Special day to celebrate human-animal bond at The Donkey Sanctuary

Star of Channel 5’s The Yorkshire Vet, Peter Wright, will join a number of other animal experts and renowned pet artist, Hercule Van Wolfwinkle, at The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth to celebrate National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day on Sunday 28 July.

The day is a collaboration between a number of charities and organisations from across the UK to celebrate the relationship between humans and animals, and all of the shared benefits that brings.

The online event will be filled with talks from animal health experts and inspirational individuals who all understand the strengths of the special bond that can be created between humans and animals, including The Donkey Sanctuary’s ambassador and one of TV’s best-known vets, Peter Wright.

Talks will be live-streamed via the National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day’s Facebook page, and along with representatives of The Donkey Sanctuary, there will be a dog behaviour expert, and speakers from the Blue Cross and Woodgreen Pet’s Charity.

Adding some artistic flair to the day will be renowned artist Hercule Van Wolfwinkle. Best known for his ‘Rubbish Pet Portraits’, Hercule’s unique style of pet portraiture has earned him recognition across the world.

Hercule has used his popularity to support a number of charities, including Turning Tides Ending Local Homelessness and StreetVet. During the day, he will be using his artistic talents to encourage donations to support donkey welfare.

The inaugural National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day was hosted by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2023, and this year’s event at The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth promises to build on that success.

The talks will be broadcast from the Donkey Assisted Activity (DAA) centre in the heart of the Sidmouth sanctuary, and although the DAA centre is not open to the public, visitors will have the opportunity to meet Peter Wright, Hercule Van Wolfwinkle and other presenters, at various places around the sanctuary – keep an eye on the sanctuary’s blackboards and The Donkey Sanctuary’s Facebook page for details.

Marianne Steele, CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “It’s an honour to have the opportunity to host the second National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day here at our Sanctuary in Sidmouth.

“Through our work, time and again, we see the extraordinary bond that exists between people and their donkeys. This might be a woman in rural Ethiopia who walks for miles every day with her donkey to fetch water, or one of our extraordinary Donkey Guardians who provides a forever home and a new life to those we have rescued.

“And here at The Donkey Sanctuary itself, you don’t need to look far to see the special bond people share with these wonderful sentient creatures, be that with our staff, volunteers, and the people who visit our sanctuary.”

Co-founder of National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day, and StreetVet volunteer, Tammie O’Leary, said: “Many of us have, or have had, relationships with animals that are unique. The support animals provide us is truly powerful - emotionally, mentally and physically.

“The awareness day is an opportunity to educate, interact, have fun, and inspire people to understand more about each of the charities involved.

“Having volunteered within the charity sector I see what a difference people donating time and skills can make. More people giving a little of their time will have such a positive impact on a charity. You also can make lifelong friends, animal or human!”

The Donkey Sanctuary’s ambassador Peter Wright will also spend some time meeting visitors at the Sidmouth sanctuary on the awareness day. He will be available to answer questions about his role at the animal welfare charity and his job as one of TV’s best-known vets.

For more details on the National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day, please visit: www.human-animalbondday.com