Donkeys with twisted hooves find their sanctuary

Those were the frank words issued by Kia Thomas, one of our Donkey Welfare Advisers, who facilitated the rescue of three donkeys in urgent veterinary need in Wales.

Nineteen-year-old mare Valley, and her daughters Ocean, 14, and Isla, 12, had deformed, twisted hooves which were causing them a great deal of discomfort.

As soon as Kia approached their field, in May 2022, she could see the donkeys needed veterinary attention by the way Isla was walking.

It was only when Kia was granted access into the donkeys’ field that the true extent of Isla’s hoof problems became apparent.

Her back hooves were severely curled up, indicating a prolonged period of excess growth.

Kia says: “Isla would have been very uncomfortable when walking as all of her weight would have been distributed abnormally. This placed strain on the tendons and structures in her legs.

“I was desperately worried about Isla and concerned that we needed to get some veterinary assistance as a matter of urgency. Her hooves were severely overgrown and causing her obvious discomfort.

“When I first got a proper view of Isla’s hooves, I realised that this wouldn’t just be a normal visit to give advice on hoof trimming. The donkeys’ condition was far more serious, and something I could not walk away from.”

Valley and Ocean’s hooves also concerned Kia. While they were not as long as Isla’s, they still required farrier attention as they were causing the pair discomfort.

Kia says: “We would usually recommend that donkeys’ hooves are trimmed every six to ten weeks by a qualified farrier.

“Without regular farriery, donkeys’ hooves continue to grow and, as seen in this case, the more time that passes the longer the hoof becomes.”

After assessing the donkeys’ needs, Kia discussed the situation with the owners who confirmed they were unable to provide the care the donkeys needed.

It was agreed the best outcome would be for Valley, Ocean and Isla to be relinquished into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary, where they could receive the veterinary attention they desperately needed.

Following Kia’s initial visit, Senior Welfare Adviser Georgia McCormick attended the site and called a local vet to assess the donkeys.

The vet issued the donkeys with pain relief, and plans were made to transport the donkeys to a local holding base.

Georgia adds: “Due to their lack of handling and nervous behaviour, we needed to plan carefully how we were going to load and move Ocean, Valley and Isla.

“They were all very frightened of anyone approaching and touching them, so we needed to take our time and instil a gentle, patient approach.

“The donkeys were also overweight. This, coupled with any fear they had, increased their chances of developing a condition called hyperlipaemia, a stress-related condition which can be potentially fatal.”

Once they arrived at the holding base, Ocean, Valley and Isla rested on a deep shavings bed to help alleviate the discomfort brought on by their long feet.

Kia says: “Their hooves were trimmed by a farrier and immediately, all three donkeys were in a much better position as they were now able to bear weight properly.

“The extra growth on Isla’s hooves was also removed under guidance from the vet.”

Despite having their feet addressed, the donkeys continued to walk with the exaggerated gait that had first caught Kia’s eye on the day of her visit.

“For the 48 hours after their hooves were treated, they walked abnormally,” Kia recalls.

“The farrier explained that the donkeys were exhibiting what he called a learned walk. Thankfully, they are now comfortable on their feet.

“It just highlighted to me how long these donkeys had been moving unnaturally. It was sad to think they had to adapt their way of walking to cope with their extra hoof growth.”

Despite acting at the earliest opportunity to support Valley, Ocean and Isla and help them on their journey to rehabilitation, tragedy struck just weeks after their arrival at the holding base.

The grooms noticed a subtle change in Ocean’s behaviour and after an examination, it was suspected she had experienced equine colic, a symptom of abdominal pain commonly located in the gastrointestinal tract.

Despite their best efforts to treat Ocean, the vet decided the kindest outcome would be to put her to sleep.

Kia says: “I was saddened to hear that Ocean had succumbed to this sudden, severe illness, particularly as she had been doing so well.”

Valley and Isla continue to do well in their recovery, having now moved to one of our Devon sanctuaries. Should they be deemed eligible in the future, they could make the move to one of our loving Donkey Guardian families via our Rehoming Scheme.

However, Valley and Isla need continual help and support to build their confidence around people before rehoming can be considered. But whatever the outcome, their future is now looking much brighter in our care.