I love seeing animals and interacting with them, but zoos make me sad. Lucky for me there are animal sanctuaries all over the world, and some of them are open to the public.

So I can still get my fix of meeting new animals, but guilt-free! In 2018 my husband Colin and I visited the Belfast Donkey Sanctuary in Northern Ireland - it was a very cold and wet November day and the donkeys (who are okay with cold weather but aren’t built for rain) were having play time in the indoor arena with giant toys.

A volunteer told us that they used to fundraise by offering donkey rides as entertainment for visitors, but in recent years they’d decided that wasn’t in the best interests of the donkeys, so they had found other ways to bring in income.

I love that they are living by their principles of acting in the donkeys’ best interests.

In 2019 we visited Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania and spent a long time hanging out with the kangaroos (Colin discovered they love chest rubs!).

Although we saw plenty of wildlife out in the wild in Tasmania too, it was wonderful to see the birds and marsupials up close - and to know that although these critters had been orphaned or injured, where rehabilitation was possible they would be released back in to the wild.

And if rehabilitiation wasn’t an option, then they had a safe and loving lifelong home at Bonorong.

For sanctuaries that do open to the public, it’s usually a fundraiser that also educates the public.

But many aren’t open to the public because the staff and volunteers are so busy doing the day-to-day mahi/work of the sanctuary.

That’s where social media works a treat. Follow a few animal sanctuaries on Facebook or Instagram and your days will be brightened by photos and videos of joyful and loved animals.

As for Angel Food - we choose to feature animal sanctuaries in our social media from time to time in recognition of the great work these organizations do.