The Sathya Sai Sanctuary

Welcome to The Sathya Sai Sanctuary Trust for Nature

The Sathya Sai Sanctuary Trust for Nature was founded in 1991 primarily to offer a place of peace and refuge for old, injured, unwanted, abandoned, neglected and abused donkeys, who through no fault of their own, no longer fit into a world geared for profit and productivity and which is presently dominated by heavy agricultural machinery.

Once an important part of the Irish heritage and farming economy these forgotten animals so often suffer through mankind's greed for money and power and even today are generally valued more for their financial worth than for the spirit within.

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We are situated in truly magnificent surroundings adjacent to the Carrowkeel Megalithic Site at Castlebaldwin, Co.Sligo, Ireland. Only 5 kms off the main N4 Sligo to Dublin road.

Please bring waterproof boots, enjoy your visit, and give these humble animals the love they deserve.

We are situated in truly magnificent surroundings adjacent to the Carrowkeel Megalithic Site at Castlebaldwin, Co.Sligo, Ireland. Only 5 kms off the main N4 Sligo to Dublin road.

Please bring waterproof boots, enjoy your visit, and give these humble animals the love they deserve.

Would you like to help?

If you would like to support the donkeys, and other equines, donations of money or feedstuffs (including carrots and ginger biscuits) are always appreciated. You can also sponsor one of the donkeys on the Sponsor-a-Donkey Scheme.

Opening Times for Visitors

1st April - 30th September

Saturdays and Sundays

10.00am - 4.00pm

All other times strictly by appointment please

No Winter Visiting

Telephone: 0861031932

Email: sai.donkeys@gmail.com

Our Name Change

As mentioned in the Autumn 2024 newsletter, with a view to the future, we are still in the process of changing the Charity Trust to a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee. The process is lengthy and fairly involved but safeguards the future of the Sanctuary, giving everyone, including followers and supporters, great peace of mind.

This effectively changes nothing except the title; which will become The Sathya Sai Donkey Sanctuary Company Limited by Guarantee. We ask for patience and understanding during the transition.

Welfare Grant - Thank You

Once again, we wish to thank Minister Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, for the invaluable and generous welfare grant of €46,000 awarded to this Sanctuary to help with the overall costs of our work of rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming, abused and neglected donkeys, ponies and some horses for the year 2026. This grant will help us immensely in our mission to help donkeys, ponies, and mules in need throughout Ireland, and improve our facilities to ensure our long-term residents have the best life possible.

We are enormously grateful for this support, by Minister Heydon and his colleagues, which acknowledges the Department's respect for the work carried out by Animal Welfare Charities nationwide.

This is a challenging time for all charities, including those of us engaged in trying to deal with a national crisis of unwanted, surplus, low value donkeys who have no commercial use, or value, in a world centred on profit.