Lily and her neglected friends 'in a better place' at Donegal Donkey Sanctuary

An emergency fundraiser set up for 12 neglected donkeys in Donegal last week has already raised over €12,000.

The donkeys were all rescued, with many arriving with overgrown hooves and matted coats and Donegal Donkey Sanctuary in Raphoe established a GoFundMe called Emergency Appeal DDS.

Since then, the sanctuary said they have settled well, are “in a better place” and they’ve begun naming the donkeys.

Lily, they say, would make a great friend for Baby Rose, who was born in June 2024 to a rescue mare named Daisy at the sanctuary and faced a difficult start to life when she was rejected by her mother.

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“All 12 donkeys rescued from an animal hoarding situation have settled down well in their new surroundings,” they posted.

“The farrier has attended to all of their hooves, all have been wormed and everyone has had plenty to eat and loads of rest. They are nervous, anxious and quite wary of people, so we are keeping our distance and allowing them lots of space. Fuzzy tummies and excess hair can be groomed when they are in a better place. It is important at this stage not to cause unnecessary stress.

“Everyone at DDS has a name and it is most important that they do as all are individual and have their own personality, so here is the first of our babies - Little Lily.

“This sweet little girl is around one year old. Her Mamma Belinda is also here and is very attentive to her baby. We have been observing from a distance and are starting to work out the family ties and bonds. Belinda is always the first to dash over if you get too close to Lily.

“Lily is quite thin and her little hooves were causing her a lot of distress on arrival but she is now enjoying the open space and quiet time with her big extended family in our paddocks. She is a curious little soul and is set to be a stunning little girl when she is in better health. Wouldn’t she make a fabulous little friend for Baby Rose?

“Please like and share our appeal as 12 more mouths to feed is a tough situation. We are so grateful for the incredible generosity of our supporters towards this group so far but every euro donated helps extend the care that we can give over the coming winter months. Thank you so much. Baby Lily.”