DONKEY foals Elmo and Elsa are just two of the attractions visitors to Witley’s RSPCA Lockwood Centre can enjoy at open days each week on Wednesday and Sunday.

There is a free donkey treat time at 12.30pm and grooming session at 2.30pm on both days each week until the centre closes to the public at the end of October.

Visitors can also meet rehabilitated rescue donkeys and horses which are ready to be adopted and re-homed.

The centre’s resident horses and donkeys enjoy first-class facilities. They are cared for by a team of fully-qualified and dedicated grooms and receive veterinary and farrier care on a weekly basis.

As one of only three RSPCA equine centres in the country, Lockwood is at the forefront in helping the charity care for a record number of abandoned horses.

It takes in rescue horses across the south of England, from Cornwall through to Kent and to increase capacity, it has extended its 40 acre-site by an extra six acres in order to extend its isolation yard for new arrivals.

Entry to RSPCA Lockwood is free, however it costs more than £800 a day to run the centre and any money spent at its open days on refreshments or in the gift shop will help to raise money to care for resident donkeys and horses rescued from neglect and cruelty.

Thanks to the tender loving care received in Witley, four of Lockwood’s resident ponies won rosettes in the RSPCA/PRB rescue horse and pony classes at Equifest, one of the largest UK horse shows.

They also each found new homes at the event.

Centre manager Anna Hemmings said: “We just love it when families visit us and the horses, ponies and donkeys always enjoy the attention of meeting new people.

“Most of our visitors enjoy bringing a picnic along to our garden area to tuck into after wandering around the footpaths to say hello to the donkeys in their fields.”

lFor more information about visiting Lockwood and re-homing a horse, pony or donkey visit www.rspca.org.uk and search for lockwood centre or call 0300 123 0720.