Il Rifugio Degli Asinelli, a subsidiary of the Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary, was recently called upon to come to the rescue of two donkeys who were suffering from shocking levels of starvation and neglect.

A busy orthodontist from Birch Vale in High Peak, Derbyshire will soon embark on a sponsored walking challenge in northern Italy in aid of abandoned, cruelly treated and neglected donkeys.

Ros Howarth is taking part in the Cinque Terre Challenge from 18th to 25th April, an event organised by The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon, which also has a Derbyshire Centre based in Flagg near Buxton.

Good news from Italy! Our first sanctuary there, Il Rifugio degli Asinelli ONLUS, is now open to the public, following an official ceremony on Saturday 22nd August 2009, 18 months after the first donkeys arrived. Local dignatories and journalists were given a guided tour during the morning and in the afternoon more than 1,000 people attended, as well as teams from two local television stations.

At 21 years of age, Venere is the oldest donkey currently being cared for at Il Rifugio Degli Asinelli, the Italian counterpart of the Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary. She was rescued, along with a foal called Holly, from a donkey breeding centre in southern Italy, as both were in terrible condition and needed the Sanctuary's expert care.

Stables, gates and barn dividers are amongst 22 tonnes of supplies being sent to northern Italy by our Sanctuary to equip its new rescue centre.

On Tuesday 6th May 2008, a beautiful little foal was born to one of the 21 donkeys rescued from Romania with help from Save the Dogs and Other Animals. His name is Filippo.