Probably my most enthusiastic ever drive to the mountains was my adventure for this week involving four legged animals. Oh yes, my friends, I was off to Vouni village for an interview with Cyprus’s old favourite. The Cyprus donkey. Still have no idea what I’m talking about? Well, up in the mountains, just before Troodos, lies one of the most remarkable places in Cyprus, the Friends of the Cyprus Donkey Sanctuary.
Unlike my other adventures, this was not one of class or lifestyle. This was one of admiration. As far as I knew, until this day, donkeys were treated wrongly, inhumanely and especially in Cyprus, they were work animals. I was wrong. Thanks to a team of people, there are 121 donkeys being treated humanely and enjoying every minute of it.
Friends of the Cyprus Donkey is an association registered in Cyprus and the UK with the purpose of caring for unwanted, old or abandoned donkeys. All was started by Patrick and Mary Skinner, in 1994, who explained to me that because they receive no help from the government, the association relies heavily on donations from the public to cover its costs. Fortunately, the donkeys are very popular and there are thousands of visitors each year.
The most frequent visitors are little people. “Children love coming here and can’t get enough of the donkeys,” said Mary. But what is most fascinating is the fact that you can leave the sanctuary with your chin up because you have the opportunity to adopt a donkey for just £8 a year. “Almost every single donkey is adopted,” Mary said proudly, “but the prettier ones are more popular.” So, be sure to adopt a little ugly one when you visit. And just so you can prove you are a proud “parent”, an adoption card with the donkey’s photograph is given to you.
Even though Patrick and Mary run the show very well, there are many problems only you and I could solve. “Prices of everything in Cyprus are rocketing,” said Mary, meaning that food for the donkeys is even more expensive. From £2.75, which was the price for a bag of barley, they are now looking at £6.10 and they need 50 bags a month. You do the math.
What’s more distressing is that some of the donkeys are sick and therefore need medical attention, which again means more money. Fortunately, Jill is the Welfare Officer at the sanctuary and the UK Donkey Sanctuary funds her position. This is a woman who would gladly do this for free and her love for the donkeys is clear. By kissing them and talking to them, this is a woman who can tell 120 donkeys apart by name and even by their characteristics. “This is Skipper,” she said, introducing me, “he’s naughty and spirited.” It was lovely meeting you Skipper. “Oh, and that’s Hercules, that’s Jason and that’s Lonnie.” Well, I couldn’t understand how she did it but when I asked about one in particular donkey, I clearly understood how she could tell this one apart. Pegasus is from Crete and he’s blind. “He has that net around his head because his eyes are infected and the flies won’t leave him alone,” Jill explained. But adding a little bit of humor, she also told me about his unfortunate bumps into other donkeys and objects.
So, although, there are problems at the sanctuary, the team of people love and care for the donkeys in every way they can. And this of course does not go for the “residents” only. The team takes care of the villagers’ donkeys by answering calls for help that usually involve badly overgrown hooves. “There is a drastic shortage of farriers in Cyprus,” said Mary, adding that a donkey’s hooves should be trimmed every six to eight weeks.
The sanctuary also handles and investigates cases of cruelty and neglect all over Cyprus. But, again the wonders do not stop there. “We think it’s very important to educate the owners,” Mary explained, “so we do this with our Greek language donkey leaflet, with hands-on instructions.”
On Sunday, the 19th of September there is an open day at the sanctuary. There will be prizes to be won and you can even enjoy a donkey ride. And just in case you were wondering. No, I didn’t ride one.
“The open day will be an opportunity for everyone to meet, adopt and ride the donkeys,” said Mary, “and we know how important and fun it is for children who we encourage to learn more about the donkey they adopt.” So, how could you honestly not want to help a sick donkey by just visiting? Just be there. You won’t want to miss me on a donkey!
