THE DONKEY SANCTUARY
TO PROVIDE RESCUE HOMES AND TREATMENT FOR DONKEYS, MULES AND OTHER SUCH ANIMALS, AND TO PREVENT CRUELTY TO SUCH ANIMALS THROUGH PROMOTING HUMANE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS THEM. ENHANCING PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGH WORKING WITH DONKEYS AND MULES.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that total income was £59.6m with operating expenditure of £56.9m, resulting in a net addition to funds of £4.7m. The charity holds general funds of £32.9m available to cover its specific reserves target of £23-31m, which the trustees consider a prudent position given the economic environment.
What the accounts disclose
“The ratio of remuneration of the highest paid employee at end of December 2025 (£153,182)”
“The number of employees whose emoluments amounted to over £60,000 in the year was as follows: 2025 No. 20” — page 40
“As at the end of 2025, the target range for specific reserves was £23-31m”
“There are no related party transactions with trustees that require disclosure for the year ended 31 December 2025 (2024: £nil).” — page 46
“It also operates two UK trading subsidiaries Donkey World Limited and The Hayloft (Donkey Sanctuary) Limited”
UK research funding (UKRI Gateway to Research)
- Animal Welfare Research Network: Building research quality, capacity and impact.
- Animal Welfare Research Network
- Extending active life for older people with cognitive impairment through innovation in the visitor economy of the natural environment (ENLIVEN)
- Improving the lives of people through improving the welfare of their working equids.
- Animal Welfare Research Network: Building research quality, capacity and impact
- Animal Welfare Research Network
- The North Wyke Farm Platform- National Capability
- S2N - Soil to Nutrition - Work package 2 (WP2) - Adaptive management systems for improved efficiency and nutritional quality
- BBSRC National Bioscience Research Infrastructure: North Wyke Farm Platform
Property (HM Land Registry)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (23/03/2026)
- Received assets from another charity (14/02/2026)
Trustees
- Ajay Barai
- David Paul Lunn
- Dr Andrew Stringer
- Dr Thomas Mitchell
- Edemekong Uyoh
- Elizabeth Cecilia Sheldon
- Karen Reed
- Lucy Back
- Lucy Metcalfe
- Sharon Martin
- Vivienne Hole
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2025 | £59.6m | £57.0m |
| 31/12/2024 | £0 | £0 |
Common questions
Is THE DONKEY SANCTUARY financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total income was £59.6m with operating expenditure of £56.9m, resulting in a net addition to funds of £4.7m. The charity holds general funds of £32.9m available to cover its specific reserves target of £23-31m, which the trustees consider a prudent position given the economic environment. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by HaysMac LLP.
What does the highest-paid employee of THE DONKEY SANCTUARY earn?
Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £153,182 band, and 20 employees earned over £60,000.
Who funds THE DONKEY SANCTUARY?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE DONKEY SANCTUARY as a grant recipient include MRS D M FRANCE-HAYHURST FOUNDATION, WILLIAM GEOFFREY HARVEY'S DISCRETIONARY SETTLEMENT NO 2, THE ROSE ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST CIO, THE ANNANDALE CHARITABLE TRUST, Ripple Effect International.
Known funders
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK government | 01/04/2024 | £39k | GCA AME RPA DELINKED PAYMENTS |
| UK government | 01/04/2023 | £48k | GCA PROG DEL RPA BPS DOMESTIC 16 OCT |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE PETS AT HOME FOUNDATION | 1 | £90k |
| THE HAWTHORNE CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £11k |
| THE BERYL EVETTS AND ROBERT LUFF ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST LIMITED | 1 | £5k |
| PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND | 1 | £5k |
| THE GUNTER CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £1k |
| THE BROUGHTON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £1k |
| THE FARRINGDON HOUSE SCHOOL CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £300 |
Charities like this
- HUMANE EDUCATION SOCIETY
- ISLE OF WIGHT DONKEY SANCTUARY CIO
- REMUS MEMORIAL HORSE SANCTUARY
- SHY LOWEN HORSE AND PONY SANCTUARY
- LUCY’S UK DONKEY FOUNDATION
- BLEAKHOLT ANIMAL SANCTUARY
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE DONKEY SANCTUARY | £59.6m | £153,182 | 20 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| HUMANE EDUCATION SOCIETY | £246k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ISLE OF WIGHT DONKEY SANCTUARY CIO | £2.1m | £60,001 - £70,000 | 1 | above | — | no doubt |
| REMUS MEMORIAL HORSE SANCTUARY | £630k | £20,923 | 0 | within | — | no doubt |
| SHY LOWEN HORSE AND PONY SANCTUARY | £242k | — | 0 | unclear | — | noted |
| LUCY’S UK DONKEY FOUNDATION | £134k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |