Humane Society Seeks Persons to Adopt Marley, a Previously Abused Donkey

At the Donkey Sanctuary run by the Antigua and Barbuda Humane Society, a young donkey named Marley is waiting for a special kind of new owner — one that will support his ongoing care at the facility rather than take him home. The gentle equine is one of the newest additions to the island nation’s donkey sanctuary, brought into the care of animal welfare workers after an alert member of the public flagged ongoing abuse he was facing. According to the Humane Society’s reports, a group of local young boys had been riding Marley roughly and mistreating him before intervention rescued the animal from his harmful situation. What makes Marley’s story particularly touching is that even after surviving mistreatment at the hands of humans, he has retained a warm, trusting nature towards people. The animal welfare organization shared that Marley is exceptionally outgoing, loves being around people, and will regularly walk alongside visitors as they tour the sanctuary grounds, eager for attention and interaction. Now, the Humane Society has launched a public appeal to find an adopter for Marley to help cover the costs of his lifelong care at the sanctuary. Unlike traditional pet adoption, this program is structured as a sponsorship arrangement, meaning adopters do not remove the animal from the sanctuary’s protected grounds. Instead, participants make regular contributions that go directly toward covering the daily and specialized care needs of their sponsored donkey. “This does not mean that you can take Marley home with you,” the organization clarified in their public statement. “But it does mean that you get the opportunity to help the Donkey Sanctuary continue to provide food, water, medical, veterinary and farrier care to the donkeys.” Marley’s adoption appeal is part of the Humane Society’s larger ongoing initiative, which opens up sponsorship opportunities for every donkey housed at the Antigua sanctuary, allowing animal lovers to connect with and support individual animals in need of permanent care.