A foal who was given away for free online and living in an unsuitably small garden has settled in well after being taken into the care of our sanctuary in Ireland.
On the weekend before Valentine’s Day, the team at The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland received a call from a donkey owner looking for urgent welfare advice. The owner had recently brought home a foal after seeing an advertisement online but quickly realised their mistake as they could not provide suitable shelter and feed.
When the team arrived, they were concerned to find the foal – later named Valentine – standing in a small garden, continuously braying for his mother.
He was clearly stressed as he repeatedly tried to enter the house through the back door to find company.
The steep drop near the back door of the house was also an immediate concern, as it could cause serious injury to the donkey if he slipped.
With inadequate shelter and food and the temperature about to drop, they knew it was important to transport Valentine to safety as soon as possible.
Later that night, the team conducted a health assessment and decided that he was stable enough to travel to the New Arrivals unit in Mallow. Although our Ireland sanctuary is full, there are limited spaces for cases involving the most vulnerable donkeys that require immediate attention.
After arriving, Valentine spent the night in his new stable, eating plenty of food and staying warm under a heat lamp.
He was immediately welcomed by Mick and Ronan, who live in the stable next door, and it was heartwarming to see the three donkeys greeting one another from across the gate.
The veterinary team gave him a full medical, treated his lice infestation and trimmed his hooves.
As Valentine was not microchipped and had no valid passport, tracing him was very difficult. Due to this, finding his mother will be extremely difficult without being able to identify his previous owner.
Nevertheless, Valentine grows stronger every day, and he is often seen playing with Mick and Ronan at the New Arrivals unit.
