Donkey advice - sorry if in wrong place

[moocow]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place but not sure where it will fit TBH. Right. Needed a companion for my mare back in Jan and someone I know put us in touch with someone with a donkey. We said we would kep him till June so they could get better set up for him. They refuse to turn him out. Saying the weather is horrible so he is better off in a stable. No company. They say when they do turn him out he breaks into their goats.(Of course he does he is bloody lonely!!)

Took him to our field and he did his job. We had him only 2 days and gave him a brush and found a massive tumour between his front legs. Rang owners and they said they didn't know! Its really obvious. We got the vet out, biopsies etc and its not malignant. When he came to us he was riddled with lice. Treated him for that (multiple treatments) now thats sorted. We also have obviously wormed him regularly etc. Hooves show signs of laminitis but we have had them regularly trimmed. It is coming time for donkey to go home. He is in great form and good contition. Owners have not got a clue. They refuse to turn him out and think he is happier on his own in a lice and flea infested stable. He has no company not even sight of another equine. Thye refuse to worm him as they are very "organic" and refuse to have any chemicals. they refuse to treat him for lice for the same reason. There came to see him once and their darling son scared my mare so badly that I am still having problems with her and scared other donkeys in a neighbouring field so bad that the fell over when they were bolting away.

What would you do? He is not my donkey and TBH I can't keep him for much longer as my mare is going into livery - thats why we agreed till june. I have spoken to welfare organisations basically its not a welfare case. The owners mean well but have no idea of animal husbandry and more crucially, wont be told.

 

[emilyw]

Can you not suggest he goes to a donkey sanctuary? I know its not the most ideal answer but anything has to be better than going back to people who dont want to learn/listen.

 

[hussar]

The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon has a lot of downloadable advice sheets: http://drupal.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/donkeycare#attachments
If there's no real alternative, could you hand them over with the donkey and say you personally found them really helpful? - told you things you didn't know about donkeys (nothing wrong with the odd small white lie!).

 

[moocow]

Its a donkey sanctuary that actually put me in touch with the owners. He is a perfect doneky for re-homing. He doesn't have a bad habit, is so quiet with kids etc. Good with farrier box etc. He is a stuborn old thing but he is a donkey after all!!! These people will not admit that their way is not the right way and will not sign him over to a sanctuary. He is not being abused with them as such its just a miserable life. They mention things every so often (when they do return our calls!) like "we kept him in and feed him only carrots for 4 days when we got him to kill the worms" and when we spoke to them about the lice they said that a tincture of marigold in some groundnut oil would be a good treatment. He was ALIVE with them when he came. He IS their donkey but it makes me sad to think of him going back. He flies around the field with my mare.

 

[moocow]

THanks. I will try that but we also have the owner of a donkey sanctuary here prepared to meet with them, advise, help, whatever they need but even though she has talked to them, they still do their own thing. The tumour is the size of a grapefruit and they didn't notice it.... (I really can't get over that!!!)

 

[Hedwards]

do you know anyone else that might need a companion and may have better knowledge and understanding of the care he needs, maybe on a more permenant basis?

 

[brighteyes]

Arrange to have the poor thing 'stolen' by nice new owners. Or might he 'die' of the tumour?

Oh just bloody shoot the people you got him off. Pah! Makes my blood boil being so helpless.

 

[moocow]

No. Unfortunately not. Am in the west of Ireland and the place is over run with horses. Donks were very fashionable for a while there but people are watching the purse strings a bit more now. They were meant to visit him the last three weekends and never showed. Also, when we got the vet out he did a call out to examine the tumour. then came back, sedated him and took biopsey and only charged £65 quid. they complained about the cost! I thought it was a bargain!!!!

 

[moocow]

My best chance is to get him into the sanctuary but the sanctuary know the original owners so I have to choose my words very carefully.

 

[Hedwards]

whatever the outcome, well done you for sorting him out, Donkeys can be incredibly difficult to turn around if they are poor! i really miss the donkeys i looked after - they are so aware of our feelings and so gentle - but they are as the saying goes totally stubborn too!

Fingers crossed you can get him into the sanctuary.

 

[moocow]

You want a donkey???????... I know of one going cheap

 

[Hedwards]

would love to have him - but unfortunatley my back garden isnt big enough and i cant afford another livery... maybe its time to move house and get a bigger garden! best of luck!

 

[Cuffey]

Have PMd you

 

[CazD]

Poor donkey. And good on you for trying to sort things out for him. Pity you are in Ireland - i could probably have persuaded OH to let me have him otherwise.

Could you not purchase him off the owners for a nominal sum (ie £1.00) and then you could legitimately pass him on to a sanctuary, perhaps by using a white lie like saying your circumstances have changed?

Best of luck in finding him a suitable home.

 

[moocow]

Thanks for the replies. Its not a problem finding him a new home, cos he would be the perfect donk for someone. Its getting the owners to allow him to go to a new home. they don't think they are doing anything wrong. OH has rung them again and still no reply from them.

 

[Donkeymad]

I am surprised that the Irish branch of the Donkey Sanctuary are not being more active, as they tend to move very quickly when they come across a donkey in bad condition etc. Have they (the owners) also not heard of an organic lice powder and of verm-X?
I don't know what to suggest as, if the owners won't listen, there is little more to do other than contact the Donkey sanctuary - which has already been done.

Ps. I have possibly got a driving donkey coming up for sale -- shhhh

 

[moocow]

Just posted update little donkey. Its a combination of things worming lice the fact the didn't even notice the tumour and they insist on him being kept completely alone locked in a stable from about nov through. When we got him in jan he had been stabled on his own since nov last year and they didn't want him turned out till may!