MARES
a donkey welfare organization and sanctuary based in Bulawayo, focused on rescuing abused or neglected donkeys, rehabilitating them, and educating rural communities on humane harness making. We work against donkey starvation during droughts, frequently using moringa trees for feed and providing community outreach clinics.
Trusted by many
★★★★★
Matabeleland Animal Rescue & Equine Sanctuary
MARES DONKEY RESCUE & REHABILITATION
Key Areas of Focus for MARES (Zimbabwe):
Donkey Rescue & Rehabilitation: MARES treats abused, neglected, or injured donkeys and horses. The sanctuary in Bulawayo provides a safe haven, offering lifelong care to those unable to work again.
Education and Outreach: A primary objective is training donkey owners in rural areas on proper donkey care, including humane handling, proper harness fitting to prevent injuries, and cart weight distribution.
Humane Harness Program: They organize workshops to teach community members how to construct humane, padded harnesses and yokes, replacing damaging, crude, or ill-fitting equipment.
Drought Support and Welfare: In response to severe droughts, MARES provides emergency food aid (using drought-resistant moringa trees) for over 100+ donkeys at their site and many others in the surrounding areas, preventing starvation.
Over 170
14
Countries Offering Assistance
Volunteers & Donors Worldwide
Meet The Founder: Claire Einhorn
Claire Einhorn is the founder of MARES and the driving force behind our mission. With over 20 years of experience, she has become a pillar of the Matabeleland community through her tireless work in animal welfare.
Claire personally attends to the wounds and oversees the rehabilitation of rescued donkeys, working alongside her carefully built team and dedicated volunteers and qualified veterinarian who performs all the surgeries. Her outreach extends beyond rescue — she leads workshops on animal law, runs harness-making clinics, promotes sustainable feeding practices like moringa, and champions women empowerment campaigns in rural communities.
Combining compassion with action, Claire has transformed the lives of countless animals and people, ensuring dignity, care, and education reach even the most overlooked corners.
Our Services & How You Can Partner With Us
MARES cannot do this work alone. Every rescued donkey, every spayed feral cat, every comforted horse depends on the kindness of our community.
We invite well-wishers to plug in and stand with us — whether through donations, volunteering, fostering, or simply sharing our story. Your support provides emergency feed during droughts, veterinary care for injured animals, safe shelter for rehabilitation, and resources for our outreach clinics and workshops.
Together, we can protect the voiceless and build a kinder Matabeleland for all animals. No act of support is too small.
Join us. Help us help them.
Animal Rescue
Providing shelter and medical care for injured and abandoned animals.
Volunteer Support
Join us to help care for animals and maintain the sanctuary grounds.
Online Donations
Contribute financially to support ongoing rescue and care efforts.
Connect With Us
Follow Our Journey on all our socials
mareszim2018@gmail.com
+263 712 214 541
© 2026. All rights reserved.
admin@mareszim.com
For All Equiries
Admin Office
62A Townsend Road, Suburbs, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Sanctuary
Number 1, 1st Street,
(Inside Tin Cup Driving Range), Suburbs, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe