Bereaved donkey finds new forever friend

A donkey who was mourning the loss of his long-term companion finds new friendship for life

Raffles the donkey lived with his best friend Harry and their owners Rosie and Mike Dewhurst at their idyllic countryside home in northern Scotland. But when Harry suddenly passed away in November 2022, Raffles was left heartbroken and stricken with grief. This was also a very traumatic time for Rosie and Mike, who not only lost one of their beloved donkeys but also saw the effect it had on Raffles.

Rosie and Mike read up on donkey bereavement on The Donkey Sanctuary’s website, but also reached out to the charity’s welfare team for more help and advice. They were then contacted and subsequently visited by Donkey Welfare Advisor Adele Crompton. The couple shared their story with Adele and introduced her to Raffles, so Adele suggested they might like to consider becoming guardians to another donkey on their rehoming scheme, who could become a friend to Raffles.

Rosie and Mike were torn between relinquishing Raffles into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary, where they knew he’d have a loving home for life in the company of other donkeys, and rehoming another donkey. They eventually decided to apply to become guardians and were successful. The couple then received further Donkey Sanctuary training in preparation for the new donkey’s arrival.

Fortunately, Rosie and Mike already had two large paddocks on their smallholding, so they divided one in two with post-and-rails and put up new fencing, so that on the day of arrival the two could be kept safely separated. They also cleared out their tack room, which has doors specifically for donkeys, so that each would have their own space. Then they received the call they’d been waiting for – a suitable companion for Raffles had been found!

Bob lived among the resident herd at The Donkey Sanctuary, Leeds, and had been providing donkey-assisted activities to people in the surrounding community, while being trained for their rehoming scheme. Before coming into the care of the animal welfare charity, Bob was originally bought by his owners at the Appleby Fair in Cumbria. However, he proved to be a bit of an escape artist and kept setting himself free. The owners were unable to secure him on their land and were concerned for his safety and wanted the best future for him, so they made the decision to relinquish him into the care of the sanctuary.

After spending several years at the charity’s sanctuary in Devon, Bob eventually found himself at the regional sanctuary in Yorkshire where he joined the herd in the summer of 2022. With the support of Adele and fellow Donkey Welfare Advisor Nicola Liddell, Bob arrived at Rosie and Mike’s Scottish idyll in Aberdeenshire in August 2023. When Raffles saw him, he cantered over to meet him across the fence and the pair spent around 20 minutes trotting back and forth along the rails getting to know each other.

Adele then suggested that Raffles should join Bob. Raffles was quite active and keen to get to know his new companion by displaying lots of interested and curious behaviour, but Bob was completely non-plussed, taking everything in his stride. Within another half an hour they were both grazing side by side. A delighted Rosie said: “To see Raffles with Bob was wonderful. Raffles had been alone for seven months and now finally both donkeys have the chance of happiness together.

“Initially we spent a great deal of time with both, sometimes sitting for an hour or two observing them and offering cuddles if they came to say hello to us but, as Bob settled, we gave them more time alone. We gave them quiet time and space, and within two months they were fully bonded, playing games together and mutually grooming one another.”

Bob’s character has started to shine through, and Rosie and Mike have discovered that other than Raffles, he has two loves in life – food and people. Bob is also friendly and gentle, and while he may be smaller in stature, he doesn’t lack confidence.

Adele commented: “It’s been a real pleasure to support not only Raffles but also Rosie and Mike on their journey to becoming guardians on our Rehoming Scheme. Rosie and Mike have always put Raffles’ welfare at the forefront of all their decisions, and after lots of discussions we were eventually able to find a perfect pairing with Bob. Bob and Raffles have settled into their new friendship as if they have been together for years. I know they’ll want for nothing in their new home.”

Donkey guardians are essential to The Donkey Sanctuary, providing safe, loving homes for hundreds of donkeys. The rehoming scheme helps to free up vital space in their sanctuaries for donkeys who require more specialist care.

For more information, visit thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk