Archer and Zeke rescued just in time

When we were travelling to an ongoing support case, we received a call about two abandoned foals – later named Archer and Zeke - in Co. Meath. As the owner was absent, the caller secured the donkeys until we arrived.

Cathy Griffin, Head of Welfare, says: “The foals were extremely frightened, but we were able to keep them calm while we examined them.

“Both donkeys were roughly six months old but there was no sign of their mother.

“However, the foals’ weight indicated they hadn’t been separated from their mother for long.”

Although the donkeys’ health was not a major concern at the time, the outcome would have been very different had we not offered our support at this point.

With inadequate nutrition, and the stress of an abrupt weaning, the foals would have rapidly lost weight, leaving them vulnerable to the winter.

Moreover, without the visit from our farrier, their hooves would have continued to deteriorate, making them susceptible to painful foot diseases.

Unfortunately, our sanctuary is now full as we have 1,800 donkeys in our care. Therefore, we worked with My Lovely Horse Rescue to transport the Archer and Zeke to safety.

Why are donkeys being abandoned?

Donkeys are often abandoned when herd sizes become unmanageable for the owner, and this is due to unplanned breeding, which is one of the main causes of the donkey welfare crisis.

Sadly, the number of abandoned donkeys is on the rise, and without early intervention from charities like ours, these animals will not always receive the same level of care.

Therefore, we need to tackle this problem in the long-term through better owner education and a national clamp down on breeding.

We will continue to work closely with My Lovely Horse Rescue to offer our support with Archer and Zeke. We hope to see them rehomed in the near future.