Four donkeys and three other equines are now safe after a distressing video that circulated online appeared to show one of the donkeys being dragged by a car.
Animal welfare organisation My Lovely Horse Rescue shared the video of the incident in January featuring a stallion – now named Freddie – in apparent distress due to being pulled along a grass verge by a moving car.
The donkeys and three other equines were seized in a joint operation between Offaly County Council and the Gardaí (Irish police), who are currently investigating the incident under the Animal Health and Welfare Act.
Two male donkeys, including the stallion seen in the video, are now recovering at equine charity Hungry Horse Outside with our support, while a mare and foal are safe in our care.
Following the seizure of the animals, we helped to transport Freddie and the other equines to Hungry Horse Outside’s County Longford site. Freddie has since been castrated and we arranged for both male donkeys to receive extensive dental work and for their long hooves to be trimmed.
Cathy Griffin, our Ireland team’s Head of Welfare, says: “I met Freddie the day after he arrived, and I was amazed at how friendly and trusting he was considering his traumatic ordeal.”
The mare and her young foal, Ophelia and JoJo, arrived in our care at the end of January as they were extremely vulnerable to stress, and we were very concerned about their welfare.
Our veterinary and farm teams are allowing them to adjust to life at our sanctuary where they are receiving the one-to-one care they need.
Cathy says: “Both donkeys have settled in well and are enjoying the comfort of a shelter with straw bedding and appropriate nutrition.”
The increasing number of donkeys in Ireland that need our help puts our sanctuary under immense pressure, but we have limited space to take in the most vulnerable donkeys when an alternative solution cannot be found.
