinary breed of donkey, knowledge that will inform our work and help us improve the lives of many more Poitous, just like Dartanyan, in the future.”

Life at the sanctuary

Dartanyan was relinquished into the care of our Sidmouth sanctuary in April 2011, along with his Poitou companions Guinness, Aramis and Percy, after their owner could no longer provide the specialist care they required.

During his time in our care, Dartanyan was the poster boy for The Donkey Sanctuary Sidmouth, appearing in many adverts and TV campaigns over the years. For many visitors, he was the donkey they headed to first, and because of his height, he could easily put his head over his fence to greet them and was only too happy to pose for a selfie.

In 2016, Dartanyan moved to Shelter 6 with his mule companions, Jump and Millie. The three lived together for many years until Millie sadly passed away in 2022. Dartanyan and Jump continued to live at Shelter 6 together, where they were often spotted enjoying each other’s company on the Shelter 6 webcam.

Dartanyan leaves behind a huge, Poitou-sized hole at our Sidmouth sanctuary and he will be missed by staff, volunteers and visitors alike. However, he also leaves many happy memories.

Note to our supporters

Thanks to your support, Dartanyan lived a happy life at The Donkey Sanctuary Sidmouth, where he enjoyed the best care possible and a loving, secure environment.

We are keeping a close eye on Jump and the other donkeys in her herd, who have been receiving plenty of extra love and care as they come to terms with their loss.

Your ongoing support helps to ensure that thousands of other donkeys across the UK and further afield will be given the same opportunity for a life free from suffering and neglect.