Donkey Rescue UK Latest News

Help save a donkeys life for Christmas
Donkey Rescue UK is appealing for help from the public and business’s to help save 10 donkeys from slaughter in Ireland before Christmas.
The rescue centre, based at Billingsley near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, has been approached by a farmer in Ireland asking if they can take on the animals in desperate need of a new home. The retired farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous, can no longer care for the animals as he is suffering from ill health, and the economic climate has meant that he has not been able to give the animals the care and attention they need.
Amanda Ball, founder of the charity, said “All the donkeys are underweight and in need of veterinary attention. Unfortunately this problem is all too common in Ireland at the moment, as there is just no money in the country to care for the animals. The rescue centres in Ireland are full to bursting point, and other donkey sanctuaries are trying to lessen the burden by bringing over some of these animals
A lot of farmers are sending their donkeys and horses to slaughter, as they can fetch quite good money in meat auctions. But this particular man wants to hand them over to us, as his wife loved donkeys, and he feels he has to do the right thing by them since she died last year. It’s very sad.”
The centre would need to raise £5000 to rescue all of the 10 donkeys from Ireland, as transport to fetch them ,veterinary checks, vaccinations and passporting all works out at about £500 per donkey.
“If we can raise just some of the money, then we can rescue some of the donkeys. We understand times are hard, but if people can dig deep or arrange a fundraising event, it would be amazing to get some of these donkeys home to safety. Every penny helps.  Sadly, if we can not save them, the donkeys will go for slaughter as he simply can not afford to keep them.”
Donations can be sent directly to Donkey Rescue UK, Brickyard House Farm, Billinglsey, Bridgnorth, WV16 6PH, or online at www.donkeyrescueuk.org 07975 516219
Donkey Rescue UK has saved over 40 donkeys since 2008, and hopes to continue the work to rescue many more, they also planning to open to the public next spring so people can come and visit the donkeys.

EXPERIENCED Foster home wanted for Barley and Crystal. They will need a large stable or barn, a paddock, lots os love and attention! For more information please contact us.
 
Miracle birth at Donkey Rescue UK
Donkey Rescue UK can announce the arrival of a beautiful jenny foal born at the centre on Thursday 18th August.
The mother donkey, named Barley, was rescued just 5 days previously after being brought over by a horse dealer from Ireland.
Amanda Ball, founder of the charity, said “ We can not believe that someone would transport a donkey in this condition and in such a late stage of pregnancy. She is very lucky that the stress did not kill both the mother and foal.”
Barley has terribly overgrown feet and raw scars around her face where a headcoller has been left to tight and allowed to rub into her skin, leaving deep infected sores. She was very nervous but has already started to trust staff at the centre, based at Billingsley near Bridgnorth.
The new baby has been called Crystal, and as a celebration of the birth, Donkey Rescue UK are inviting visitors to come and see her and the other donkeys on Saturday 27th, Sunday 28th and Bank Holiday Monday 29th between the hours of 11am-3pm.
“Crystal is absolutely gorgeous, and completely perfect – the public will love her”
For more information please call 07975 516219 or visit WWW.DONKEYRESCUEUK.ORG
 
 

WALKING WITH DONKEYS IN THE FOREST

Donkey Rescue UK is hoping to raise money by walking with donkeys through the Wyre Forest.
Donkey Carer and fundraiser, Nicola Scipio, has arranged the 1.4km walk on Sunday 4th September with everone meeting at 11am at the Wyre Forest visitor centre.
She said "The walk should take about half an hour, we are following the yellow route, and that means it is suitable for both children and wheelchair users. We are hoping lots of people with get involved and try and get sponsored for doing the walk - or if people want to just turn up on the day we are asking for a £5 donation"
Dogs are also welcome on the route as long as they are kept on a lead, and if any other donkey owners in the area would like to bring along thier long eared friends - they are more than welcome.
There will be at least 4 rescue donkeys joining in the walk, and the chance to meet the staff and ask any questions about the work carried out by Donkey Rescue UK.
"Everyone is welcome, and light refreshments will be available"
The rescue centre, based at Billingsley near Bridgnorth is desparatly in need of funds to prevent closure of the sanctuary.
Please visit www.donkeyrescueuk.org or telephone 07975 516219 for more information. Sponsor forms are available from the Wyre Forest visitor centre or from the Donkey Rescue UK charity shop in Bridgnorth Low Town.

SAD NEWS -  The Loss of Bertie our Giant Donkey


Donkey Rescue UK has to announce the very sudden and sad loss of Bertie, the largest Poitou Donkey in the UK.

