Mannar Trip (2025 March 15) part 5/8 – The Donkey Clinic

 One of the places we visited during our 2025 Mannar trip was the Donkey Clinic at Olaithoduwai road, Thailankudiyiruppu, Pesalai, in the Mannar Island. The Donkey Clinic & Education Center (DCEC) is a great initiative that combines animal welfare and village development. They had started their mission of helping injured donkeys in 2014, and built this Donkey Clinic facility in 2019. At this facility injured donkeys are examined, treated and released back into the wild while a few are tamed and kept in the petting area for educational purposes. Through this initiative DCEC hopes to change minds: not seeing donkeys as a dirty animal and a road pest, but as a smart and friendly animal. 

DCEC highly recommends visitors interacting with the donkeys by taking pictures with them, feeding them and even grooming them. It was obvious that the donkeys love it. Moreover, visitors can even choose to adopt a donkey through a monthly or yearly donation which will cover the costs of care for the donkey adopted for that period. The opening hours of the clinic are from 9.00 am to 4.30 pm. For more information on the DCEC go to https://donkeyclinic.com/ or call the Managing Director on +94706131234 or 0712635444.