Virginia Donkey Rescue

02/11/2025

🌟 BIG NEWS & HAPPY UPDATE! 🌟

For those who have been with us since the beginning — you know our journey started as Virginia Donkey Rescue. After two wonderful years on our own, we proudly joined forces with Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR) and became their Eastern Headquarters.

After nearly eight amazing years together, PVDR made the decision earlier this year to close both of its regional facilities and consolidate operations back to Texas.

But here in central Virginia, we’re still standing strong — and evolving! 💛 We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve officially reopened as Virginia Farm Animal Sanctuary (VFAS) — a forever home for farm animals in need.

Donkeys will always be at the heart of what we do 🫏, but over time, many of our long-eared friends have arrived with goats, sheep, cows, llamas, and other barnyard companions. We’ve embraced a true sanctuary model where every animal can live out their life in peace, safety, and dignity.

👉 We hope you’ll continue this journey with us — follow and support Virginia Farm Animal Sanctuary to stay connected, meet our residents, and be part of this next beautiful chapter.

📍 Same farm. Same heart. New name. Even more love.



https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaFarmAnimalSanctuary/

Virginia Farm Animal Sanctuary, a 501c3 non-profit, provides a forever home for farm animals in need. Founded in 2025 after more than a decade of rescue work, we care for over 275 farm animals. Open by appointment only.

02/01/2019

Dear friends, adopters and supporters,

December 31st at midnight marked our 3rd year in business, and the last day that Virginia Donkey Rescue operated as a non-profit (see prior posts for those announcements).

The corporation will continue to exist mainly so no one else can take the business name and cause confusion with our prior adopters. Our page will stay up until we are able to contact all our prior adopters personally to make sure they are aware of this change. After that, it will be merged with our new page - Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue - Eastern Region.

The donkeys that have been adopted from Virginia Donkey Rescue and the agreements for those adoptions are still valid (another reason to keep the corporation in existence). Any adopters that need to return donkeys for any reason are welcome to do so - no questions asked - as always. Our adoption contract actually requires that donkeys be returned to us (they may not be sold, gifted, or disposed of in any way) if the adopter can not keep them.

If you return donkeys to us they will be absorbed by Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR), and will be returned to the PVDR Eastern Region location at our same Concord, VA address: 414 Stonewall Rd., Concord, VA 24538.

PVDR has the same policies VDR had - and once a PVDR donkey, always a PVDR donkey. They donkeys will be protected for life by PVDR's policies and adoption contract should they be re-adopted.

Our contact information also hasn't changed. Again, the corporation still exists, the board is still intact, and we are still here to support you. The phone number is 844-433-4299 (or 844-Hee-Hawz). The email is [email protected] and the website is VirginiaDonkeyRescue.org.

The support we received from Virginia and beyond was simply amazing. Because of YOU, VDR was able to help 245 donkeys in the 2.5 years that we were active (the last 6 months PVDR took over donkey surrenders). I hope you will continue to support us at PVDR, as we have huge plans to help so many more donkeys. You can follow along on our new page Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue - Eastern Region until the pages are merged, and of course at PVDR's main page Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue.

With the deepest gratitude to all of you for all of your support these past three years. Sending huge donkey hugs from all of us at VDR/PVDR East, and we look forward to great things to come.

Kimberly Clark
Eastern States Regional Manager - Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue and founder of Virginia Donkey Rescue

03/10/2018

BRING YOUR DONKEY TO DONKTOBERFEST! See below for details and hope to see you there on Sunday!

27/09/2018

ONLY 10 DAYS TO GO ....

Among all the other great reasons to visit us at Donktoberfest 2018 is the "Donkey Hugging, Kissing and Photo Booth". Our hugging donkey is Re*****on, a black Mammoth who adores getting full body hugs and having his huge ears stroked. Our kissing donkey is Hoss, a standard dunn gelding who is the sweetest, kissy boy. And our special selfie donkey is a rare, double blue eyed donkey named Blu - pictured below - isn't he stunning! Admission is FREE as are the hugs, kisses and selfies!

