Longhopes Donkey Shelter - Bennett, Colorado

Bradley E. C. F.

We stopped by Longhopes for a tour today and despite our mistake in being an hour late we were treated so well, welcomed in and given the full, wonderful experience with grace and generosity.

The Donkeys are demonstrably well cared for and genuinely loved - talking with Kathy Dean today it is clear how deep Longhopes is committed to these wonderful donkeys.

Absolutely worth the short journey out of the city, a definite to-do for any animal lover looking to connect with some like minded people and affectionate donkeys 🙂

Heather M.

Got to do a tour at Longhopes with a group of friends, and it was a great experience! Victoria was an amazing guide, and we learned so much about donkeys while giving them sweet pets. The facility was clean and super well kept. The donkeys were friendly and seemed really happy. Definitely would recommend!

Nicole M.

A truly heartwarming experience to visit this rescue and meet the donkeys. The staff is so knowledgeable and friendly, and clearly love the animals. The donkeys are each unique, sweet creatures and so fun to love on! The facility is very nice. We hope to return and volunteer in the future. Definitely recommend!

Wendy B.

Long ago we selected Longhopes Donkey Shelter from among all we researched online for re-homing our own donkeys in the event of an emergency. Yet it was only recently, after our elderly donkeys finally passed away that we were free to travel to see it. We were utterly wowed by the incredibly warm welcome and thoroughly professional operation we found.

Kathy Dean, the Longhopes founder, has dedicated her life to the Longhopes mission which is clearly spelled out above. Read the Longhopes Mission Statement to understand all they do to promote donkey welfare, provide a safe landing place for donkeys in urgent need, and educate donkey owners in order to prevent the need for rescue in the first place.

From Kathy herself to her excellent staff—notably Stacey who very graciously gave us a late-day tour, and Victoria the Executive Director, as well as the many amazing volunteers—we experienced the warmest of welcomes. We were bowled over by their exuberant love for and steadfast dedication to every donkey in their care. The donkeys were bright-eyed and curious; social with us and/or each other; or happily busy at various feeding stations or scratching posts (street sweeper brushes set on end); or at sunning themselves in close proximity to their bonded partner. We met many wonderful volunteers as they bustled about, cleaning corrals, preparing individualized meals, or quietly brushing, talking to and generally providing comfort and company to donkey residents.

A big, airy office-gift shop was our delight to peruse. We piled the checkout counter high, telling ourselves “it’s all for a good cause!”

Longhopes is a wonderful first stop for anyone contemplating adding donkeys to their life It is also an amazing resource for any current or future donkey owner. For anyone looking to adopt a donkey, you couldn’t pick a better source; Kathy gave me valuable insight I wish I’d had much earlier, following the loss of our own elderly donkeys. Not only does Longhopes have many bright-eyed donkeys of all ages available for adoption, they will provide education and support to make sure the adoption is a success.

A scheduled visit to—or better yet one of the regularly-scheduled tours of—the incredibly well-run Longhopes Donkey Shelter, with its many gentle, long-eared, soft-lipped denizens would lift anyone’s spirit!

Longhopes is a hearty 5-star “recommend” on our map. We look forward to our next visit when we’ll bring our best, no longer-needed donkey-related care items where they can again be put to good use.

Michael R.

This is a magical place. It’s a small nonprofit that rescues and offers donkeys for adoption. Note: if you haven’t been around donkeys they are the sweetest animals. I think they may have a bad rap as being obstinate. In reality, they are unbelievably charming. On a road trip through Colorado we stopped in for a tour. (You can sign up for a tour on the website.) Victoria, the executive director, gave a tremendous tour and introduced us to the facility and all of the wonderful residents! Yes you can pet all of the donkeys and maybe you will even get to feed them some apple sauce - which they love. The work they do at LongHopes is amazing. Go online and make a reservation for a tour. You won’t be sorry. Oh and they have a delightful gift shop… Buy a T-shirt and make a donation to support this terrific nonprofit.

C R.

We had a wonderful tour of Longhopes this past weekend by Victoria. Such a great rescue! Victoria is very knowledgeable and so loving with all of the donkeys. We were impressed with how clean and organized they keep this shelter. They had 43 donkeys when we visited and we're so grateful for all the hard work they do to provide them all with loving care.

CR H.

This is such a well run shelter for donkeys. They provide hospice care & adoption services. We visit pretty much every month. If you’re looking for an animal charity please consider this one. It is very deserving of your donations!!

Jesse J.

What an awesome place! We did a tour here and got to hang out and meet all of the donkeys. They are all so sweet and the staff working are all super friendly and informative! It's awesome that a place like this exists for the donkeys. I highly recommend you check this place out 🙂