In September 2008, The Flicka Foundation became a horse and donkey sanctuary with the arrival of five poor rescued donkeys from Romania.
Although we had been caring for horses and many other animals since 1995, we could never have imagined how these first few donkeys would grow to more than 70 within just a few years.
The five donkeys arrived at Flicka in appalling condition, having endured a harrowing journey in the back of a filthy lorry. Untreated hooves had caused their feet to become severely deformed, making walking extremely difficult. Several had noticeably sloping pasterns and were unable to bear weight properly. Their backs showed clear signs of long-term damage from carrying heavy loads, and many had scarred knees, likely the result of repeated falls. One elderly donkey was found to have old wounds covering much of her body, further evidence of prolonged neglect and suffering.
Among them were Milo and Minstrel, as well as a mother and her foal, who would later be named Marybelle and Snowberry. They were in the worst condition of all — extremely emaciated, severely dehydrated, and covered in sores, with painfully overgrown hooves. Marybelle was suspected to be suffering from a dental abscess, and Snowberry was unable to walk properly. His untreated hooves had already begun to deform his legs, causing significant mobility issues at such a young age. Both were heavily infested with lice and required treatment for lungworm and fluke.
The photographs below show our first donkeys as they arrived - sad, exhausted and unaware of what the future held for them.
The five donkeys arrived at Flicka in appalling condition, having endured a harrowing journey in the back of a filthy lorry. Untreated hooves had caused their feet to become severely deformed, making walking extremely difficult. Several had noticeably sloping pasterns and were unable to bear weight properly. Their backs showed clear signs of long-term damage from carrying heavy loads, and many had scarred knees, likely the result of repeated falls. One elderly donkey was found to have old wounds covering much of her body, further evidence of prolonged neglect and suffering.
Among them were Milo and Minstrel, as well as a mother and her foal, who would later be named Marybelle and Snowberry. They were in the worst condition of all — extremely emaciated, severely dehydrated, and covered in sores, with painfully overgrown hooves. Marybelle was suspected to be suffering from a dental abscess, and Snowberry was unable to walk properly. His untreated hooves had already begun to deform his legs, causing significant mobility issues at such a young age. Both were heavily infested with lice and required treatment for lungworm and fluke.
The photographs below show our first donkeys as they arrived - sad, exhausted and unaware of what the future held for them.
A few days later we learned of another jenny who had slipped through the net... A beautiful gentle donkey (soon to be named Primrose) arrived, very sad and dejected, covered in wounds and lice. She also had deformed back legs.
Primrose enjoyed eight wonderful years of retirement at the sanctuary until her time came to leave us in September 2016.
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 were very thin and tired, despite their poor state they are still feeding their young. One of the mothers 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 again - two beautiful little donkey packages that arrived eight and ten months later.
Take a look at them recently!
Bluebelle Violet Ruby Rupert Matilda
"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 were very thin and tired, despite their poor state they are still feeding their young. One of the mothers 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 again - two beautiful little donkey packages that arrived eight and ten months later.
Take a look at them recently!
Bluebelle Violet Ruby Rupert Matilda
Seven more donkeys are rescued in September 2011...
A rescue op that just got bigger...
There were nineteen donkeys illegally brought into the UK in September 2011, from who knows where - Ireland, Romania, Croatia, Spain... Unfortunately, Animal Welfare got involved too late and we were sadly unable to save them all. However, we embarked
on the rescue of two, which, over the course of a few days, grew to six donkeys!
Six very worried, bemused, frightened and thin donkeys arrived. Two bigger girls (to be named Tabitha and Tammy) a smaller girl, Jewel, one mum and foal, Daisy and Danny, and one foal on his own, Freddie. Tammy could not walk after she had had her feet brutally chopped with a hammer and chisel, she lay down permanently for seven days - we were extremely concerned about her.
We did not realise when they arrived that Freddie’s mum was not amongst them – he was very agitated, not interested in any food and kept going to the door of the barn looking for ‘something’. All day and all through the night the poor little chap cried and it wasn’t until we saw him trying to suckle from Tabitha that we realised she was not his mum. How distressing for Freddie.
We just could not accept this heart-breaking predicament - we had to do something to find his mum… and we did (long story)! His mum arrived, utterly emaciated, but Freddie was overjoyed to see her, as was his mum (Pearl) to see him and there were tears from all of us! Rewards such as this are... well, priceless… The pictures below show when they were reunited - they have been inseparable ever since!
There were nineteen donkeys illegally brought into the UK in September 2011, from who knows where - Ireland, Romania, Croatia, Spain... Unfortunately, Animal Welfare got involved too late and we were sadly unable to save them all. However, we embarked
on the rescue of two, which, over the course of a few days, grew to six donkeys!
Six very worried, bemused, frightened and thin donkeys arrived. Two bigger girls (to be named Tabitha and Tammy) a smaller girl, Jewel, one mum and foal, Daisy and Danny, and one foal on his own, Freddie. Tammy could not walk after she had had her feet brutally chopped with a hammer and chisel, she lay down permanently for seven days - we were extremely concerned about her.
We did not realise when they arrived that Freddie’s mum was not amongst them – he was very agitated, not interested in any food and kept going to the door of the barn looking for ‘something’. All day and all through the night the poor little chap cried and it wasn’t until we saw him trying to suckle from Tabitha that we realised she was not his mum. How distressing for Freddie.
We just could not accept this heart-breaking predicament - we had to do something to find his mum… and we did (long story)! His mum arrived, utterly emaciated, but Freddie was overjoyed to see her, as was his mum (Pearl) to see him and there were tears from all of us! Rewards such as this are... well, priceless… The pictures below show when they were reunited - they have been inseparable ever since!
In September 2014, Flicka Foundation welcomed 25 donkeys from Freshfields Donkey Village to their new home in Cornwall.
The donkeys travelled on three separate journeys, with the final four arriving on 22nd September. Among them were five very elderly donkeys, some in their forties, whose journey had been uncertain until the last minute. Thankfully, they all travelled remarkably well.
Founded and run by John and Annie Stirling, who dedicated their lives to rescuing and caring for hundreds of donkeys, Freshfields had been caring for neglected and abused donkeys for 28 years before it closed its doors. John and Annie's tireless work gave so many animals a safe and loving life, but as they reached beyond retirement age, they could no longer face continuing to run the sanctuary through another harsh winter in the remote Peak District.
After many years of dedicated care at Freshfields, the donkeys were given a new chapter at Flicka, where they could continue to receive the love, care and specialist attention they needed.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make their journey to Cornwall possible, including Paul O’Grady, whose invaluable support helped bring the Freshfields donkeys safely to their new home.
The donkeys travelled on three separate journeys, with the final four arriving on 22nd September. Among them were five very elderly donkeys, some in their forties, whose journey had been uncertain until the last minute. Thankfully, they all travelled remarkably well.
Founded and run by John and Annie Stirling, who dedicated their lives to rescuing and caring for hundreds of donkeys, Freshfields had been caring for neglected and abused donkeys for 28 years before it closed its doors. John and Annie's tireless work gave so many animals a safe and loving life, but as they reached beyond retirement age, they could no longer face continuing to run the sanctuary through another harsh winter in the remote Peak District.
After many years of dedicated care at Freshfields, the donkeys were given a new chapter at Flicka, where they could continue to receive the love, care and specialist attention they needed.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make their journey to Cornwall possible, including Paul O’Grady, whose invaluable support helped bring the Freshfields donkeys safely to their new home.
