Goldfinch thrives following surgery

Goldfinch arrived into our care in February 2023 as a severely malnourished foal but made a full recovery after receiving specialised care.  

As we have a ‘no breeding’ policy, Goldfinch would require castrating before being introduced to the wider herd.

During medical assessments, it was discovered that he had a heart murmur and an arrhythmia.

As castrating Goldfinch would prove a risk to his health, our Veterinary team started him on a hormonal treatment, but this proved ineffective and females in other parts of the sanctuary continued to draw his attention.

After much deliberation and further assessments, the decision was made to castrate Goldfinch.

Even though the operation would prove a risk, the benefits to Goldfinch’s safety and overall wellbeing significantly outweighed this, and in May 2024 he underwent a successful operation.

Goldfinch is now happily settled into a mixed group, including the family members he arrived with the year before. He is a friendly donkey and living a wonderful life among the herd. 

Goldfinch when he first arrived following his rescue in February 2023. Goldfinch was among the last group of donkeys to arrive into our care before reaching capacity for sanctuary-based care.

Support for responsible castration 

We are committed to improving the welfare of donkeys in Ireland. This includes offering support to owners with the castration of their male donkeys.

It is recommended that colts should be castrated from six months of age.

By limiting the donkey population, not only is there less strain on resources but there is also a decreased chance of inbreeding, which can lead to congenital deformities.

It is better for the male donkey to experience the minor discomfort of surgical castration than to spend a life in an unsuitable environment and to be frustrated and stressed by limited social contact with other donkeys.