Il Rifugio Degli Asinelli is a registered Italian ONLUS working to improve conditions for donkeys and mules in Italy

Our aims and objectives

Mission Statement

Protecting donkeys and promoting their welfare in Italy and enabling those donkeys fit and able to do so to provide riding therapy to children with special needs.

The objects of Il Rifugio Degli Asinelli are the provision of care, protection and or permanent security anywhere in Italy for donkeys and mules which are in need of attention by reason of sickness, maltreatment, poor circumstances, ill-usage or other like causes and the prevention of cruelty and suffering among donkeys and mules.

In order to realize these objectives the Directors have identified the following key operational activities within the ONLUS:

• Provision of Donkey Care; to provide to every resident donkey within the refuge, expert and individual care through the provision of highly qualified motivated staff and optimum facilities to cater for the needs of our donkey population.
  Donkey Welfare Support; to provide a network of Welfare Officers across the country who follow up complaints by the public of ill treatment to donkeys and who monitor and develop foster home placements.
• Training, Education and Awareness; to promote donkey welfare practises by courses, publication or whatever means appropriate.
• Donkey Assisted Riding Therapy Programme; for Children with Special Needs using those donkeys fit and able and who have received special training for this purpose.
• Fundraising; to actively raise money from many sources in order to carry out our services.

We have the following facilities:

Our headquarters and refuge in Biella located in Sala Biellese, deep in the green woodland of the Serra hills which run between the territories of Biella and Ivrea. Here over 200 donkeys can have a peaceful existence in the beautiful Alpine countryside leaving behind any hardships of the past

Il Rifugio Degli Asinelli is a subsidiary of The Donkey Sanctuary UK.