Hanging his head in misery, Romika had given up all hope of a pain-free life
Poor Romika had endured a life of cruelty and suffering. Beaten, starving, thirsty and in great pain, this donkey had lost all hope of escaping his miserable ordeal. He was so painfully thin that his bones were protruding through his dishevelled coat and he had a deep wound on his ankle where a piece of wire, used to tie him up, had cut into his leg. To add to his distress, Romika had flesh wounds and scars on his body suggesting that he had been subjected to repeated beatings.
Romika, a 13 year old donkey from Costanza in Romania, urgently needed our help. Recognising that he was in a desperate state, a member of the public contacted The Donkey Sanctuary to raise the alarm. The sight of Romika, hanging his head in misery, was heartbreaking. He was chained up in a small yard and had no access to food or water. He was clearly distressed from his ordeal and the lack of food and water had left him frail and weak. He was finding it difficult to stand, constantly shifting his weight on his feet, as his hooves were very long and painful.
Thankfully, Romika’s owner agreed to relinquish him to The Donkey Sanctuary and he was taken to our holding base in Cernavoda. Romika was examined by our vet and his wounds were cleaned and treated which instantly helped to ease his discomfort. He was so ravenous that the food and water we gave him disappeared in no time, providing him with essential nutrients to help rebuild his strength. Romika’s painful hooves were trimmed, his teeth were examined and he received his first vaccination.
Romika is now guaranteed a safe and happy future at our holding base in Cernavoda where he will continue to receive the life-long love and attention he deserves. Since his rescue, he has made a dramatic improvement and as his health steadily improves, he is growing in confidence and starting to enjoy his new surroundings and the cuddles he receives from his carers.
Working together to end the suffering
Sadly, there are still many more donkeys like Romika facing unbearable and life-threatening cruelty all over the world. Please help us to ease their suffering and to start them on the road to recovery. Your support really does make a difference and allows us to rescue and provide for these desperately unhappy and unloved animals.