25/09/2018

ONLY 12 DAYS AWAY!

Donktoberfest 2018 is right around the corner! New this year and not to be missed is the Parade of Donkeys and Costume Contest. Watch the costumed donkeys and their handlers (who may also be in costume) parade around the festivities to gather crowd support. The team with the loudest applause will be the winners. Any family friendly costume theme is welcome .. let us know if you plan to participate with YOUR donkey by commenting below.

10/09/2018

HURRICANE FLORENCE UPDATE

Hello everyone - thank you all for your messages asking if we are safe or if we need anything. Because we are busy prepping for the storm, I wanted to address everyone's concerns here, as I won't be able to answer all of your messages.

While the current forecast shows the Hurricane going right over us, we are a good distance from the ocean so storm surge doesn't impact us (we are just 10 minutes southeast of Lynchburg, VA). While the winds may present some issues, the heavy rains seem to be the biggest threat. Luckily, all of our donkey (and other critter) housing is at the top of a hill, making flooding unlikely at our location.

Thank you for your well wishes, but our bigger concern is for all of our donkey adopters located along the coast line. If any of you need a place to get your donkeys to higher ground, please call us at 844-433-4299 as we do have room arranged at a private farm nearby.

Sending donkey hugs to all of you affected by the storm!

26/08/2018

ADOPTER UPDATE: Bonnie and Sunny

This was such a happy adoption story for us! Bonnie and Sunny were rescued from a kill pen by another donkey rescue, but were placed with Little Longears Miniature Donkey Rescue. Little Longears asked if we could take them as they were running low on room. Bonnie and Sunny had babies about 6 months after coming here. Once they were done with the babies we felt like we'd need to put them on sanctuary as they were just never that into people. However, their placement at Meadow Farm ended up being the ideal situation for these shy girls. They get all the attention and care they want and need, yet aren't asked to do anything that makes them uneasy. And, we were able to take Toby, the resident donkey at Meadow Farms, and bring him here in exchange. Toby needed other boy donkeys to wrestle with, and Molly the Mule at Meadow Farms got two large donkey pals out of the exchange. It was a win-win for everyone - especially the donkeys.

Sunny (left) and Bonnie (right), our mother-daughter donkey pair. Adopted from Virginia Donkey Rescue.

26/08/2018

CENTRAL VIRGINIA FARRIERS

Donktoberfest 2018 is seeking a donkey loving farrier to participate in the "Donkey Experts Demo". If you want to grow your business in and around the C'Ville area, this is a great chance to strut your stuff to an equine loving crowd. We will even pay you to do trims during the event and we will supply you with awesome donkeys from our "Adoption Garden". For more info, contact [email protected].

22/08/2018

SAVE THE DATE!!!

Sunday, October 7th is Donktoberfest 2018 at Bold Rock Cidery. There are many new activities this year, but the cutest will certainly be the Costume Contest and Parade of Donkeys! Our own Little Lilly and friends will be participating - and we hope to see YOU and your donkey there too! Read below how to participate .. or just come to the event and have fun watching! Learn more at www.Donktoberfest.com.

NEW THIS YEAR: PARADE OF DONKEYS & COSTUME CONTEST

Are you brining your donkey to Donktoberfest this year? Besides participating in the casual Hee Haw Hike around the beautiful Bold Rock Meadow, you and your long eared friend can participate in the Costume Contest and Parade of Donkeys! If you don't have a donkey but would like to participate, send us a message - we may be able to help.

3:30 pm - COSTUME PARADE AROUND THE MEADOW
Wow the crowd! Donkey walkers are welcome to dress in theme too and teams are welcome. Costumes are not limited to Octoberfest themes, but they MUST be family friendly.

3:45 pm - LINE UP IN FRONT OF THE STAGE
The donkey (or team) with the loudest applause (and cutest outfit) will likely win.

4:00 pm - WINNERS ANNOUNCED
There will be awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, and consolation prices for everyone else!

NOTE: If you are brining your donkey, you must also bring a current, negative coggins report and check in at the white tent near the entrance to the meadow from the parking area.