By Patrick Barnham
The donkeys – now called Eugene and Davy – were rescued by our Ireland team after they received a call from a concerned member of the public.
The frail duo, who were shivering in the freezing cold weather and had head collars hanging from their faces, were transported to a warm and safe shelter after our Ireland team worked with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) and equine welfare charity My Lovely Horse Rescue.
Cathy Griffin, Head of Welfare, says: “Eugene and Davy were clearly very weak, and with even colder weather due to arrive soon, it was important that we got them the help they needed as soon as possible.
“Due to a lack of response from the donkey’s owner and after alerting the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, we worked with My Lovely Horse Rescue and the ISPCA in order to find them a warm environment.”
After finding a temporary foster home for the pair, Eugene and Davy were finally out of the wet and cold field where they had been abandoned.
Donkeys’ coats aren’t waterproof, so a suitable manmade shelter must be provided all year round to protect them from the weather.
Eugene and Davy are now thriving in their new home.
Prior to finding them a permanent solution, they will need to be castrated, but they are well and truly safe and are enjoying their straw beds, carrots and scratches.
