Following reports about the remains of a donkey abandoned along the river Corrib in Co. Galway, Ireland, David Walsh and Eugene Butler from our Irish welfare team went to investigate. Learn more here.
Sadly, the report was accurate, but they also discovered an abandoned, lone donkey wandering the marshland with no shelter to call home. The stallion donkey was terrified, and David knew he would be difficult to catch.
For several weeks and during difficult weather conditions, David returned time after time with feed for the donkey, and slowly, he started to gain the animal's trust.
Such is the severity of donkey welfare in Ireland; our sanctuary facilities have been full for some time. We are partnering with other agencies, responding to welfare emergencies. Together we are working to prevent poor welfare from escalating and finding solutions for donkeys that need new homes due to abandonment or neglect.
After weeks of trying and in collaboration with Galway Country Council and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the donkey was caught and transported away for a better life in an environment more suited to his welfare needs.
Away from the wetland, a farrier trimmed the donkey's long and painful hooves, and he instantly started to move easier. The donkey is eating well and has begun to trust people again, and his rehabilitation will continue. Thank you to Galway Country Council, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and equine rescue organisation Hungry Horse Outside, who have all been instrumental in helping provide a better future for this donkey.
