Virtual donkey day out on Easter Sunday

This Easter Sunday (4 April), animal lovers will once again be able to catch up with the four-legged residents of The Donkey Sanctuary as its award-winning Sanctuary From Your Sofa event returns for another virtual day out with the charity’s donkeys.

Viewers will be able to tune in from 10am to watch a series of live broadcasts from The Donkey Sanctuary headquarters in Sidmouth, as well as a host of pre-recorded videos from its regional sanctuaries around the UK.

The Easter Sunday event, which also coincides with International Carrot Day, follows a series of successful events in 2020, which saw The Donkey Sanctuary win the award for the Best Audience Engagement Campaign at the prestigious 2020 UK Social Media Awards.

Maxine Carter, Farm Manager at The Donkey Sanctuary Sidmouth, said: “Last year’s events reached more than one million people across the world, so we’re really excited to bring the virtual event back for all those people who are missing their ‘donkey fix’.

“Easter Sunday’s event will feature all of the charity’s 22 adoption donkeys from across the UK, and as the day falls on International Carrot Day our fluffy friends can expect a few crunchy treats and surprises throughout the day in the form of enrichment activities.”

Highlights from the forthcoming Sanctuary From Your Sofa include: spot the differences between a donkey and a mule; finding out what it takes to look after these incredible animals; learning about donkey behaviour; and the life-long, emotional bonds they form with each other and the humans they encounter.

All of charity’s regional centres, including The Donkey Sanctuary Ivybridge, The Donkey Sanctuary Birmingham, The Donkey Sanctuary Manchester, The Donkey Sanctuary Leeds and The Donkey Sanctuary Belfast will feature throughout the day.

The charity’s dedicated grooms, who spend their time caring for the resident donkeys, will lead each live and pre-recorded broadcast.

For the full running order and how to watch Sanctuary from your Sofa, please visit The Donkey Sanctuary’s website, thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk. All of the charity’s locations remain temporarily closed to visitors.