A donkey colt that has arrived at the Sanctuary is to be called "Sir John" in memory of Sir John Harvey-Jones.

A Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Sir John Harvey-Jones, MBE was held on Thursday 17th April 2008 at The Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin and St Ethelbert the King in Hereford (Hereford Cathedral).

Dr Svendsen, Founder of The Donkey Sanctuary, attended the service along with two donkeys called Shirgar and Springy who greeted the hundreds of people attending the service at the doorway into the cathedral.

Sir John, who owned several donkeys during his lifetime, was a regular visitor to the Sanctuary. Dr Svendsen said "Sir John was one of the few people to recognise that donkeys are very intelligent animals. People think they are stubborn, but they are not. You just have to negotiate with them."