iN PHOTOS: Rescued senior donkeys in Shuswap need support as winter approaches

Roughly 100 donkeys and mules at a refuge in the Shuswap are in need of extra support to ensure they are warm, comfortable and cared for all winter.

Shirley Mainprize and her husband Robert Miller have taken in unwanted senior donkeys for more than two decades at Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge in Chase, many of which have special health needs.

Known for their sweet nature, the donkeys spend the warmer months interacting with visitors at the refuge on Skimikin Road, but in the colder months they hunker down as it’s an especially challenging time for them.

Donkeys can live up to fifty years and as seniors, they require extra care. They can get dementia, heart problems, cancer, and dental and physical issues, according to a previous interview with the refuge. They need a different diet and more protection from the weather than horses do. Donkeys are not equipped for cold weather as they originate from the deserts of North Africa. When a donkey is too cold it stops drinking water and gets colic.

Mainprize passed away earlier this year, but her legacy continues. The team at the refuge is in need of donations for warm bedding, hay feed supplements and medical care for the winter season.

Anyone wishing to donate to help the donkeys can do so here with a new matching fund from now until Dec.31, thanks to a generous donor who will be matching all donations up to $45,000.

Go here to learn more about the donkeys or purchase Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge mugs, calendars, pins and shirts.

The team at Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge were not available for comment in time for publication.