Hearts Stolen in Sidmouth: Vet Students Meet the Donkeys
By Animals Correspondent
Even for students of equine medicine it can be a surprise to learn about how different donkeys and mules are from horses, as one group of visitors recently found out during a day at The Donkey Sanctuary in East Devon.
The first port of call for the students from the Bristol Equine Veterinary Society (BEVS) was the charity’s dedicated donkey hospital near Honiton.
Here they met Head Nurse Emily Buckley and Lead Veterinary Surgeon Vicky Grove, and were given a tour of the facilities, including the clinical building and the main operating theatre.
The hospital treats donkeys and mules from inside and outside of the sanctuary, as well as training vets from all over the world.
Its surgical facilities include a diode laser for sarcoid surgery, a DR x-ray system, and mobile and hospital-based ultrasound machines.
Emily Buckley RVN, Head Nurse at The Donkey Sanctuary, said:
“It was lovely to meet the students from BEVS, they were all very interested in the differences of donkeys and what we do at the veterinary department. So much so that one of the students has asked to come and do her EMS (Extra-Mural Studies) two week placement next year with us.”
The students then visited the main sanctuary site just a few miles away at Sidmouth, where the were given the opportunity to meet and interact with the Donkey Assisted Activity (DAA) herd.
At first, they spent time observing the donkeys, discussing behaviour and pair bonding.
They also learned the history of the service and why donkeys are so suited to supporting people through these ground-based activities.
The group then had time to interact and get to know the donkeys. The small herd were very receptive to their attention and enjoyed receiving scratches as much as the students were enjoying giving them.
There was also the opportunity to ask any questions they had regarding donkey management and donkey behaviour.
Many of the visitors had never been in and around donkeys before, with many showing surprise to hear of the bond that donkeys form, and at the connections they felt they were making.
Student Jessica Kuawa, said:
“I felt a connection with donkeys Rupert and Wizard who are unsurprisingly a bonded pair. Rupert especially spent a lot of time with me holding his head in my arms whilst I was stroking him and scratching his ears.
“Wizard did the same while also being inquisitive investigating my coat. Rupert moved towards me and nuzzled into me when I stepped away choosing to be in my presence. I easily fell in love with them both!”
BEVS is a University of Bristol society, and was set up in 2013 to give students the opportunity to learn more about equine medicine.
They offer a wide range of lectures, practical, trips and resources to Bristol veterinary and veterinary nurse students.
Stephy Studley, DAA Equine Assistant and Centre Support, said:
“We enjoyed welcoming the veterinary students into DAA, and to see them learn about our donkeys. They asked some great questions, enjoyed mutually beneficial interactions, and came away with new knowledge that they could apply in future, such as discovering the importance of pair bonds to overall health and wellbeing when providing veterinary care.”
“My initial perception of donkeys was that they were loud and difficult to handle,” added student Shuai Jin.
“After coming to The Donkey Sanctuary it changed massively. They are calm, friendly and intelligent.”
