Our beautiful 30-year-old Jerusalem donkey, Bartholomew, passed away completely unexpectedly. His passing marked a significant change at The Animal Sanctuary, because Bartholomew (with his mother and cousin) were our very first residents at The Animal Sanctuary in 2002. He is the last of that donkey family to pass, and the longest ever resident of our sanctuary, so it truly feels like the end of an era. Bartholomew loved everyone, and especially children. He was fascinated by babies, both human and animal (as his photos show!). He never tried to take the lead, and was always happy just to be part of the herd. Bartholomew got along with every other animal at the sanctuary, no matter the species or size. He loved being brushed, scratched and cuddled. Everyone said the same thing about Bartholomew: “He’s such a gentle soul”. And he truly was. We’ll miss him terribly.