My name's Liz Hazell-Smith and I work here at the Sanctuary in our Veterinary Projects Department. This is my first blog which I hope you will enjoy and begin to follow!

What a warm greeting I received from a donkey called Ruby on Monday! It's been so hectic in the PR Office that I have been rushing from one job to the next, but I was stopped in my tracks when this beautiful dark brown youngster came up to me and rested her gorgeous head on my shoulder. I really do love it when donkeys do this as it's the best kind of cuddle I think you can get from them!

At last Billy has been able to leave Isolation - when he moved in there from my home in Ottery St Mary on 14th October 2009 we did not expect him to be there for three and a half months.

Do you remember the plight of Laurel, Hardy and Tim and their rescue from terrible conditions back in July 2009? Having spent over six months being nursed back to health by the staff at our holding base in Buxton, Derbyshire, the trio have arrived and would love to meet you here at the Sanctuary when you next visit.

With spring on the horizon, the Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary is reminding livestock owners of the importance of checking pastures and hay supplies for signs of ragwort, a common weed that poses a high risk of chronic liver failure to equines and bovines.