Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary

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Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary Promoting the welfare and status of donkeys through a culture of caring. We are open from Thursday to Sunday 10am to 4pm (See Mission Statement)

A sanctuary for retired and neglected donkeys.

Happy Monday, and hello November! The first Monday of November is here, and the end of the year is suddenly in sight!But...
02/11/2026

Happy Monday, and hello November!
The first Monday of November is here, and the end of the year is suddenly in sight!
But before we get there, we still have plenty to look forward to. There's some excitement brewing at Eseltjiesrus, with a few special things planned for the rest of the year so keep an eye on this space!
Here's to a wonderful November and a week full of good things 🫏❤️
Love from Alice and the herd 🧡🫏

And just like that, Sunday is drawing to a close! Time to call it a day and say goodbye to another lovely weekend at Ese...
01/11/2026

And just like that, Sunday is drawing to a close!
Time to call it a day and say goodbye to another lovely weekend at Eseltjiesrus.
We hope you had a happy, restful weekend, with a little time to relax and recharge.
From all of us at the Sanctuary, humans and donkeys alike, wishing you a peaceful evening and a wonderful week ahead.
Night night, everyone!🫏🧡

Hay hay hay! It's Friday! Gretel, Mindy and Blondie are waiting to welcome you to Eseltjiesrus!It's absolutely beautiful...
30/10/2026

Hay hay hay! It's Friday!
Gretel, Mindy and Blondie are waiting to welcome you to Eseltjiesrus!
It's absolutely beautiful out here today – the countryside is looking gorgeous and the donkeys are ready for some extra attention.
Escape to the country for a little while. Enjoy a wander around the paddocks, a bit of donkey love and then pop into Andy’s for great coffee and something delicious to eat.
We're open today through to Sunday 10am–4pm. See you soon! 🧡🫏

After an exciting start to the week with a visit from a TV crew, followed by two days of peaceful farm life, the herd is...
28/10/2026

After an exciting start to the week with a visit from a TV crew, followed by two days of peaceful farm life, the herd is ready for the weekend. And at Eseltjiesrus, that means tomorrow!
Dowwe Dolla and the gang are looking forward to welcoming lots of visitors, with plenty of ear scratches, cuddles and attention.
While you're here, pop into Andy's for the best coffee and something delicious to eat.
The countryside is calling! Come and enjoy a little country magic with us.
We're open Thursday to Sunday, 10am–4pm.
Bring a friend, bring your appetite, and come say hello to the donkeys! 🧡🫏☕

We had a bit of excitement at the Sanctuary yesterday with a visit from popular Afrikaans singer Bobby van Jaarsveld who...
27/10/2026

We had a bit of excitement at the Sanctuary yesterday with a visit from popular Afrikaans singer Bobby van Jaarsveld who is also presenting the VIA TV show!
They’re in McGregor filming an episode of Dorpie-Doenlys, and Eseltjiesrus was lucky enough to be their very first stop. Naturally, our donkeys were delighted to receive some extra attention on what is usually a quiet day for them! ❤️
Bobby and his team will be around McGregor for another day or so, so keep your eyes open — you might just spot them out and about in the village!
📺 The episode is scheduled to air towards the end of November, with the exact date still to be confirmed. We’ll keep you posted!(DStv Channel 147)
What a lovely bit of excitement for our donkeys and the Sanctuary! 🫏🧡

“Are we going to stand here all day? Someone PLEASE open this gate! We have pastures to explore!” 🫏🫏The herd is ready to...
26/10/2026

“Are we going to stand here all day? Someone PLEASE open this gate! We have pastures to explore!” 🫏🫏
The herd is ready to stretch their legs, enjoy the fresh morning air and get this new week underway.
Hope your Monday gets off to a good start too! 🧡🫏

Night night from the Eseltjiesrus herd! What a lovely weekend! Thanks to everyone who came to visit us. ❤️Sleep tight, e...
25/10/2026

Night night from the Eseltjiesrus herd!
What a lovely weekend! Thanks to everyone who came to visit us. ❤️
Sleep tight, everyone! We’ll be waiting to welcome you back next weekend. 🥰
From all of us at Eseltjiesrus 🧡🫏

Are you popping along to Andy’s today?Andy sure hopes so! ❤️ He may be an old chap, but he’s quite chuffed to have a cof...
23/10/2026

Are you popping along to Andy’s today?
Andy sure hopes so! ❤️ He may be an old chap, but he’s quite chuffed to have a coffee shop named after him!
Come and visit us at Eseltjiesrus and discover our newly branded Andy’s. While you’re here, find out a little more about the special donkey who inspired the name.
A revamped menu with delicious new additions and the same great coffee.
Beautiful countryside and a warm country welcome.
Make today a little more special with a visit to Andy’s! Bring a friend, enjoy something tasty and spend a little time with our four-legged residents.
We’re open today through to Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
We’ll be waiting for you! 🧡🫏☕

23/10/2026

A Johannesburg business wants salted donkey skins for export. The photo in its advert showed a relaxed, curious donkey.

That photo hides what the skin trade does to donkeys.

The trade is linked to donkey theft and to illegal, inhumane slaughter. The donkeys suffer, and so do the communities that depend on them for their livelihoods.

Inspector Kabelo traced the business and met one of its directors, who confirmed they were sourcing donkey skins to export to East Asia. He found no donkeys or skins on the property, but issued the company with a warning and reported the matter to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD).

Animals are sentient beings. Any business that uses or keeps them must treat them with compassion and respect. We will keep monitoring this business and others like it.

If you’re concerned about how an animal is being treated, contact your local SPCA or the NSPCA.

We've often wondered what happens in the paddocks when we've all left for the day. Turns out - not much 😊This image was ...
22/10/2026

We've often wondered what happens in the paddocks when we've all left for the day. Turns out - not much 😊
This image was captured yesterday evening in the gloomy dusk, by our Donkey Care Manager Stan.
Lovely to see our donkeys so calm and relaxed.😎🫏🧡

Address

5km Outside McGregor/GPS: S33o 55’ 32. 85”, E19o 51’ 58. 32”
McGregor
6708

Opening Hours

Thursday 10:00 - 16:00
Friday 10:00 - 16:00
Saturday 10:00 - 16:00
Sunday 10:00 - 16:00

Telephone

+27236251801

Website

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