Main fundraiser photo

New fence for donkey sanctuary

The donkey sanctuary Burros & Artes is in urgent need of a new fence to allow the current 18 donkeys to feed and run free on a spacious area.
About 12 acres of the land is fenced in for the donkeys. More and more areas of the 52ha/28acres farm area were included between 2004 and 2015. It's a varied landscape with an open wide valley and various north and south sloping hills which offer height and the area is covered with typical regional vegetation - cork oaks, gorse and other scrub, ground herbs and greenery, as well as umbrella pines in a reforested area. Multiple fence subdivisions would allow the necessary resting of individual areas.
 
However, the fence is broken and dilapidated. Rusted metal parts (gate handle, tension springs, insulators, the fine metal thread in the wire; plastic parts are brittle or broken (wire, insulators, gate, handles); wooden posts are rotten, split; screw insulators have been overgrown by tree bark; gate springs are worn out.
 
The farm can no longer keep up with emergency patches. It makes no economic sense and couldn´t be financed anyway.
 
A new durable fence with rust and sun resistant parts is the best guarantee that the donkeys can continue to move freely and diversely on their own land. This has two great effects: on the donkeys health (mental and physical) and it also has a financial benefit to stabilize the sanctuary longterm. Less hay needs to be bought and the donkeys are in better health therefore vet costs decrease.
And, of course, a new fence is the best security, so that the neighbourhood can continue to enjoy their vegetable patches, orchards and gardens without worries.
This is Sofia who is dedicating all of her energy since 15 years to help the donkeys.
 
Why do the donkeys and Sofia need your donation? Through the donkey tours and donkey sponsorships (see website) the daily operation can barely be maintained. There is no money for any medium- and longterm investments. With the fence they can not only offer the donkeys a better life, but also relieve the farm financially on the long run.
 
Infos about the costs:
The money will be used to build 4,5km of fence with metal posts (approx. 640 posts à 8€ = 5000€) (why metal? more durable, more sustainable), new wire (2x4,5 in total approx 1000€) and long-range-fence battery (approx. 500€). In addition, before the construction the area must be mowed and partially cut free to install the new fence professionally (costs about 500€, some can be done by us volunteers). The fence installed then will last for up to 15-20 years and will be able to provide a nice home in nature for many donkeys.
 
The green line is the fence line.
 
About the campaign:
We (Sabrina and Lukas) are currently on our trip through Europe and stopped on the donkey sanctuary for a few weeks as volunteers and try to support the great team around Sofia, as well as the donkeys, with this GoFundMe campaign (for bureaucracy the campaign runs on Sofias profile).
In the name of all the donkeys and the team - thank you for your help!
 
More info on:
 

Fundraising team: Spendenteam (2)

Elsa Sofia Ribeiro
Organizer
Carrascalinho, São Roque do Pico, Portugal
Sophie Behrendt
Team member

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