Newsletter Spring 2003
Soloman and Bonnie enjoy a walk up in Lough Availe.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PAYMENT
Just before Christmas we received amazing news: the Sathya Sai Sanctuary had been granted 4,438 euros as an ex gratia payment from The Department of Agriculture. These payments may be made at the end of each year to animal welfare charities subject to their satisfactory application, at the discretion of The Minister and dependent upon any monies being left in the annual budget. Due to lack of funds many Sanctuary plans have been 'on ice' but it is now hoped to build a small but dry 'visitor centre' where educational leaflets and photographs, Adopt a Donkey forms, small items for sale and donkey paraphernalia of general interest may be displayed in order to encourage enthusiasm and knowledge about our long-eared friends and help swell the funds along the way.
NEWCOMERS Charlie Hee-Haw and Hector
Before Christmas we were asked by The Donkey Sanctuary of Cork if we could take in Charlie Hee-Haw and Hector for a few weeks en route to their new home in Co. Roscommon. They were being moved from their current foster home in Co. Offaly and would otherwise have had to make the long journey to Mallow and back again as, unusually, all the other Donkey Sanctuary holding stations were already full. They were delightful donkeys, Charlie being a big fawn coloured gelding with enormous ears, and Hector a smaller, chestnut brown gelding of more nervous disposition. They were only with us for a short time but they didn't take long to endear themselves.
