The countdown has begun: on July 29, at our Rifugio will once again be the Bestial Sunday, the event that every two years brings to Sala Biellese charities that, just like us, deal with "unconventional animals".
An anti-specistic party, made up of meetings and exchanges, to get to know many wonderful realities and erase fears and prejudices.
The Donkey Sanctuary staff recently visited the island of Santorini to assess the conditions of these hardworking animals. Despite our longstanding efforts, we were dismayed by the suffering we witnessed.
With the holiday season coming into full swing, exhausted donkeys and mules are spending long days in the scorching sun, carrying tourists or heavy and harmful rubbish loads, with little to no water, food or shade.
This Sunday it's Grooming Day: are you still in doubt whether to join it or not?
In this video we give you ten reasons (plus one) to join.
Italian school year is ending and we are sure that, for 290 children of six schools from Biella County, among the unforgettable memories (those that remain well beyond questioning and verification) there will also be donkeys from our Rifugio and the ASINIamo project.
The weather forecast were not encouraging, but they were wrong: the sun lit the May Grooming Day and the hundreds of people who came to the Refuge to brush and cuddle the donkeys.
To each of them (and to the volunteers, the staff and, of course, the donkeys!) our thanks go.
For those who were here with us and for those who were far away (and, perhaps, followed our stories through Instagram and Facebook!), here it is the photogallery for you to enjoy.
Are you planning to pay a visit to our sanctuary next week? Please keep in mind that will be closed on Monday 28 May, while from 29 May to Friday 1 June included our Rifugio will close sooner: we will be open from 10 am to 5 pm.
The regular opening times (10 am to 6.30 pm) will be active again from Sauturday 2 June on.
First visit to our Rifugio? Have a look at the Visit us section.
On Sunday, May 27 the Grooming Day is back: a spring day to spend in nature and, above all, in sweet donkeys' company.
Is this your first Grooming Day? This is a monthly event during which visitors, led by the staff of the shelter, have the opportunity to get to know the donkeys and learn how to take care of them with brusche, daughters and, of course, cuddles!
You can take part to two different grooming sessions: one in the morning, approximately from 11 a.m. to 12, and the other in the afternoon, between 2 p.m. and 4.30 p.m.
Info to visitors: on Monday 14 May and Tuesday 15 May we will close early at 5 pm.
From Wednesday we will return to ordinary opening times - daily from 10 am to 6.30 pm.
There's a whole photogallery dedicated to our Rifugio's donkeys on Bored Panda, one of the most famous and well-known online editors, which was born "to fight boredom with art and good news" and currently reaching over 100 millions readers (in 2017, it was second to Foxnews.com only!). A very important showcase for our long-eared models, photographed by Rachele.
Tuesday 8 May is World Donkey Day: to celebrate, we're sharing ten interesting and defining facts about these gentle and highly intelligent animals.
