Do Donkeys Need a Companion?

Donkeys are famous for their friendships, and that's not sentiment: the bond between two donkeys is strong enough that losing a companion is a recognised health risk. So the honest answer to “can I keep just one?” is almost always no.

Pairs, not singles

The Donkey Sanctuary says that, owing to their propensity to form close bonds of friendship, donkeys are normally rehomed as pairs or small groups. It will place a single donkey only as a companion for a donkey someone already owns, under a separate companion agreement.

Why another donkey, not a horse

The Sanctuary doesn't provide donkeys as companions to horses or ponies, and its rehoming terms say donkeys shouldn't be kept with other livestock: horses, ponies or other animals on the same premises should be managed and housed separately. Donkeys need different feeding from horses (see what do donkeys eat?), which is one practical reason they're easier to keep with their own kind.

The health risk of being alone

The Donkey Sanctuary's handbook lists stress as a cause of hyperlipaemia, a potentially fatal condition, and names loss of a companion among the things that bring that stress on. Its rehoming terms also cover what happens if a donkey dies: the Sanctuary discusses the right course of action for the remaining donkey with the owner, and any new companion it provides must be compatible.

Planning for two

A pair needs about 9.4m² (100 sq ft) of covered bedded area and about an acre of land. The donkey calculator starts at two and works out both.

Sources: The Donkey Sanctuary, Rehoming Scheme terms and conditions; Donkey Care Handbook (5th edition). Sources checked: October 2026.

Common questions

Can you keep one donkey on its own?

The Donkey Sanctuary normally rehomes donkeys in pairs or small groups because they form close bonds. It will place a single donkey only as a companion for a donkey someone already owns.

Can a donkey be a companion for a horse?

The Donkey Sanctuary doesn't provide donkeys as companions to horses or ponies, and its rehoming terms say horses, ponies and other livestock on the same premises should be managed and housed separately.

What happens if a donkey loses its companion?

Stress, including the loss of a companion, is one of the triggers The Donkey Sanctuary lists for hyperlipaemia, a potentially fatal condition in which a stressed donkey stops eating properly.

Are donkeys territorial?

They can be. The Donkey Sanctuary's handbook explains that donkeys' wild ancestors lived more solitary lives than wild horses, so domestic donkeys can show more territorial behaviour.