A rescued donkey, who was among more than 50 other animals seized by the RSPCA from an address in Essex in 2023, is thriving in the care of The Donkey Sanctuary and has formed a close bond with another donkey in the charity’s care.
Dandi has been living at one of the Sanctuary’s holding bases, where over time he has formed a close bond with Tommy, who was relinquished into charity care with his dam and another mare, after their owners could not meet their care needs.
Dandi was discovered at the Essex property among many other animals, including a marmoset, a tortoise, horses, chickens, ducks, a dog, and guinea pigs. They were removed after previous notices to improve their living conditions were not met by owners and were subsequently signed over to the RSPCA.
Prior to coming into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary, Dandi was a lone stallion who was kept without the company of his own kind. Stallions can be challenging for their owners to manage, and the charity advises owners to consider gelding their male donkeys.
Gelding gives owners more options to find suitable companions for their donkeys. Doing so at a younger age lowers the risk of post-operative complications and can reduce the development of stallion-like behaviours that can be challenging to manage in later life.
On arrival at the Sanctuary holding base Dandi was underweight. He has since reached a healthy weight and been gelded. The six-year-old has also undergone training in his handling, which included making him feel comfortable when picking up his feet.
Firm friends
After coming into Sanctuary care as a single donkey with no companion, Dandi has since hit it off with Tommy, a five-year-old grey donkey.
“Dandi is doing great, he loves spending time with his new friend Tommy,” said Jess Bush, one of The Donkey Sanctuary’s Welfare Advisers. “They are in a gelding group and happily mix with other geldings but they’re certainly together as a bonded pair now.
“As both donkeys are still very young, we hope that when they are ready we will be able to find a suitable home for them as a pair on our Rehoming Scheme, where they can continue their training and journey in a loving home.”
The Donkey Sanctuary rehomes donkeys in pairs or more. If you think you can provide a home for life for donkeys like Dandi and Tommy, visit their website: Become a Donkey Guardian | The Donkey Sanctuary
