Overweight donkeys with long hooves rescued from North Devon

Miniature donkeys Penny, 13, and Chelsea, 10, were in obese body conditions when Donkey Welfare Adviser Jenna Goldby discovered them at a site in North Devon in June 2020.

Jenna says: "Miniature donkeys of Penny and Chelsea's size should typically weigh around 100kg. But when we first saw them, Penny topped the scales at 123kg, while Chelsea was even heavier, carrying an extra 30% body weight. Collectively, the two donkeys were almost nine stone overweight.

"Donkeys should have an almost oblong appearance from behind. Penny and Chelsea were very round and had fat bulging on either side of their rumps. Both had large rolls of fat covering their necks. They also had pendulous bellies, and I couldn't feel their ribs."

Penny and Chelsea were living as part of a group of donkeys who were all overweight. However, when Jenna spotted the pair, she realised there were other issues to address as well as their obesity and immediately called an external vet to the site, who then carried out a full examination of Penny and Chelsea.

Penny's hooves were horrendous and showed signs of laminitis, a painful hoof condition. The severity of Penny's hoof abnormalities will require years of farriery care to correct the deformities and keep her hooves balanced correctly.

Jenna says: "I was mainly concerned about Penny's hind hooves, as they had a considerable twist that resulted in her walking on the outside of the hoof.

"The deformity of the hooves must have been causing incredible pressure on the ligaments and tendons in Penny's legs.

"Penny's front hooves were overgrown and showed abnormalities commonly associated with laminitis. I was concerned she was in pain, so she needed to be examined by a vet as soon as possible."

We discussed Penny and Chelsea's ongoing care needs with the owner. They agreed it would be in the donkeys' best interests for them to be relinquished into our care.

We also worked with the owner to make changes to support weight loss in their other donkeys. They continue to work with a local vet to monitor their progress.

Jenna arranged for a donkey transporter to collect Penny and Chelsea. They were given pain relief before being loaded onto the lorry and transported to our donkey hospital in Devon.

During their time at the hospital, they were put on a carefully designed nutrition plan to assist with weight loss and were treated by a farrier.

Penny and Chelsea moved to their new home at Brookfield Farm six weeks later, where they will live out their days under the expert care of our staff.

Jenna says: "Penny and Chelsea are doing well at Brookfield and have settled wonderfully with a new herd. They have both gradually lost the excess weight under the guidance of a vet and now have a healthy body condition.

"However, they have been left with irreversible damage to their hooves. Penny has chronic laminitis and now wears plastic shoes to support her hooves.

"Chelsea required pain relief and remedial farriery when she arrived at the hospital. Her long-term prognosis is better than Penny's, but we are still closely monitoring the two as they start their new life under our care."

Reflecting on Penny and Chelsea's story, Jenna stresses the risks of obesity in donkeys: "Every donkey owner should take obesity very seriously. It can lead to multiple other health concerns. There is a much higher risk of an overweight donkey developing a condition called hyperlipaemia, caused by too much fat in the blood and can be fatal, especially if not treated promptly. Obesity can also lead to laminitis and putting additional strain on the organs and the joints."

On the importance of hoof care, Jenna says: "Regular and high-quality hoof care from a qualified farrier is so important to the welfare of any equine. We would encourage owners to get in touch with our welfare team and discuss how we may be able to help. Owners can also use the Find a Farrier website to make contact with an experienced professional.

"Once hooves become overgrown, it can lead to internal changes that cannot be reversed. This could cause the donkey pain, which requires ongoing management and impacts their quality of life. Prevention is always better than cure."