{
  "id": 14688908,
  "title": "Mijas donkeys a step closer to new retirement home as full park plans are revealed",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/mijas-donkeys-a-step-closer-to-new-retirement-home-as-full-park-plans",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T11:50:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euro Weekly News",
    "slug": "euro-weekly-news",
    "url": "https://euroweeklynews.com/2026/10/15/mijas-donkeys-a-step-closer-to-new-retirement-home-as-full-park-plans-are-revealed/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Donkeys have been a common sight in the streets of Mijas Pueblo for years. Now, the local government is working on a comprehensive plan to create a dedicated recreational park, called 'El Burrito', for up to 48 donkeys as they near retirement. The park will be constructed on the village's Vial Sur and will be designed with the animals' welfare as the top priority.\n\nThe plan includes two main areas: a refuge for the animals' care and a visitor centre dedicated to the donkey, one of Mijas' most recognizable attractions. The refuge will feature a range of amenities, including grazing areas, stables, quarantine pens, veterinary shelters, and handling zones. The stables will be equipped with renewable and absorbent beds, so the donkeys won't have to lie directly on concrete, providing a more comfortable and healthier surface for their joints and hooves.\n\nThe design of the buildings will blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, using timber, planted roofs, and earthy colors. The layout will follow the natural contours of the land, featuring natural ventilation and drainage-friendly flooring. Additionally, there will be a veterinary shelter, larger than the ordinary stables, to provide specialized care for animals requiring observation, rest, or treatment.\n\nThe existing building will also be renovated into a cultural and educational interpretation centre, serving as both the visitor reception and a place to learn about the donkeys' characteristics and their significance in Mijas' identity. This centre will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in the donkeys' history, which began with the 'burro-taxi' tradition in the early 1960s. At that time, workers returning home from their jobs were asked by visitors to pose for photos and give rides on their donkeys, leading to the 60 burro-taxis that still operate today.\n\nFor more information on the project, readers can refer to the previous report on the El Burrito donkey sanctuary by EWN.",
  "summary": "Visitors to Mijas Pueblo have long met its working donkeys on the village streets. Now, those animals are a step […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}