A mare relinquished into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland alongside three other donkeys has given birth to a foal.
The mare first came to the attention of our team in Ireland in the summer of 2021, when a veterinarian from the Department of Agriculture (DAFM) discovered eight very thin donkeys, six of whom had bones protruding through their coats.
Donkey Welfare Adviser David Walsh spoke with the owner and learned that the group had grown in numbers due to unplanned breeding, and the owner now struggled to care for them.
Our team decided to reduce the group size to prevent further breeding by relinquishing the two mares and two foals into our care.
The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland welfare team continued to monitor the four donkeys that remained with the owner, providing advice on donkey care and nutrition.
Increasing demand and pressure on our sanctuaries in Ireland means we can only create capacity for the most vulnerable donkeys and mules, particularly foals and mares with foals.
Upon arrival, additional assessments revealed that both mares, later named Emily and Alina, were again in foal (pregnant).
The relinquished foals, later named Alex and Beth, were weaned from their mothers around six months of age and joined a young group of donkeys at our Hannigan's Farm site, where they continue to thrive.
Our farms and veterinary teams have closely monitored the mares over the past year and received a happy surprise in early April. On a routine walk, Groom John Sheehan found Emily had given birth to a beautiful dark brown foal.
Declan Sexton, Head of Farms for The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland, says: "You could see the foal had only just got to her feet and was still finding her balance.
"We gave the mare and her foal time to bond and watched to make sure she started suckling. Within about half an hour, we were able to see the foal going up to her mother and getting milk.
"When they had settled, the veterinary team came out to examine the pair to make sure they were all doing well."
In recent weeks, the young foal has grown stronger and stronger, and she can often be seen running around the barn while Emily stands nearby.
We are confident that she will continue to thrive at our sanctuary in Cork, alongside Emily, Alina, Beth and Alex.
