Donkeys find love at Hee Haws

This pair of donkeys have become inseparable at Hee Haws
donkey rescue. 

Not far from Eymet in France's Dordogne department, a gentle woman and a band of volunteers have created a home for neglected and mistreated donkeys. I recently visited Hee Haws and, in one hour I learned a whole lot about these sweet creatures. 

Carina, right, shares donkey tales with a guest at Hee Haws
donkey rescue.

For Carina, rescuing donkeys and running a non-profit organization are labors of love. Many of the donkeys that have found a refuge at Hee Haws were in bad shape when they arrived. It turns out, donkeys need a lot of care. Their diet needs to be regulated or they may get too thin or too fat. Their feet must be cared for by a professional farrier — an occupation that requires patience, gentleness, and courage, as a donkey's kick can send a feed bucket clear across the pasture. 

This agile donkey is a resident of Hee Haws donkey rescue.

Some of the donkeys that live at Hee Haws were saved from slaughter. (I'm horrified to find out that eating donkeys is actually a thing!) If you want to avoid inadvertently eating donkey sausage, watch out for something called saucisson d'âne.  

Dolly, or perhaps it's Beatrice, is a longtime resident at Hee Haws
donkey sanctuary.

Holly and Willow nuzzle a cat at Hee Haws donkey sanctuary.

After the donkeys are healthy, Carina looks for homes for them. A few of the residents will remain at Hee Haws forever, as they have become part of Carina's family. Some must be adopted in pairs or even threes, as donkeys grow attached to their roommates. That's another thing I learn during my visit: Donkeys shouldn't be alone. They are very social animals. 

Lottie, Wilfred, and Theo trot over to greet visitors at Hee Haws
donkey sanctuary.

One pair of donkeys that had recently arrived at Hee Haws surprised Carina when they saunter over to greet her, even though there are other people around. This pair had been mistreated and were quite shy of humans. Another trio trots to the fence to say hello, delighting Carina because one of them had only recently been able to run at all due to painful feet. 

This shy donkey (Billie or Teddy?) enjoys a little scratch
behind the ears from Carina at Hee Haws donkey sanctuary.

Carina doesn't publicize the exact location of her donkey sanctuary, but she welcomes visitors by appointment and asks only for a small donation to help cover expenses. She plans to add a gift shop at the property to sell Hee Haws swag like greeting cards and tee shirts. (Last year I sent out Hee Haws holiday cards.) 

There's a lot involved in raising donkeys, as I learn during my
visit to Hee Haws donkey sanctuary.

Hee Haws also offers memberships and opportunities to sponsor individual donkeys. For more information, visit heehaws.fr . Hee Haws also has a Facebook page. Carina can be reached at heehawsfr@gmail.com or 06.17.30.14.00. 

There's plenty of room to roam at Hee Haws donkey sanctuary.  

This donkey, perhaps named Angel, peeks out
from its stall at Hee Haws donkey sanctuary.

One last thing: All the donkeys at Hee Haws have names, but I'm lousy with names, so if I've made any errors in my captions, I bray you'll forgive me.