Donr Spotlight — Introducing: Safe Haven for Donkeys
In the third edition of our Spotlight series, Wendy Ahl, UK Operations Director of Safe Haven for Donkeys, talks to us about helping thousands of animals since the charity’s foundation in the year 2000.
Safe Haven for Donkeys is a British-registered charity that concentrates its efforts a little further afield: Israel and the Palestinian Territories, to be precise. The charity was formed back in 2000: ‘In response to the enormous number of injured and unwanted donkeys in Israel,’ Wendy explains.
Safe Haven for Donkeys has responded to this challenge by running a donkey sanctuary in Israel, providing free veterinary services for working donkeys, mules and horses in the Palestinian Territories, and providing advice and education to donkey owners who rely on their animals to make a living.
The charity does this despite facing significant challenges: ‘The Middle East is one of the most volatile parts of the world,’ Wendy points out. ‘It’s not easy for our team trying to work in that area.’
Also, with the charity’s work taking place abroad, Wendy and the rest of the team admit to finding fundraising a struggle, at times: ‘As our donkeys are overseas, there is nothing in the UK for donors to see,’ she concedes.
That is certainly not to say, however, that their work is in any way insignificant: ‘Over the last 18 years, we have helped thousands of donkeys, mules and horses which would have suffered tremendously without us,’ Wendy says.
Safe Haven for Donkeys has now signed up to use Donr’s Text Giving service, meaning that supporters of the charity can text a keyword and donate an amount of their choosing to help the charity run its donkey sanctuary and its mobile clinics.
If you’d like to help, text ‘donkey’ to 70085, followed by the amount you wish to donate. For instance, if you’d like to donate £20, text ‘donkey 20’ to 70085. Amounts that can be donated are: £3, £5, £10, £15 or £20. Texts cost the amount of the donation plus one standard rate message.
To find out more about the charity’s work, head to their website, visit their Facebook page or check out their Twitter account.
