The owner of a popular café in Helston is reaching out to the community for help with the ongoing costs of caring for her rescued donkeys and sheep.

Dawn Jones of The Crate on Rowe’s Lane has provided the animals with a happy and comfortable surrounding in their later years of life.

The donkeys have become a particular favourite for guests visiting the café with many posting pictures of the beloved animals on their social media pages.

South West Farmer: Dawn hopes to raise enough money to continue to care for the animals she loves so much Dawn hopes to raise enough money to continue to care for the animals she loves so much (Image: Dawn Jones)

And it's not just the donkeys which are popular with guests at The Crate, the sheep which are often seen in the paddock with the donkeys were reared from lambs during lockdown. 

Dawn decided to look after the animals when she moved into her home six years ago. 

She said that she wanted to use some of the paddock space to give the rescue animals a safe and warm home.

South West Farmer: Dawn also cares for sheep which were reared from lambs during lockdown Dawn also cares for sheep which were reared from lambs during lockdown (Image: Dawn Jones)

However, faced with a significant rise in costs, Dawn has launched a GoFundMe page which she hopes will raise enough money to cover the costs of animal care, including, feed, bedding, vet bills, vaccinations, hoof trimming and dentistry.

You can see the GoFundMe page here: www.gofundme.com/f/care-for-our-rescue-donkeys-and-sheep

South West Farmer: The animals are a popular attraction for guests visiting The Crate - despite the wide range of cakes, food and drinks! The animals are a popular attraction for guests visiting The Crate - despite the wide range of cakes, food and drinks! (Image: Dawn Jones)

As well as this, Dawn hopes that enough funds raised will also help to refurbish the barn for the benefit of the animal's health. She said: “We have an old barn on site, with paddock space for grazing.

“Due to the stormy weather over the past two years, the barn needs repairs and ongoing maintenance to ensure the animals are kept warm and dry.”

READ MORE: Popular Helston café announces reopening date after four month closure

Dawn also explained that there are plans to create hard standing around the barn area to prevent muddy hooves and problems associated with mud and wetness, including foot abscesses.

To find out more about The Crate's opening hours and times, or to see more pictures of the animals, visit The Crate on Facebook.