The star of Channel 5’s The Yorkshire Vet, Peter Wright, will join other animal experts and a renowned pet artist at The Donkey Sanctuary to celebrate National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day on Sunday, July 28.
The day is a collaboration between a number of charities and organisations from across the UK to celebrate the relationship between humans and animals, and all of the shared benefits that brings.
It will involve talks given by Peter Wright and other individuals who understand the special bond that can be created between humans and animals. The talks will be live-streamed via the National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day’s Facebook page, and along with representatives of The Donkey Sanctuary, there will be a dog behaviour expert, and speakers from the Blue Cross and Woodgreen Pet’s Charity.
One of the visitors to The Donkey Sanctuary will be the artist Hercule Van Wolfwinkle, who is best known for his ‘Rubbish Pet Portraits’. He will be using his artistic talents to encourage donations to support donkey welfare.
The talks will be broadcast from the Donkey Assisted Activity (DAA) centre in the heart of the Sidmouth sanctuary, and although the DAA centre is not open to the public, visitors will have the opportunity to meet Peter Wright, Hercule Van Wolfwinkle and other presenters, at various places around the sanctuary.
Peter Wright will be available to answer questions about his role as ambassador of the animal welfare charity and his job as one of TV’s best-known vets.
Marianne Steele, CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “It’s an honour to have the opportunity to host the second National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day here at our sanctuary in Sidmouth.
“Through our work, time and again, we see the extraordinary bond that exists between people and their donkeys. This might be a woman in rural Ethiopia who walks for miles every day with her donkey to fetch water, or one of our extraordinary Donkey Guardians who provides a forever home and a new life to those we have rescued.
“And here at The Donkey Sanctuary itself, you don’t need to look far to see the special bond people share with these wonderful sentient creatures, be that with our staff, volunteers, and the people who visit our sanctuary.”
Co-founder of National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day, and StreetVet volunteer, Tammie O’Leary, said: “Many of us have, or have had, relationships with animals that are unique. The support animals provide us is truly powerful - emotionally, mentally and physically.
“The awareness day is an opportunity to educate, interact, have fun, and inspire people to understand more about each of the charities involved.
“Having volunteered within the charity sector I see what a difference people donating time and skills can make. More people giving a little of their time will have such a positive impact on a charity. You also can make lifelong friends, animal or human!”
For more details on the National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day, please visit: www.human-animalbondday.com
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