A pair of donkeys that needed a new home urgently due to their owner’s ill health are now safe in our care.
After being contacted by a concerned neighbour, Donkey Welfare Adviser Katana Ashby arrived at a smallholding near Carmarthen in South West Wales to discover two donkeys, Guto and Sioni, who needed moving as soon as possible.
Their owner of the two geldings had moved out of the property due to ill health, meaning the donkeys had nobody to take care of them.
As time was of the essence, Katana enlisted the help of Tony Evans from equine charity World Horse Welfare.
The fourteen-year-old donkeys were loaded onto Tony’s trailer and soon headed to a nearby holding base, where they were placed in temporary isolation away from the other resident animals.
Katana says: “I could see that Guto and Sioni wanted human interaction, but their lack of consistent handling had made them fearful of people.
“Due to their situation, the donkeys needed moving as quickly as possible. Without the help of Tony and local neighbours, I would not have been able to act as swiftly as I did to ensure the safety of these two lovely boys.”
Although the donkeys had been looked after, their hooves were long and needed farriery work.
After several months at the holding base in Wales, Guto and Sioni were transported to our Sidmouth sanctuary in Devon in February 2022.
Due to the lack of handling at their previous home, Guto and Sioni now have many months of care and training ahead of them. Our Behaviour team will work with grooms to form a shaping plan to build up a bond of trust.
It is hoped that the future is bright for Guto and Sioni and that they will be able to join a new Guardian home on our Rehoming Scheme if they are deemed suitable.
