A better world for donkeys
Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE founded The Donkey Sanctuary to strive towards a better world for donkeys. We continue her mission to improve the lives of donkeys every day.
For over 50 years, we have looked at the world from the donkey’s perspective, and we believe in creating a world where every donkey can express their natural behaviours while experiencing kindness and respect.
We believe in a world where every donkey has the chance to be a donkey, and we will never turn away from a donkey in need, offering sanctuary or support in the community.
We know that we are not alone in our beliefs; donkeys, humans and the planet share a unique relationship that spans generations, cultures, and continents. Experience shows us that we work most effectively in partnership with those who share our vision, including our supporters, partner organisations, NGOs and governments.
Our strategy outlines how we intend to share the rich benefits of our single species focus, guided by our founder’s extraordinary dynamism and devotion.
A different way to look at the world
We cannot help donkeys across the world if we do not recognise the inescapable link between animals, the natural world and people.
Our five year strategy is more ambitious than ever and shows how seeing the world from a donkey’s perspective can help donkeys, people, communities and the environment, heal and flourish in challenging times.
Vision and mission
Our vision
A world where every donkey has a good quality of life.
Our mission
Improving the lives of donkeys every day.
Our impact
We make a better world for donkeys.
Our values
Our values guide how we treat others and make decisions in everything we do.
What we will achieve
What we will achieve
Our strategy enables us to be ambitious and remain undaunted by the challenges ahead.
Over the next five years, we will:
- Improve the lives of 5 million donkeys
- Be global leaders in a plan for donkey welfare
- Inspire a global community of a million to help us in our mission.
To help us achieve these goals we will:
- Make The Donkey Sanctuary a great place to work and become a partner of choice
- Establish world-class operational practices that make the most of our resources
- Work to increase our income.
Achieving our goals
Our strategy is grounded in four strategic pillars that will help us focus our activity to pursue our vision and deliver on our mission.
Welfare
Make positive and sustainable change to the everyday lives of donkeys by improving their environment, nutrition, behaviour and health.
Over the next five years, we will focus on measuring donkey welfare issues more consistently and objectively and evidencing improvements in the care or welfare support provided to donkeys through our programmes and projects.
Knowledge
Develop and share expertise, knowledge and understanding to improve donkey welfare.
Over the next five years, we will be working on transferring and exchanging our knowledge with people working and caring for donkeys while continuing to evolve our understanding through learning and listening.
Voice
Speak up for donkeys by challenging poor welfare and advocating for better.
Over the next five years, we will be working towards increasing the awareness of issues affecting donkeys worldwide and seeking the enforcement of legislation to reduce the harm and suffering of donkeys.
Community
Demonstrate the benefits of donkeys and people living and working in harmony together.
Over the next five years, we will be working to ensure that people with the power to help donkeys are supported, valued and empowered.
Impact through partnership
We work with like-minded individuals and organisations so that we can act quickly and effectively to help donkeys. Our partners are credible and resilient organisations, regardless of their size.
We share our abilities and resources in a collaborative and non-competitive way while benefiting from our partners’ unique values, experiences, and skillsets.
Partnerships in action
On World Water Day (22 March), The Donkey Sanctuary held an event in the village of Nuu, Kenya to raise awareness of the huge impact of working donkeys on female empowerment in rural parts of the country.
A celebration of donkeys held in a Kenyan village has helped pave the way for future welfare outreach work in the country next year.
The Donkey Sanctuary has welcomed a commitment from Chief Inspector Kevin Kelly, Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, to support our campaign to stop the abhorrent slaughter of donkeys for the illegal trade in their skins.
