Virtual visit to meet The Donkey Sanctuary’s marvellous mules 

Animal lovers are being invited to virtually meet The Donkey Sanctuary’s resident mules, as its award-winning Sanctuary From Your Sofa event returns. 

Broadcast on Sunday 19 September from the sanctuary’s Town Barton Farm in the picturesque Devon village of Tedburn St Mary, viewers will be able to tune in from 2pm to a watch two live broadcasts, plus a pre-recorded film. 

The virtual visit will showcase the sanctuary’s mules and reveal how intelligent these animals actually are. 

Highlights from the forthcoming Sanctuary From Your Sofa includes a tour of Town Barton Farm and an opportunity to meet the grooms who care for the 100 mules and hinnies. Staff will also explain how mules differ characteristically and physically from donkeys.  

The final live visit to the farm at 3pm, will focus on the individual stories of some of the resident mules who now call Town Barton Farm their home. One of the stories include that of nine-year-old mule Lugs, who came into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary as a foal in 2013. 

Lugs was discovered cowering alongside her mother who had been severely injured. Despite the trauma early in her life, Lugs went on to make a full recovery thanks to expert care from staff at the charity and is now a favourite among grooms at Town Barton. 

Paul Carter, Farm Manager at Town Barton Farm said: “We are really pleased to be able to give viewers a ‘behind the scenes’ look around Town Barton and demonstrate how we care for our resident herd. 

“Mules are beautiful creatures and are often misunderstood, and we hope that by the end of the day, people will have a greater understanding of these special animals.” 

The 144-acre farm, which is not open to the public, sits on the edge of Dartmoor National Park and is home to more than 100 mules and hinnies, as well as 170 donkeys, who are cared for by a team of 14 full and part-time staff. 

Town Barton Farm is also a haven for wildlife, including foxes, deer, badgers, buzzards and brown hares. Areas of the farm are managed by the charity’s conservation team to help provide them with suitable habitat. 

For the full running order and how to watch Sanctuary from your Sofa, please visit The Donkey Sanctuary’s website: thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk. 

The charity’s international headquarters in Sidmouth is open to visitors seven days a week, from 9am to 5pm. Entry to the sanctuary is free, as is parking, and dogs on leads are welcome. 

The Donkey Sanctuary’s regional centres in Ivybridge, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Belfast remain temporarily closed to visitors.