American Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys came via the United States to Clovercrest.

Not the passion for the animals, nor the size of the block but  the animals themselves.

“We started off with a Ponui Island donkey – a jack – and eventually found him a mate but the miniatures are easier to handle,” Marion told Rural Living.  “We saw them in a magazine from the United States and decided if we don’t do it now, we won’t do it.”

The pint sized creatures in question are American Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys and they are roughly the size of a Great Dane.  Their  first jack, Riverside Sparky Magnito, was the first AMMD to be imported to the Southern Hemisphere from the USA in 1996 and their first jenny followed in 2001.

“We eventually imported five – from Canada Tasmania, and the States.”

The van Dijk’s breed the donkeys on their 23 acre block in Pukekohe and apart from two KuneKune pigs, there are no other farm animals. 

All attention goes on the donkeys and it shows in their gentle, laid back natures. 

When Rural Living’s photographer Wayne sat down in the grass to photograph Sparky, one of the two stallions, Sparky was in no way worried.  Rather he was most interested in finding out just what was in that camera bag!

“They love attention.  They have nice personalities.  But you know if you don’t socialize any animal it will be wild,” Marion said.

The donkeys are confined to a few paddocks around the house, while the rest of the block is grazed by a neighbour’s sheep.

“Donkeys don’t do well on lush pasture.  They’re desert animals, and browsers.  If you put them on long lush pasture, they just run to fat.”

In fact Marion said most of the donkeys that go through the Donkey and Mule Protection Trust, of which Marion is a Trustee, are not skinny but severely overweight.

“Apart from the pasture and needing their feet done, donkey’s need companionship. Don’t ever have a donkey alone.”

Marion and Peter are so strict about this they refuse to sell a donkey unless it will have a companion.

“It has to be going somewhere where there will be another donkey or a horse.  We never sell a donkey on its own.”

As well as being very active in the Donkey and Mule Protection Trust, Clovercrest Donkeys were the first donkeys in New Zealand to be a part of Outreach, a programme run by the SPCA and St Johns, taking animals into places like Resthomes and hospitals.

“We’ve been to the youth prison in Manurewa and to old folks homes.  Every year our donkeys take part in the Special Needs Children’s Christmas party.”

Bus tours of elderly people also visit the block about once a month to enjoy the donkeys.

Their placid natures and easy care makes them, in Marion’s opinion, perfect animals for lifestyle blocks.

“They’re not as flighty as horses and they like people and and are easy to care for, with lovely, loyal natures.  I just love  them.”

With good care it’s not unusual for donkeys to live to be over 30. “In fact there is a donkey in Australia that is 55,” Marian said.