For more than 500 years, donkeys were the main form of transportation on the island of Aruba. Then cars came to the island, and donkeys were no longer needed. Thousands of donkeys were released into the wild. You can even find some on the road right across from Baby Beach, but be sure you bring a snack because they’re hungry.

Sometimes wild donkeys become ill or are injured by cars. In 1970, the number of wild donkeys fell to only 20 left on the island.  It seemed as if they’d disappear and along with them a big part of Aruba’s history. And that’s where Donkey Sanctuary Aruba came in. This non-profit organization takes in neglected and injured donkeys and rescues them. The donkey sanctuary works with volunteers to bring back these historic animals.

Founded in 1997 as a non-profit, the donkey sanctuary has a simple mission…to save the donkeys of Aruba. Desiree Eldering has managed the sanctuary since 2003, and she oversaw its opening to the public in 2004. She says when she started, the sanctuary only had 23 donkeys. Today there are about 200 donkeys living on Aruba. She says the sanctuary takes cares of 130. At the sanctuary, each donkey is given a name and receives food, shelter, medical care…and plenty of attention. The center is completely run by volunteers from all over the world.

Volunteering with the sanctuary is easy. You can do so by contacting Desiree through the organization’s website. Most volunteers work four hour shifts between 9 am and 4 pm. But if you’re looking for a shorter time commitment, you can drop by for just the opening hours. Visitors are encouraged to bring apples and carrots to feed the donkeys, and if you come early enough, you can even help with the daily chores. If you can’t give time, then you might want to adopt a donkey or buy a t-shirt that pays for a bail of hay.