Chocolate is a fourteen-year-old gelding (male) donkey. He was rescued in 1995 with three other donkeys from a village near Blackwood in the Rhondda Valley.
Standing at 10.2 hands, he was in a very poor condition, and was suffering from both worms and lice – classic problems associated with neglect by the owner. Upon arrival at the Sanctuary, all donkeys are given a thorough examination by a vet and are treated for any problems they may have.
Chocolate is now a very fit and well donkey, who lives a happy life at the Sanctuary.
Chocolate and three of his friends have had a taste of TV stardom. In the summer of 1997, they were involved in a day’s filming of the BBC1 children’s series The Phoenix and the Carpet. The donkeys were featured in a scene set in an Indian market in 1903 – despite all the cameras, lights and even wind machines, Chocolate and friends behaved impeccably on a most interesting and enjoyable day.
He also attends many country shows and steam rallies as part of our ‘donkey working team’ – where we give a display to show how donkeys were kept as working animals on farms and smallholdings. Chocolate really enjoys meeting new people and, like all our donkeys, loves a bit of fuss and attention.