I recently had the opportunity to travel to Zeist, Netherlands a small town near Amsterdam that hosts Stichting De Ezelsociëteit (est.2001) an organization of people dedicated to helping donkeys have meaningful lives in the chaos of 21st century living.

I was fortunate to spend an afternoon hanging out with 23 donkeys and a few of their human helpers who are concerned with the well-being of our animal brethren.

Robert, a long-time volunteer at the society, patiently introduced me to each donkey and explained the animal’s presence at the farm. All the beasts were lovely and enjoyed being petted until feeding time came; then all bets were off as the donks made a rush toward their troughs.

Stichting De Ezelsociëteit makes sure that their animal feed is pesticide free. Each donkey has a particular diet that is adhered to so that the creatures can enjoy maximum health.

Dieske, a mammoth donkey was my favorite of the bunch. He had a nobility that suggested a deep consciousness of his surroundings. At nearly 600lbs he was also the largest of the group but Robert informed me that he was not “the king” of the other animals.

Sometimes donkeys have pack leaders but at Stichting De Ezelsociëteit that role has not been filled since the passing of Isabelle, the donkey queen who ruled the other animals. Robert chuckled at the remembrance of this special animal. I really wish I would have had the opportunity to meet her.

We spent a few hours strolling through the grounds and chatting about the animals and their lives at the facility. A small team of experts were busy feeding the beasts and tidying up the various enclosures. There are no predators in the Netherlands capable of taking down a donkey so the creatures are quite safe in Zeist.

The Donkey Society enjoys a working relationship with Utrecht University, a nearby college that provides students for work at the ezel (donkey) ranch.

The clouds roiled along while a brilliant yellow sun beat down on the Dutch landscape; a farm cat tangled itself around my legs; a rooster came up to me while I sat on a bench and demanded petting; donkeys bussed me and hawks cried overhead.

Life for donkeys in Zeist, Netherlands is a good one.

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The Donkey Sanctuary is located at:

Zwitsersekade 5, 3707 HZ Zeist, Netherlands

telephone +31 343 491 371

info@ezelsociëteit.eu