The Donkey Sanctuary
Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE, who founded The Donkey Sanctuary, was born in Yorkshire and, although her love of donkeys started at a very early age, it was not until she was married, with a family, and helping her husband to run the Salston Hotel at Ottery St Mary in Devon that she was able to own her first donkey.
Slade House Farm was purchased to house the fast growing donkey family. Over the years since then more and more donkeys have been taken into care, and to date over 12,500 have passed through the Donkey Sanctuary's gates in the UK and Ireland.
The donkey family grew and grew, and in 1973 The Donkey Sanctuary was registered as a charity. Dr Svendsen had 38 donkeys under her care when, in June of that year, she received a phone call from a solicitor who was the Executor of the Estate of the late Miss Violet Philpin, a lady who had cared for donkeys at her Helping Hand Animal Welfare League Donkey Sanctuary near Reading in Berkshire. The solicitor explained that Dr Svendsen had been left a legacy - of 204 donkeys!
VISITORS INFORMATION:
Opening hours:
The Sanctuary is open 365 days a year
From 9.00 am to dusk
Free admission and parking.
Dogs are very welcome.