Every few months we cover the area of the Gotze Delchev region to check on all donkeys that are part of our outreach work. That means delousing, medical care, if necessary, and above all else – hoof care.

In some cases, we stop by without setting up a meeting with the owners. We know where to find their donkey from years of experience.

It sometimes happens that we interrupt farm work in progress. No one is complaining – everyone is always happy for our help.

We find at home one of the single donkeys left in the village of Gospodintzy that is neighbouring Banichan – our Donkey Valley location.

As we are doing our checkup, Marco’s elderly owner shares that this is probably his and Marco’s last year together. The man asks if we could take Marco to the Valley but hopes that he would be able to borrow his old companion for some farm work now and then. Donkeys love being busy so we can’t say no to either request.

When we see an empty barn, we usually have a pretty good idea of where to go next.

In this case, in a nearby abandoned property. In 90% of the cases, owners leave their donkeys out to graze with a long rope tied up to one of their feet so they don’t wander off.

In the village of Beslen, we find very beautiful scenery but we doubt our friend is enjoying it. There is hardly any shade anywhere near our four-legged friend.

His legs show signs of ferocious insect bites.

For our Beslen visits, we have to call in advance. The village is located quite far away from the Valley and we can’t afford to make trips in vain. Elderly owners always wait for us at home.

Those who can’t stay back to wait, leave their donkey in the yard, sometimes tied up.

Despite our workers' skill and experience, sometimes we have to rely on the owners for some assistance.

Especially if there is a temperamental young animal that finds it hard to keep still.

But then there is the docile Ushko (whose name is the diminutive Bulgarian version of Ears.) Ushko is one of our most patient friends in the entire region.

While we are doing some hoof trimming, Ushko’s caring owner shows up with a can of medicinal spray he uses to protect his donkey against insect bites.

We come across some common ailments such as eczema, aggravated by the incessant bites of flies in summer.

Some wounds haven’t been treated properly.

Regular hoof trimming is essential for good posture, quality of life, and a donkey’s ability to work.

Neglect in trimming usually translates to overall neglect. That kind of donkeys don’t work, spend too long in their stables, and have very little movement or exercise.

Another common problem is caused by donkey shoes left on for too long. A lot of the mountainous terrain is quite rocky so owners often prefer to shoe their animals to protect their hooves. They do that in the active months for work but unfortunately, they also leave the shoes on throughout winter. Damp seeps in between the shoe and the hoof and causes the occurrence of thrush infection on the soft tissue of the hoof. There is no mistaking it, if only for the strong and foul smell.

Hooves that look and feel good mean a donkey that looks and feels good. They are essential for the animal’s good health and life longevity.

We are always open for new ‘membership.’ The family has just got a new, older donkey. We stop by to introduce ourselves and offer our help if needed.

Our new friend is in his twenties. He has very old donkey shoes on that we remove and then clean up the hooves, trimming them too.

The donkey shows clear signs of neglect. Like in most similar cases, he was acquired for a meager sum of money from the middleman – people who buy donkeys for next to nothing and resell them for a small profit. The animal does have good potential – if looked after right.
We invite the new family to join our outreach project. We never push – everyone is free to decide whether they want to work with us.