About a year ago we visited schools in Bansko to present our Animal Welfare book aimed at students in pre-school. Today, the young ones who we are told learned much from the book come to visit us in the Donkey Valley.

The Vets in Action have developed their own teaching material: a book on animal welfare.

The children can play with 100 illustrated question-and-answer cards and learn about different animals, their characteristics, preferences and behaviours.

The textbook was originally written in Bulgarian and is already being used in schools. It is currently also available in English and Greek and will soon be translated into Italian.

It's a rainy day but it doesn’t deter teachers or students. Our visitors come from Zdravetz Pre-school, one of the four pre-schools in the town using our Animal Welfare book.

For many students this is their first encounter with a donkey, despite the fact that many of their parents and most of their grandparents grew up with donkeys being a common sight on the streets of Bansko and its surrounding villages.

The rain quietens and the weather gives us a respite as we visit one of the stables. Some donkeys are out despite of the weather but most are hiding inside. We’ll see what we can do about making the trip more worthwhile for our young visitors.

Time to move on to the next stable. The lush green and the hills around the Valley must be making the trip more enjoyable already.

We bring the children closer to the barn this time so they can look around from a different perspective. Our young visitors are curious and focused on their new acquaintances.

Luckily, the skies give us a longer reprieve and all donkeys come out of hiding. They are largely unperturbed by the children’s visit. Donkeys are social animals. Besides, for many of our Valley inhabitants this isn’t by far the first time they’ve met youngsters.

The children can come inside the barn, now that it’s empty. They can take a good look around and see firsthand the everyday habitat of a donkey. Many of them are fascinated – it’s a far cry from the schoolyard. 

Off we go to the next stable. Everyone is walking more confidently now – the magic of communion between children and animals in play.

Time to learn more about life in the Donkey Valley. There is a special lesson dedicated to donkeys in our Animal Welfare book but it’s much more beneficial to have your questions answered at the place that inspired the book.

To thank us for choosing Bansko as one of the pilot towns to receive our Animal Welfare book, as well as for the enjoyable and illuminating visit, we receive a bird house, especially made for the Donkey Valley. It is a lovely and meaningful reward for our work and we accept it gladly.

Time to take off. We hope the visit will be another building block in a foundation of love, respect and appreciation for donkeys and other living beings in our new friends’ young minds and hearts.