THE Friends of the Cyprus Donkey have hit back at criticism over a change in management policy whereby walking and feeding of the animals is no longer allowed.
Ian MacDonald and his wife have visited the sanctuary in Vouni village in the foothills of the Troodos mountains numerous times but have insisted that their last visit this month, will be their last.
“We were not aware of management changes as nothing was said until I tried, as usual, to buy a few bags of treats,” MacDonald said. “I was told it was not allowed, which I found strange. So I then asked to take out one or more donkeys we regularly exercise and was again told it was not allowed.
“No treats, I was told, because the new management decided this encouraged aggressive behaviour among the donkeys. What rubbish. Have the management never seen children squabbling over sweets?
“No walks, I was told, because of British health and safety regulations. What rubbish. Cyprus is an independent country, mercifully free of the nanny-state UK. I have walked donkeys for years. If one treads on my toes, so what? No big deal. In fact, it’s never happened to me.”
He added that as he looked around the sanctuary, “gone were the visitors and gone were the happy animals leaning over a fence for a treat and attention. What did I find? Some 120 miserable looking donkeys with zero contact with visitors. They were standing 24 hours a day on very hot concrete. Donkeys need some rough ground to roll on and have a good scratch. So much for the new so-called experts.”
According to MacDonald, people used to visit the sanctuary to enjoy the donkeys. “Now that they cannot, there’s no reason to visit,” he said.
“It was painfully obvious to us that the new management has little or no understanding of the Cypriot way of life. This is not – hopefully – another Little England.
He told us that the couple’s life membership cards have been torn up. “Our money will go to another more understanding cause.”
Patrick Skinner, the honorary marketing director of the sanctuary, told the Sunday Mail that Friends of the Cyprus Donkey was about to become part of the UK Donkey Sanctuary. “It is a very large organisation with operations in Africa, India, Spain and Italy, to name a few countries.”
Skinner explained that he felt he needed to look at the future of the sanctuary. “My wife and I realised that in order to secure its financial and management future, we needed outside help.”
He said he had received very few complaints. “However, we do sympathise with people who used to be able to take the donkeys for a walk, but UK and international policies must now be observed in all branches and there are EU health and safety issues to consider.
“We understand the complaints but, at the end of the day, the welfare of the animals is the first, second and last thought we have.”
Skinner also spoke of the benefits of linking up with the UK Donkey Sanctuary. “We have been given financial help, including a budget to rent new land and build new stables and to substantially increase our veterinary services. This not only looks after donkeys in our care but also provides a health service for all donkeys still working in Cyprus, of which there are over 1,000. Additionally, the number of our professional staff has risen.”
For years, the sanctuary has faced an annual shortfall in income of between £30,000 and £40,000. “We had to seek grants from international organisations to redress the balance, which was very difficult, so when the UK Sanctuary, which has a great reputation, resources and is well-established, asked to join us, there was no argument.
“At the end of the day, animal welfare is what matters.”
Founded in 1994 to care for sick and unwanted donkeys of all ages and to provide medical and welfare services for animals still working throughout Cyprus, Friends of the Cyprus Donkey is licensed by the Cyprus government and is also a UK registered charity. The main sanctuary is situated in beautiful hill country around the picturesque village of Vouni. It occupies a number of fields, with more than a dozen enclosures of stables, stores and exercise yards.
The sanctuary is mainly located on a three-acre site rented from the local church.
Skinner added that most of the donkeys were taken in, “when their owners pass away or become too old to care for their animals. One in eight are strays. Once we’ve established that an animal doesn’t have an owner, we’ll go and collect it. We’ve never said no and would hope never to have to say no to taking in a new animal.”
There is a visitor centre with shop, refreshments and a hillside walk and picnic area.
