Sathya Sai Sanctuary Trust for Nature

The Sathya Sai Sanctuary was founded in 1991 for the purpose of rescuing Ireland’s “lost” donkeys, most of which are elderly, sick or injured. Once a valuable part of the national heritage these animals had spent their lives working on farms hauling, ploughing, harrowing, sowing and reaping, and on the bogs bringing turf for the hearths. With the advent of the tractor and other farm machinery the donkey soon became redundant and now no longer fits into a world geared for profit and productivity. Many such animals were shipped by live transport to the Continent, especially Italy where they were used in salami; others were simply sent to the knackers as unwanted. The lucky ones remained on the farm where, to this day, a donkey’s presence is considered good luck. These are the ones that still come into care on a regular basis as their elderly owners go into homes, hospitals or die, leaving younger people to inherit a farm they have little chance of working in today’s economic climate.