Molly and Maple reaping rewards of sanctuary care

Thirteen-year-old Molly and Maple, 17, belonged to the owners of a Community Interest Company running as a therapy centre in Par, Cornwall, but their lives were anything but idyllic.

When Donkey Welfare Adviser Jenna Goldby first observed Molly and Maple in 2022, she noticed several hazards in their stable that posed a danger to their welfare.

Aside from the accumulation of faeces through the stable, there were low-hanging hay nets and a loop of baler twine discarded on the floor.

Jenna was also concerned by the condition of the donkeys. “Molly was very underweight when we found her in the dirty stable with Maple,” she recalls.

“She had an open sore on her face that a rusty buckle of an ill-fitting headcollar was constantly rubbing into. Her hip bones, ribs and spine could very easily be felt.

“Molly was very wary of people and if you moved too fast, she would pull her head away rapidly in a fearful manner. The hair on her belly was all matted.

“Maple was slightly overweight, and her teeth felt very sharp like she was very overdue dental care.

“Molly and Maple were very clearly a bonded pair, they stuck together like glue. Separating bonding companions is not recommended because of the distress it causes and the risk of hyperlipaemia, which can be brought on by stress and can be fatal.

“Therefore it was imperative that Maple and Molly were kept together. Both donkeys were taken in to possession under Section 18 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to protect them from further suffering.”

On a visit to the site where Molly, Maple and the other animals were kept, the RSPCA found many in an appalling condition. Many were emaciated, while some were suffering from untreated conditions like lameness and overgrown hooves.

Molly and Maple’s owners were sentenced at Truro Crown Court this year following the conclusion of a case brought forward by the RSPCA.

The case related to animal welfare offences relating to a large number of equines and livestock they kept and cared for, including Molly. The RSPCA begun its investigation following welfare concerns made to the charity.

At an earlier hearing, one owner pleaded guilty to six offences and the other owner pleaded guilty to five offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, relating to 14 horses.

On 29 February this year, the owners were sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, and disqualified from owning all animals for life. The sentence was given for each offence, to run concurrently.

Jenna says: “In order to secure the future for the animals involved, a large multi-agency approach was necessary.

“The sentencing displays the seriousness of the findings of this case, and we welcome the robust judgement passed by the courts.

“Molly and Maple will live their lives out at The Donkey Sanctuary. Due to a number of complex health issues, their needs are best met within our care. They will now know comfort, care and love for the rest of their lives at one of our sanctuaries.”

A new beginning

When they first arrived in July 2022, Molly and Maple were cared for by the team at our New Arrivals Unit.

Sara Blair-Salter, our New Arrivals Manager, says: “Molly and Maple were both assessed to make sure they were eating, and we kept their diet consistent as they adapted to their new surroundings.

“They were quite nervous, so received scratches and plenty of one-on-one time with the grooms to help them build their confidence.

“We had to be patient. If we approached them with some food and sat still, they’d come over and eat the food. However, they would be very nervous if we approached with a head collar, or moved to catch them. Every step we took was at their pace so they were comfortable.”

After spending two months at our New Arrivals Unit, Molly and Maple made the move to one of our private farms in October 2022. The pair are now developing very well and have become fully integrated within their new group.

Their groom says: “When they arrived, Molly and Maple were very timid and wary of us.

“Today both donkeys are really friendly. They are happy to be caught and we have started a behaviour shaping plan for Maple. We noticed quite early on that Maple was uncomfortable having her feet picked up, and would kick out when they were touched.

“We hope that through this plan, Maple will feel more confident. We want her to be comfortable having her feet picked out, as it is essential for hoof health.

“Looking ahead, we want to ensure Molly and Maple enjoy their time with us and continue coming out of their shells. We have already seen a huge difference in them since their arrival, so we are optimistic they can continue to develop positively.”

Equine Behaviourist Kerry Layton-Hill has been overseeing Maple’s behaviour plan, which has been created through collaboration between our Behaviour, Veterinary and sanctuary farm teams, and the farriers who tend to our resident donkeys’ hooves.

Kerry says: “Through the shaping plan, we broke down the behaviours we wanted to see from Maple into smaller steps.

“We knew that touching Maple’s feet straight away would overwhelm her, but she was comfortable with the grooms approaching and scratching her neck.

“We started there – scratching more parts of Maple’s body and monitoring her comfort levels until she became at ease with us running hands down her legs and eventually picking up her feet.”

After a few months of repeating this process, the grooms were able to pick up Maple’s feet and she remained calm throughout.

“In the next step of the shaping plan, we will be working with the farrier who tends to her hooves,” adds Kerry.

“Although Maple is comfortable having her feet picked out by her regular grooms, she still isn’t comfortable having her hooves trimmed by a farrier.

“There are tools, sights and sounds to deal with – the process is entirely different to routine hoof picking. During the next few months, we will focus on helping Maple become comfortable with all of this.”