Cancel Donkey Sanctuary the easy way

Overview

The Donkey Sanctuary is a UK charity founded in 1969 by Elisabeth Svendsen that rescues, rehabilitates and provides lifetime care for donkeys, mules and related equines. The charity operates from its headquarters in Sidmouth and runs global programs to provide food, medicines, veterinary care, shelters and support to donkeys worldwide.

Main activities

Services include animal rescue and sanctuary care, adoption and sponsorship schemes, educational visits, and a retail shop selling goods and gifts. The adoption scheme is priced at £4 per month or £48 per year for new adoptions since 1 September 2025.

Company facts

Official company and charity records: Companies House entry, Charity Commission record, and general overview at Wikipedia.

SMS - cancel text donations

1. Open your phone messages.
2. Send STOP to 70025 if you are a £5 donor or STOP to 70111 if you are a £3 donor.
3. Standard network rate for the text message applies.
4. Keep the sent message and any automatic SMS reply as proof.

Phone - talk to support

1. Call 01395 578222 and explain you want to cancel a donation, sponsorship or change communications.
2. Provide your full name, address, mobile number and any reference or donation details.
3. Ask for a confirmation email or reference number and the expected processing time.

Email - written cancellation

1. Send an email to [email protected] with subject line "Cancel donation" or "Change contact preferences".
2. Include your full name, address, mobile number, and details of the donation or sponsorship to cancel.
3. Request written confirmation and state whether you want a refund where applicable.

Post - registered letter

1. Write a signed letter stating you cancel the donation or request return/refund, include full contact and donation details.
2. Send by recorded delivery to: Donkey Sanctuary, The Donkey Sanctuary, EX10 0NU Sidmouth, United Kingdom.
3. Keep the recorded delivery receipt as proof and allow postal and processing time.

Shop orders - returns and refunds

1. If you ordered goods you have 14 working days from receipt to cancel and return the goods.
2. Contact The Donkey Sanctuary by email or telephone and provide your order number.
3. Return goods; refunds processed within 14 days of The Donkey Sanctuary receiving the returned goods or proof of return. The customer is responsible for direct return costs unless otherwise agreed.

Cooling-off period - online and off-premises purchases

You have a 14 calendar day cooling-off right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 for most online or off-premises contracts for goods and some services. To exercise it for shop orders, contact The Donkey Sanctuary by phone or email and return the goods within 14 working days after receipt. Refunds will be processed within 14 days of the charity receiving returned goods or proof of return. Applicable law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Price increase

If The Donkey Sanctuary raises the subscription price, you are entitled to cancel if the price increase was not contractually agreed. If you want to cancel because of a price rise, send a clear statement by email or post including the effective date and ask for confirmation. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 and CMA guidance on unfair terms.

Moving - change of address

If you move and the service or visit is affected, contact support at [email protected] or phone 01395 578222 with proof of new address such as a utility bill. The Donkey Sanctuary's published procedures for relocation or changing visits are not publicly detailed; request confirmation in writing. Required proof: proof of new address. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 for services performed with reasonable care and skill.

Death of subscriber

To cancel in the event of the subscriber's death, contact The Donkey Sanctuary by email or post and provide a copy of the death certificate and probate or executor details where requested. The charity's specific policy on refunds after death is not publicly published; request written confirmation when you contact them. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Legitimate grounds accepted by Donkey Sanctuary

From published information Donkey Sanctuary accepts cancellations for text donations by SMS STOP, contact preference changes via text NOCONTACT TDS to 78866, and cancellations via phone or email. For shop order returns the charity accepts returns within 14 working days. Required proof: SMS confirmation, email confirmation, order number and proof of return. Applicable law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and Consumer Rights Act 2015.

End of commitment

If your membership or adoption term ends, you may not be charged again if you do not opt into renewal. Where auto-renewal applies, confirm the renewal terms in your confirmation email and cancel before renewal. Applicable law: CMA guidance on auto-renewals and unfair contract terms.

Before you cancel - how to ask for retention offers

There are no widely published reports of specific retention offers from The Donkey Sanctuary in the research. When you call or email to cancel, request any alternative options explicitly - for example, switching from monthly to annual payment, pausing a donation, reducing the donation amount, or converting a monetary donation into a one-off gift. Script to use on the call or email: state your account details, say you want to cancel and ask "Do you offer a pause, a lower monthly amount, or an annual option instead of cancellation?" Ask for any offer in writing and for the exact billing change date.

What cancelling saves you - real numbers

Current published adoption price: £4 per month or £48 per year. Yearly saving if you cancel a monthly adoption: £4 x 12 = £48 per year. Example computation shown: 4 x 12 = 48, so cancelling saves £48 per year.

Cheapest real alternative from competitors in our research: Redwings Horse Sanctuary at £5 per month or £60 per year. Comparison: Donkey Sanctuary cost £4/month = £48/year. Alternative lowest competitor pricing found: Redwings £5/month = £60/year; Willows Animal Sanctuary £6/month = £72/year; Woodgreen Pets Charity £7/month = £84/year. If you cancel Donkey Sanctuary and support Redwings instead, your additional monthly cost would be £1 and annual difference £12 (60 - 48 = £12).

Key consumer laws

In the United Kingdom the key protections are the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give a 14-day cooling-off period for most online and off-premises purchases.

Auto-renewal and unfair terms

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) treats hard-to-cancel subscriptions and unclear auto-renewal terms as potential unfair business practices. If The Donkey Sanctuary imposes unclear auto-renewal conditions or makes cancellation difficult, you can cite CMA guidance when escalating.

How to escalate a problem

1. Complain to The Donkey Sanctuary first using [email protected] or by post to the registered address. 2. If unresolved, contact Citizens Advice for next steps and possible chargeback or Section 75 action for qualifying card payments. 3. For charity governance or conduct concerns, file a complaint with the Charity Commission. Official charity record: Charity Commission record.

Payment disputes

If you paid by credit card you may have additional protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act for purchases between £100 and £30,000. For debit card payments ask your bank for chargeback. For services or subscriptions that were not performed with reasonable care and skill, reference the Consumer Rights Act 2015 when challenging the provider.

Check confirmations and final billing

Keep any SMS, email or recorded delivery receipt confirming your cancellation. Check your bank or card statement for any final charges and allow one billing cycle for processing. For shop order refunds the charity processes refunds within 14 days of receiving returned goods or proof of return.

Access to sponsored donkey or services

If your cancellation affects a scheduled visit or sponsorship, request written confirmation about the location and care of the sponsored donkey. Research shows closures or consultations affected visits for some supporters; request clear relocation details in writing if your visit is cancelled.

Data and re-activation

You can ask The Donkey Sanctuary to delete or retain your personal data under data protection rules; request the charity's privacy policy and make a subject access request if needed. If you change your mind later you can re-activate sponsorship or donations via the charity's normal donation channels; pricing for new adoptions is £4/month or £48/year effective for new adoptions from 1 September 2025.

Follow this checklist to cancel cleanly and keep evidence.

• Write down which donation, sponsorship, shop order or subscription you want to cancel and gather account/order numbers.
• If cancelling a text donation send STOP to 70025 or STOP to 70111 and keep the sent message.
• If cancelling by phone call 01395 578222 and request a confirmation email or reference number.
• If cancelling by email send to [email protected] and request a written confirmation with a processing timeframe.
• If returning shop goods, send them within 14 working days of receipt and keep proof of postage.
• If sending a letter, use recorded delivery to Donkey Sanctuary, The Donkey Sanctuary, EX10 0NU Sidmouth, United Kingdom and keep the receipt.
• Check your bank statements for any refund or final charge and save all correspondence for at least six months.