Long-eared adventures: Hamish and Dougal’s story

But that is very much the norm for a long-eared pair by the name of Hamish and Dougal, who are given freedom to roam some 500 acres of stunning mountainous terrain, a short distance from England’s most northernly city of Carlisle.

Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, Hamish and Dougal reap the benefits of a serene yet imposing setting, where their nearest human neighbour resides one mile away and the nearest public highway is double that.

Instead, Hamish and Dougal have the fells for company, which they traverse daily alongside their committed Guardian Allison, who belies her age of 74 years.

Allison’s life has been dedicated to the care and nurture of her donkeys ever since Hamish came into her life in 2012.

After deciding to find a companion for Hamish and learning of our Rehoming Scheme, Allison contacted former Donkey Welfare Adviser Pam Moon, who inspected her property and surrounding land and confirmed it was suitable for another long-eared addition.

Dougal was identified as a perfect match, and in June 2015, Allison and Hamish found themselves listening out for the distant rumble of a donkey transporter vehicle as it made its way up the farm track to the house.

“I remember feeling thrilled when Dougal arrived,” Allison says. “The doors opened, and Dougal slowly exited. He and Hamish just stood and watched one another, and soon they were touching noses.

“We quietly moved the pair back into the stable, where they got to know each other a little better.

“They accepted each other fairly quickly, happily sharing the straw from the feeding trough and sleeping at the same time.”

Environment enrichment

One thing Allison was certain of before she took on the job of caring for donkeys was the enrichment the surrounding environment could offer.

Fell walking has become such an integral part of Hamish and Dougal’s daily life that if they don’t set off for a walk by 2pm each day, they practically summon Allison to the barn with loud, impatient brays.

Each journey offers a new adventure for the donkey duo, something Allison attributes to their eagerness to set off on a walk each day.

“I noticed early on that Hamish needed more enrichment than me greeting him each morning and giving him some attention,” she adds.

“Most donkeys live in rectangles. In Hamish’s case, he had 500 acres to explore. So, I tested him by asking myself ‘if I walked through the gate, would he follow?’ Of course he would!

“When I crossed the road, did he follow? Of course he did. But would he cross a river? Of course! It was the same for Dougal when he arrived.

“Now the pair are leading enriched lives where no two walks out into the fells are the same.

“Fell walking is great for their mental development as they have to constantly assess their environment and figure out if the route they want to take is safe. And if it is, they will have no problem taking that route again.

“They don’t like me going out of their sight, so they’re always in my periphery – and if I do go out of sight, they come galloping back!”

Part of the family

As well as benefitting from the landscape, Hamish and Dougal often bump into many perplexed yet pleasantly delighted hikers and walkers who are quick to offer plenty of strokes and attention.

It is just one additional bonus to their situation, yet Allison knows that she is the lucky one.

“I couldn’t imagine life without them,” she says. “They bring a lot of joy into my life, just from their personalities alone, and they keep me physically fit.”

So, what would Allison’s advice be to somebody considering bringing donkeys into their life?

“Definitely do your homework first,” she says. “And consider being a Guardian to a donkey because there are so many out there in need of a good home.

“Spend time with donkey owners before committing to do it yourself. And if you do take the plunge, expect it to take over your life. But enjoy every moment – it is well worth it.” 

Allison has been described as a ‘gold-standard Guardian’ by her current Donkey Welfare Adviser Sally Bamforth.

Sally says: “It’s always a joy visiting Allison. The donkeys are a credit to all the time and hard work she puts into them and it’s amazing to see them leading such an enriched life.

“She is so passionate about her animals, and you can see how engaged the donkeys are with their environment. They have the most wonderful life!”