Questions
Frequently asked questions
If your question is not here, ask us. We would rather answer it than have you guess.
Virtual adoption
Sponsoring a donkey who stays here at the sanctuary. The questions people ask before they commit.
- Does the donkey come to live with me?
- No. This is a virtual adoption. Your donkey stays here at the sanctuary in Leoma, Tennessee, with the people and the other donkeys they know.
- Can I visit the donkey I adopt?
- Yes. We host farm visits, and there is nothing better than meeting them in person. Get in touch and we will sort out a time.
- What happens if I stop my membership?
- Nothing happens to the donkey. They stay, they are cared for, and you are welcome back whenever you like.
- Can I adopt one that is already adopted?
- Each donkey has one adopter at a time, so the gallery marks who is taken. There are usually plenty still looking.
- Where does the money actually go?
- Hay and feed, farrier visits, worming and vaccinations, vet care, and the fencing and shelter that keep them safe. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- What happens if my donkey passes away?
- We tell you ourselves, by email or phone, before anything changes on your account and before we announce anything publicly. Then you choose: carry on in their memory, supporting the herd at the same tier, or move your sponsorship to another donkey you pick yourself. Their page stays up permanently, marked In Loving Memory, with the name you gave them.
- What if my donkey goes to a permanent home?
- Some of the crew do go on to homes of their own, and that is the happy ending we are hoping for. You hear it from us first, and the choice is the same: carry on supporting the herd, or move to another donkey. Where the new family is willing, we pass on their news and photos. Their page stays up, marked Adopted Into a Home.
- Does the name I give stay with them?
- Yes, permanently, unless you ask us to change it. That holds after a donkey passes away and after they go to a home. A few founding donkeys have names locked in our records that cannot be changed.
- What if I miss the message?
- Nothing moves without you. If we do not hear back within fourteen days, your sponsorship carries on exactly as it is and we get in touch once more.
What happens if a donkey passes away or goes to a home is set out in full in our Sponsorship Continuity Policy.
Still wondering something?
There is no such thing as a question too small. If you are weighing up whether to support us, we want you to know exactly what you are getting into.