Donkey Rescue UK took the decision to return Bertie to his birth place, Lymington in Hampshire to be examined by an expert Baudet du Poitou Breeder coming over from France as Bertie was having problems with the tendons in his front legs. Liverpool University had been in talks with Donkey Rescue UK’s veterinary surgeon in Shropshire, and had suggested possible surgery to help strengthen his legs.

Amanda Ball, founder of the charity said “Before putting Bertie through any sort of sugery we wanted to make sure that there was not another option. Baudet du Poitous are so rare – only 60 in the UK -  that many vets have never even seen one in real life, so we wanted the expert from France to take a look incase this was a common problem in the breed.”

Unfortunately the decision for surgery was taken out of the rescue centres hands when Berties temporary carer in Hampshire took it upon themselves to have Bertie destroyed on Sunday 15th May 2011.

Bertie came to Donkey Rescue UK in February 2010, he was brought from the only UK registered breeder of Poitous based in Hampshire to the rescue centre in Shropshire to promote this extremely rare and magnificent breed of Donkey.

At just a year old he was over 14hh, and in May 2011, at just 3 years old, Bertie was a whopping 16hh.  He had always suffered for his size, his bones appeared to grow too quickly for his muscle and he needed help from staff members to get to his feet every day, but once up, Bertie would trot and canter around the field with the other donkeys. We always worked closely with our Vets and were confident that Bertie would grow out of this problem when he became a fully fledged adult, and as no longer a gangly teenager.

Amanda Ball said “We are all finding it very hard to come to terms with here. If we had any idea that this could have happened, we would have kept Bertie safe at home, where he belonged. We put our trust in someone, and are deeply saddened that this trust was broken. We would like all of our supporters to know that at NO time did we authorise the euthanasia of Bertie, and we would not have allowed this to happen. It was carried out without our knowledge, without our permission and without a practising vet being present.”

All of the staff at Donkey Rescue UK had worked very closely with Bertie, and are very upset at the sudden loss. One staff member said “It is such a shock. We spent the last 14 months improving him and getting him better – he was stronger than he had ever been. For someone to do this to Bertie is just devastating. I can’t believe it could happen”

On the morning of the 15th May, Bertie was struggling to stand as usual, so the local animal rescue team were called out to help him. The Animal Rescue team leader explained that getting Bertie on to his feet was more difficult because of the barn he was in. Had Bertie have been in a field, they could have hoisted Bertie up in a sling to get him back on his feet. The person caring for Bertie was given the option to get a vet out to sedate Bertie so he could be moved on specialist animal rescue skids to the field outside so he could be lifted – but his carer declined. The fire brigade animal rescue team had been under the impression that Bertie’s owner had been contacted.

“We have been told it was his back legs failing him, but Bertie has never had a problem with his back legs. It is so frustrating that you can come so far with an animal, and spend over a year making him better, for someone to do this after just 10 days of caring for him”

Berties body was also taken away and incinerated before Donkey Rescue UK were informed of his death, meaning the centre was unable to carry out a post mortem to ascertain what had happened.

The RSPCA have so far declined to comment as to whether an equine can legally be destroyed and disposed of, without the owners consent and without a practising vet present. UPDATE - The RSPCA have confirmed that the law was broken and advised we report the matter to the police.
We are still very sad and missing Bertie.


Can you raise £500 for us?

Donkey Rescue UK is calling on business', groups or individuals to raise £500 towards the move to new premises.
You can do this via donations, sponsored events, non uniform days, anyway that you can.
In return you will recieve a framed photograph of One Eyed Jack, Donkey Rescue UK's first rescue donkey, a personalised certificate, as well as the chance to come for a personal tour of the centre to meet the residents and staff, or a visit from the donkey's to your workplace or school.
Anyone raising over £1000 will also have thier name and /or details on a plaque on the centre "Hall of Fame" as a special thank-you for helping Donkey Rescue UK grow.
The move will enable the centre to rescue more donkeys and expand the work carried out with disabled and disadvantaged children.
Anyone wishing to participate in the challenge should register with Donkey Rescue UK first to recieve sponsor forms. You can do this by calling 07975 516219 or emailing info@donkeyrescueuk.org

REGISTERED CHARITY !

Donkey Rescue UK are pleased and extremely proud to announce that we are now a UK registered charity, number 1138874.
Amanda Ball, 31, founder of the charity said "I am so over the moon that we have reached charity status, it is a credit to all the hard work that our helpers and volunteers have inputted over the last 2 years. Hopefully now we can go from strength to strength and rescue many more donkeys and animals in distress"
Shropshire donkey rescue also plans to open more facilities for disabled and disadvantaged children. "we are still in the early planning stages, but we are hoping it will become a reality very soon!"

Picture - Amanda Ball and Jessie in the charity calendar 2011