Great things happen when you see the world from a donkey’s perspective

Seeing the world through the eyes of a donkey is at the heart of The Donkey Sanctuary’s new five-year strategy – an ambitious plan that aims to improve the lives of five million donkeys worldwide. The international animal welfare charity has a new CEO and a new strategy, and is more confident than ever that seeing the world from a donkey’s perspective is key to creating lasting and positive change.

Marianne Steele, who was appointed CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary in November 2022, said: “Dr Svendsen founded The Donkey Sanctuary over 50 years ago to strive towards a better world for donkeys and one where donkeys everywhere are treated with the kindness and respect they deserve.

“Our new strategy embraces these founding values and the positive impact of donkeys on communities, culture and the environment. Around the world, donkeys are intrinsically linked to the cultures and landscapes they inhabit. When we see the world through a donkey’s eyes, we see a way to improve the world, not just for donkeys, but for the people and communities that rely on them.”

This commitment to a single species is what sets The Donkey Sanctuary apart from other global animal charities and has allowed it to become a global leader in donkey welfare.

“Donkeys remain in peril. They need our help. We cannot do this alone –building partnerships and communities is key. We’ll do this by sharing knowledge with those closest to donkeys and inspiring a movement of people who can help us drive positive change.

“We will intensify our campaign for an end to the donkey skin trade and

“Central to our strategy is elevating the status of donkeys. By dispelling myths and positioning donkeys as the highly intelligent and sensitive animals they are, deserving of our respect, we will create a demand for better welfare,” said Ms Steele.

The new strategy sets out how the charity will improve the welfare of donkeys in its care and around the world, with clear goals to:

• Improve the lives of five million donkeys

• Inspire a global community of one million to help us in our mission

• Be leaders in a global plan for donkey welfare

• 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

• Increase our income to deliver these goals

“In a tumultuous world, our plans are ambitious, but we are confident we have the knowledge, passion and focus to improve the lives of millions of donkeys and honour the work Dr Svendsen started over half a century ago,” said Marianne Steele. “Our work over the next five years will be driven by The Donkey Sanctuary’s vision of a world where every donkey has a good quality of life, and its mission to improve the lives of donkeys every day.” n The Donkey Sanctuary is a global leader for equine welfare, research and veterinary care www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk

A study from veterinary researchers at the University of Liverpool has shown that dog owners need clearer guidance on which behavioural and physical signs are a normal part of the ageing process and which could be indicative of a serious condition.

The ‘Just Old Age’ research paper, published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice, also identified significant gaps in veterinary professional and dog owner communication.

These are the first research findings from the Old Age Pets research project, funded by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) PetSavers.

To inform what is the first qualitative description of senior dog healthcare from the point of view of both dog owners and veterinary professionals in the UK, the researchers conducted in-depth interviews with dog owners and veterinary professionals and collected open-text responses from owners using an online survey.

They investigated expectations, experiences, and attitudes to ageing in dogs, including preventative healthcare/treatment, and general understanding of normal and abnormal changes during ageing.

The University of Liverpool’s Dr Lisa Wallis said: “The results of our study have revealed that age-related changes observed by owners were mostly perceived as ‘just old age’, and opportunities to educate owners on what behavioural and physical signs represent normal or “healthy” ageing, and what is pathological are being missed, due to lack of time, education, and in some cases motivation.”

The University of Liverpool’s Professor Carri Westgarth added: “As most owners did not feel prepared for their dogs’ ageing, the possibility of reduced welfare in aged dogs is increased. Significant gaps in veterinary professional and dog owner communication were identified requiring urgent intervention. The development of a new guidance tool could address these gaps, to guide on best practice discussions in consultations with senior dogs and encourage more owners to seek veterinary advice.”

The researchers and BSAVA also recently announced the BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Canine Toolkit (ACT), which will help to address these concerns.

Click here to read the full study https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10 .1111/jsap.13610