The Flicka foundation was started in 1995 in the midlands by a remarkable woman named Mary Berryman as a result of her rescuing and caring for an elderly pony named Mickey. Shortly after Mary rescued an abandoned young small strawberry roan pony from a field in the middle of an industrial estate surrounded by tall buildings and smoke. This pony would be the one to seal the start of the foundation and even lend his name to it. The foundation was moved to its current location in Mabe Cornwall in 2002. The Flicka foundation previously largely concentrated on the rescue and care of horses and pony alongside sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, and cows. Though in 2008 the first 5 donkeys arrived at the sanctuary, this number has risen in current years to 75 donkeys living in the sanctuary with a further 34 out on foster care. The rescue and care of donkeys has become the main concentration to the charity in recent years.