Lincolnshire donkey with overgrown hooves taken into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary

A donkey from north Lincolnshire who was suffering from extremely overgrown hooves, has been relinquished into the care of international animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary, after her owner reached out for support following concerns for her welfare.

When the donkey owner contacted the charity for help, a Donkey Welfare Adviser was able to talk through the challenges they were facing. It soon became clear that the donkey, named Jelly, had severely overgrown hooves and needed immediate veterinary treatment; as well as ongoing farriery care and behaviour support which her owner was unable to provide.

Working with her owners The Donkey Sanctuary made arrangements for Jelly to come into the care of the charity. After being transported to a local holding base, Jelly received all the care she needed before being introduced to her new companion, a donkey called Dolly. Jelly will now have a safe and loving home for life, either in one of the charity’s sanctuaries or in one of its Guardian Homes through The Donkey Sanctuary’s Rehoming Scheme.

Hannah Bryer, Head of Welfare at The Donkey Sanctuary said: “We know the Covid-19 pandemic has created new challenges for all animal owners and we have been working throughout the crisis to support donkeys and their owners wherever possible. Our welfare team are frequently contacted by owners who are no longer able to care for their donkey due to changes in their personal circumstances.

“During this pandemic many donkey owners have been worried about how they will continue to care for their donkeys if they suffer ill health or changes to their income. We encourage all donkey owners to plan ahead and to seek help as soon as possible if they experience problems.

Hannah concluded: “Jelly’s owners reported that her behaviour had become challenging, particularly around handling and farrier care. This lead to her hooves becoming overgrown. Recognising that this was affecting her welfare and being unable to find a solution, Jelly’s owners reached out to us for help. Our team of Donkey Welfare Advisers’ work directly with donkey owners in the community to improve donkey welfare and can help prevent issues before they arise.’’

During the Covid 19 crisis, The Donkey Sanctuary like many organisations has had to make significant changes to the way it operates; however, throughout the crisis its welfare team has been on hand to provide advice to donkey owners and to support donkeys in critical need of help.

The Donkey Sanctuary is a global leader for equine welfare, research and veterinary care. The charity operates programmes worldwide for animals working in agriculture, industry and transportation.