MINIATURE MEDITERRANEAN DONKEY ASSOCIATION
Incorporating THE MINIATURE DONKEY STUD BOOK & REGISTRY OF THE UK

HISTORY OF
MINIATURE MEDITERRANEAN DONKEYS

Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys are a separate breed of donkey originating from the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. Because they were so small they were employed to turn grinding stones for grain inside the peasants houses. There are 18th century wood block pictures showing these small donkeys, blindfolded, attached to the grain mill and walking in endless circles. They were also used to carry water from village wells and supplies into the mountains for shepherds.

Now almost extinct in their native land, these diminutive little animals are a popular pet in the USA, especially in the southern states. Approximately 700 have been imported into the UK from North America and are fast becoming very popular here in Great Britain. The most common colour is grey dun with chocolate highlights. Other colours include brown, black, slate grey, sorrel, spotted, piebald, skewbald and cream.

Miniatures usually have at least three recorded generations of ancestry. Many have up to 400 recorded ancestors dating back to 1929 when the first imports from Sardinia arrived in the USA and were imported by Mr. Robert Green, a stockbroker of New York and sent to his stud farm in New Jersey.

Mr. Green is quoted as saying,  "Miniature Donkeys possess the affectionate nature of a Newfoundland, the resignation of a cow, the durability of a mule, the courage of a tiger, and the intellectual capability only slightly inferior to man's."

Almost all Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys in North America originate from those and other early imports.

All original stock in the UK of Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys have come from either Canada or America and originated from those imported mini donkeys from Sardinia. If you wish to buy a genuine Miniature Mediterranean donkey it is important to purchase a pedigree donkey, already registered with the MMDA.                                          
All registered donkeys have MMDA certificates and are numbered, click to see a certificate. 
The MMDA general register contains miniature donkeys with at least one registered and numbered generation in their pedigree.  The MMDA stud book register has only those miniature donkeys with three recorded and numbered generations in their pedigree. These donkeys are considered of breeding quality.