A pair of donkeys who had been repeatedly straying from their unsecured field onto a road near Pershore have been rehomed by The Donkey Sanctuary.
The donkeys, who were named Grapefruit and Elderflower by the charity, had posed a risk to themselves and other road users for several weeks and West Mercia Police were frequently being called to manage traffic and return them to their field.
The Donkey Sanctuary provided advice to the police during this time before arrangements were made for staff from the charity to visit the location in Worcestershire on Monday 23 February to assess the donkeys’ welfare.
Ahead of the visit, Hannah Bryer, head of welfare at The Donkey Sanctuary, made contact with the owners of the donkeys who agreed it was in the donkeys’ best interest to come into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary, and with their consent, arrangements were made to collect the donkeys during the visit.
Teamwork
The team from The Donkey Sanctuary was joined by a World Horse Welfare Field Officer, who brought along some handling pens, and four police officers to secure the field and create a safe handling and loading area for the donkeys.
The donkeys were initially nervous of new people but after several hours they were caught and fitted with headcollars. They were given time to relax before being checked by a vet and embarking on the journey to The Donkey Sanctuary’s new arrivals unit in Sidmouth.
“As many local residents will know, two donkeys had been frequently escaping from their home, which created a significant demand on policing due to the need for repeated officer attendance,” said a spokesperson from West Mercia Police.
“It was agreed that the donkeys could be moved to The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth. Although that may sound simple – these two donkeys are true escape artists!”
“After a few hours of teamwork and patience, both donkeys were safely secured and transported to their new home at The Donkey Sanctuary.
“A huge thank you to The Donkey Sanctuary for their incredible help, advice, and support over the past month. This outcome truly would not have been possible without them.”
Pushing the boundaries
Both Grapefruit, who is grey, and Elderflower, who is skewbald, are settling in well to their new home in Devon.
“Donkeys are naturally curious animals who enjoy interacting with their environment and will naturally browse hedgerows and other shrubs,” said Hannah.
“Whilst opportunities to perform this natural behaviour is incredibly beneficial to their wellbeing, donkeys can find their way through narrow gaps in hedgerows and fences so it’s really important that owners provide a safe environment and check the boundary to their fields are secure.”
Images © The Donkey Sanctuary.
