Football Fever at The Donkey Sanctuary

Harry the donkey appears to be getting caught up with the football fever gripping the nation ahead of Sunday’s big game.

Like his famous namesake, England international Harry Kane, Harry aged 16, who is a resident at the headquarters of animal welfare charity The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, seems to really enjoy playing with footballs as part of his daily enrichment opportunities.

Investigating footballs is just part of the typical donkey enrichment activities the sanctuary’s resident herd take part in, helping keep them happy and engaged.

The donkeys also like playing with wellington boots as well as investigating strings of carrots tied up in their yard or working out how to retrieve a tasty reward from treat balls. 

Enrichment provides greater opportunities for the donkeys to interact with their environment, make choices and to be more mentally and physically active. These experiences provide many benefits which include maintaining normal behaviour and ensuring their instinctual needs are met, while the increased exercise helps them maintain a healthy weight.