A VEGAN donkey sanctuary is facing a future without a home after its owners were told to leave in two months.

Jacqui Howe, who runs Springwood Mindfulness Sanctuary in Handcross, south of Crawley, said she was sad she must leave a sanctuary she has worked so hard on.

With her landlord selling up, Jacqui, along with partner David Foster, has been told they and their herd of 11 must go by June.

Jacqui, who lives on the sanctuary, said: “We have got this lovely herd of rescued donkeys and horses but it takes some time to rehabilitate them into the wild so that they can thrive.

“There is a huge number of horses and donkeys that need help and other sanctuaries are overflowing.

“We have got lovely herds of wild deer and a massive amount of birdsong that wasn’t here when we started.

“It’s a lovely place, I’m really sad that we are being moved on from here.

“We have put a lot of work into restoring this place.”

Jacqui and David are now hoping to raise £20,000 so they can move their herd to a safe location to prevent them from being put to sleep.

The sanctuary has already saved the lives of many horses.

Missy, a thoroughbred horse who was due to be put down, is now thriving at Springwood, while donkey Rodney came in from a petting farm and is now miles away from his former anxious self.

She said: “We are not a charity, we’re not funded by grants, so we’re looking for somewhere.

“If you have land that you would live to help rehabilitate, talk to us.

“The community response has been really amazing, I have had a lot of contact.

“People are being really lovely but they can only offer a spare field or so.

“We need to give these horses the woodlands and stone and forests.

“The costs of moving are going to be huge.”

The Springwood sanctuary offers retreats for those with learning difficulties and mental health problems.

Jacqui also has a “lovely” team of volunteers who look after the sanctuary to get away from the stresses of modern life.

The mindfulness instructor added the impact her sanctuary has on visitors is immediately noticeable. Most people open the gates and walk in and say they feel so much better already, they’ve never felt so peaceful. It’s so nice to hear.

“People can’t cope if they don’t have somewhere like this to come.”

To donate to the Springwood fund, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/help-springwood-herd.