Member of staff

Tamlin has a background spanning animal welfare, animal and human behaviour, human-wildlife conflict, and wildlife conservation, and is employed at The Donkey Sanctuary as a Senior Researcher. She is involved with research documenting links between working equid welfare and the socio-economic/ socio-cultural pressures exerted on marginalised communities in low to middle-income countries; understanding the use of equids in disasters; donkeys, ejiao and the skins trade; mapping the distribution of equids in licensed operations and the social license to operate; and investigating management, welfare and drivers for donkeys being kept with other livestock.  

Having lived overseas as a child in Malaysia, Yemen and Botswana, Ryan grew up with a background of animals, animal welfare and wildlife conservation through watching his dad at work as a vet. Ryan has worked full time at The Donkey Sanctuary since 2009. In 2009 he started work as a Laboratory Technician in the Pathology Laboratory at The Donkey Sanctuary performing haematology, biochemistry and parasitology tests on blood and dung samples from resident donkeys at The Donkey Sanctuary. These tests were also performed on blood and dung samples sent from external vet practices for donkeys all around the UK. In his current role Ryan is an anatomical Pathology Technician where he now carries out post mortems on the donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary. 

Alex is an experienced equine vet with over 25 years’ experience with donkey medicine, surgery and preventative care. She is Lead Veterinary Surgeon for Education and contributes to educational aims through managing the hospital intern programme, practical teaching and development of on-line content. She has experienced how donkeys live and work in many countries through teaching and research, and is a member of the British Equine Veterinary Association Trust committee.

Alex has published and lectured widely on many aspects of donkey veterinary care.

Rebekah Sullivan qualified from Bristol University in 2005, andworked in mixed practice in the UK and New Zealand, interspersed with short periods volunteering overseas for working equid charities. Rebekah joined The Donkey Sanctuary in 2012, gaining the CertAVP(EM) in 2015 and is currently employed as the lead veterinary surgeon for medicine. Rebekah is working towards the MSc in One Health with Edinburgh University. Her main interests are donkey medicine and softtissue surgery, alongside a passion for welfare work and practical application of One Health principles.