Donkey 'Supernanny' ensures no long faces on animal guests during sanctuary stay

Keeping a couple of hundred donkeys happy is a big ask – and at Britain’s biggest donkey sanctuary, things can sometimes kick off.

When Tommy and Timmy arrived recently at the centre, in Sidmouth, Devon, they had been cruelly neglected and were in a pitiful state.

But their arrival did not go down well with one of the stalwart residents, Zippo – who began attacking them.

Enter donkey “supernanny” Maxine Carter, whose job is to make sure there are no long faces among residents.

Maxine, 51, has worked there for more than 30 years along with her husband Paul, who is farm manager.

Her role is to read the donkeys’ individual characters and work out which ones fit best together.

Donkeys such as this one (not a guest at the Sanctuary) are highly intelligent and each has its own character (Rex)

She said: “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to matching donkeys.

“It’s essential the grooms know their donkeys inside out so they can report back on behaviour or additional needs.

“Just recently there have been a few stable-swaps. Introducing new donkeys to a herd is not always going to be plain-sailing. Donkeys are territorial, it can be like having new kids in class.

“I’m often saying, ‘Right you need five minutes out’ or ‘You two need to be separated for a bit’ – but it’s all just a natural part of being a donkey.”

Maxine says there are some groups the animals naturally fall into – such as “the oldies” and “the young boys”.

But she added: “Donkeys are highly intelligent. Each has its own character.

“When a new donkey joins the herd we monitor them closely for a couple of weeks to see how they interact. They’re incredible animals.”

Rather than beach donkey rides, she urges parents to bring their children to meet the animals at the sanctuary.

She added: “It’s free – we’re open 365 days a year. They’re not just long ears and soft, furry noses. Communities across the globe rely on them.”

You can also take a couple home – if you have the space. Maxine said: “Donkeys are fantastic companions.

In return they need your time, love and attention. We re-home our donkeys in pairs and ask they have approximately one acre of safe land, an area of hardstanding and access to shelter.”

• Donate at thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/support-us/donate.