How your vital support helps us make a better life for donkeys like Skip.
When we first found Skip, he was so thin that we could feel all the bones of his skeleton through his thick, wet winter coat. He was weak, dull and reluctant to eat.
He and a number of other donkeys lived in an allotment-sized paddock, which had become so poached there was nothing but mud under hoof.
The living environment was littered with hazards and rubbish, and the only available food was old, rotting and unappetising. Skip’s hooves were overgrown and affected by a condition called seedy toe, which was likely to be caused by living in an environment without appropriate hard standing and an absence of a dry resting area.
We worked alongside the RSPCA to get Skip the help he needed. Soon after our arrival a vet was called to the field and after making enquiries, the owner was found. After realising the serious nature of his condition, Skip’s owner agreed to relinquish him into our care, along with his friend Jack.
Skip’s condition was so poor that he and Jack were transported straight to the nearest equine hospital where they were given a warm, dry bed, good quality forage and plenty of TLC.
The pair remained at the vets until they were fit enough to make the onward journey to one of our holding bases where they soon became friends with fellow boys Eric and Jasper.
All four boys are improving in health, gaining weight and enjoying the warmer weather. Meanwhile we are continuing to work to improve the living environment of the remaining donkeys.
We are only able to make a difference to the lives of donkeys like Skip and his friends with the help of our supporters who love donkeys as much as we do.