Agia Marina Donkey Rescue is a family-run sanctuary on the island of Crete. Their story started 15 years ago when they were asked to take in a small donkey whose owner, by then in his nineties, was no longer able to care for her. With plenty of love and space to offer, Barbara and Fanis took her in, built her a stable and affectionately named her Olive after the orchard that neighbours their land.

It wasn’t long before Olive was joined by other abandoned, abused or retired donkeys looking for sanctuary – and so, Agia Marina Donkey Rescue was born!

But with limited access to trained veterinarians and no government funding, the cost of caring for so many donkeys runs high, which is why we’re delighted to be supporting Barbara and Fanis through the Local Partnership Programme. We’ll be sponsoring the care of 10 deserving donkeys – be sure to keep an eye on our Instagram and Facebook to meet them all.

If you’d like to contribute to this funding, please consider making a donation today – thank you.