Earlier this year, we experienced the worst storms for decades, wreaking devastation and unimaginable suffering for many across the country. As the violent storms took hold in the south west, unleashing torrential rain and whipping up ferocious winds, 13 donkeys were left fighting for their lives in Cornwall.

 

Spice and her 12 donkey friends had been battered relentlessly by the extreme weather; the intensity of the storms had left them living in a mud bath, a swimming pool of muddy water, which was growing deeper by the day. Their stable was in disrepair, open to the elements and offering them little shelter from the winds and rain. Spice and her friends were in grave danger.

 

 When Alison Beck, our Welfare Officer, paid the owner a routine visit to check on the donkeys in their care, little did she realise the extent of the devastation that awaited her. Spice was weak and starving and she had exposed, raw patches of skin caused by persistent rain lashing at her body. Worse still, her painful, red skin had attracted vicious attacks by crows. Cold and wet, she was desperately thin, with little access to food and no hope of finding warmth and comfort.

 

The Donkey Sanctuary gave her that hope.

 

Our emergency rescue teams had been on high alert throughout the stormy weather and the severity of this situation demanded an immediate response. A team of welfare experts including a vet and handlers was scrambled; they reached the scene within hours. Spice and her friends were frightened and wary of the strangers coming to help them. The team battled to catch and contain the distressed donkeys in horrendous gales as the storms reached their climax. Eventually, the exhausted donkeys were corralled into a safe enclosure and, slipping and sliding through the mud, the first of the donkeys were loaded into the lorry. “As we led Spice and her friends two by two through the mud and into the lorry, it reminded me of Noah’s Ark as the weather was very similar,” recalls Alison.

 

A NEW BEGINNING FOR SPICE AND HER FRIENDS

 

When the lorries arrived at our headquarters in Sidmouth, we knew that Spice had a long journey ahead of her, both physically and mentally. She was given an immediate health check to carefully assess her needs, a warm, dry bed and good, nutritious food. Spice and her friends were safe at last.

 

Thanks to your continued support, Spice and her friends are now guaranteed a loving home for life and will receive all the care and cuddles they need to make them better.

 

Please help to give more donkeys at risk a new beginning full of love and kindness. A £20 donation can keep our emergency rescue vehicles on the road for several hours, rescuing donkeys like Spice from terrible conditions.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.