The Donkeys
In September 2008 the Flicka Foundation 'officially' became a horse and donkey sanctuary, with the initial arrival of five rescued Romanian donkeys. Having been a sanctuary for horses and many other animals since 1995, donkeys had never found their way here, we could never have known how these first five would increase to thirty over the next three years. The photos below are the first five arriving after the most harrowing journey, totally dejected and not knowing what their fate was.
When they arrived there was a mother with a foal at foot, these two were in the worst condition, extremely emaciated, dehydrated, covered in sores, overgrown feet…mum had a suspected mouth or tooth abscess, their coats were full of lice and after the vet gave them a ‘medical’ we treated them for lung worm and fluke. The foal could not walk properly and his leg was becoming deformed due to untreated feet. The three others, were thin with body sores.
Untreated hooves have led to deformed feet and
walking is difficult. A couple of the donkeys have particularly sloping pasterns, not weight bearing animals at all. Their backs show long-term damage from heavy ladens and knees are scarred, probably from falling over. One 'aged' donkey (Marybelle) has old wounds all over her body.
Have a look at these five donkeys now
Marybelle Snowberry Milo Minstrel Lonely
A Few days later we learned of another jennie who had slipped through the net............
Primrose Arrives.............................................
walking is difficult. A couple of the donkeys have particularly sloping pasterns, not weight bearing animals at all. Their backs show long-term damage from heavy ladens and knees are scarred, probably from falling over. One 'aged' donkey (Marybelle) has old wounds all over her body.
Have a look at these five donkeys now
Marybelle Snowberry Milo Minstrel Lonely
A Few days later we learned of another jennie who had slipped through the net............
Primrose Arrives.............................................
A beautiful gentle donkey, Primrose arrived, very sad and dejected, covered in wounds and lice, she also had deformed back legs. See Primrose now
Another Six Donkeys arrive in October 2010
The week commencing the 11th October 2010 was a very eventful, stressful and a tenuous time here at Flicka.
‘We had to secure the safety of three jennies and their young foals, all in very poor state.
Six donkeys arrived, thin, malnourished and frightened……obviously traumatised by months of transport and rough handling – they went straight into our quarantine barn that had been prepared for them. All huddled into a corner and waited for their next ordeal - finally they started to eat the haylage we gave them. The ‘brown’ jennie stood in the corner with her eyes shut; one or two of the foals eventually lay down. It was a very sad sight to see them so timid, worried and exhausted.
The mothers are very thin and tired, despite their poor state they are feeding their young. One of the mother's had breathing issues, our vet carried out various tests, some had difficulty eating and one of the foals was not feeding which gave us cause for concern.
Unbelievably two of the mothers, with foals at foot, were pregnant - two beautiful little packages that arrived eight and ten months later.
Take a look at them recently
Bluebelle Violet Ruby Rupert Matilda Fabrice
‘We had to secure the safety of three jennies and their young foals, all in very poor state.
Six donkeys arrived, thin, malnourished and frightened……obviously traumatised by months of transport and rough handling – they went straight into our quarantine barn that had been prepared for them. All huddled into a corner and waited for their next ordeal - finally they started to eat the haylage we gave them. The ‘brown’ jennie stood in the corner with her eyes shut; one or two of the foals eventually lay down. It was a very sad sight to see them so timid, worried and exhausted.
The mothers are very thin and tired, despite their poor state they are feeding their young. One of the mother's had breathing issues, our vet carried out various tests, some had difficulty eating and one of the foals was not feeding which gave us cause for concern.
Unbelievably two of the mothers, with foals at foot, were pregnant - two beautiful little packages that arrived eight and ten months later.
Take a look at them recently
Bluebelle Violet Ruby Rupert Matilda Fabrice
September 2011 - Six Donkeys are Rescued (& then a further one)
Information to be posted here soon.............
