Donkey who was rescued with dozens of other animals is now thriving with new friend

Since his rescue three years ago, Dandi has been living at one of the Sanctuary's holding bases, where over time he has formed a close bond with another donkey named Tommy.

Dandi, who has a striking white coat, was discovered at the property among many other animals, including a marmoset, a tortoise, horses, chickens, ducks, a dog, and guinea pigs. They were removed after previous notices to improve their living conditions were not met by owners and were subsequently signed over to the RSPCA.

Prior to coming into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary, Dandi was a lone stallion who was kept without the company of his own kind. Stallions can be challenging for their owners to manage, and the charity advises owners to consider castrating their male donkeys.

Donkey stallions, like Dandi, are often found kept in isolation with limited opportunities to socialise with other donkeys. Opting to castrate stallions gives owners more options to find suitable companions for their donkeys. This has the obvious benefit of preventing unwanted breeding, but it can also be beneficial to their overall wellbeing. Castrating at a younger age lowers the risk of post-operative complications and can reduce the development of stallion-like behaviours that can be challenging to manage in later life.

On arrival at the Sanctuary holding base Dandi was underweight. He has since reached a healthy weight and been gelded. The six-year-old donkey has also undergone training in his handling, which included making him feel comfortable when picking up his feet for cleaning and farrier visits.

After coming into Sanctuary care as a single donkey with no companion, he's now hit it off with Tommy, a five-year-old grey donkey who was relinquished into sanctuary care with his mum and another mare, after their owners could not meet their care needs.

Jess Bush, one of The Donkey Sanctuary's Welfare Advisers, explains:

"Dandi is doing great, he loves spending time with his new friend Tommy. They are in a gelding group and happily mix with other geldings but they're certainly together as a bonded pair now.

"As both donkeys are still very young, we hope that when they are ready we will be able to find a suitable home for them as a pair on our Rehoming Scheme, where they can continue their training and journey in a loving home."

The Donkey Sanctuary rehomes donkeys in pairs or more. If you think you can provide a home for life for donkeys like Dandi and Tommy, please visit: Become a Donkey Guardian | The Donkey Sanctuary