Less than a day after his rescue, a baby donkey died of pneumonia. This is his story.
On the early morning of November 14, Sue and Rod Weeding co-founders of Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre received a phone call from a man who had found a little donkey dumped in a blue plastic bag near the Segura river in Las Heredades.
Whoever left the donkey there also left a clear message – for them this baby animal didn’t deserve to live.
Dumped like a piece of rubbish at less than one year old.
After a quick examination, it was decided that the donkey needed to be transported immediately to hospital and the extraordinary team at the Hospital Veterinario San Vicente in Alicante received him with open arms to try to give him a second—perhaps we should say first—chance in life.
But the little grey donkey couldn’t stand up and he looked exhausted. His eyelids were half-closed almost all the time. Sue, Rod and everyone including the hospital wondered what had happened to him during his short life.
Immediately after this gentle baby was left at the hospital to receive the best of care, Sue and Rod posted the images of the donkey on Facebook and shared his story with the world. The images went viral and have been shared over 5,500 times. At the time, everyone was hopeful, and Sue and Rod were ready to do whatever it took to give that little donkey a home and a future.
Things took a nasty turn, however, when the hospital discovered that the donkey’s lack of energy was due not only to dehydration and starvation but to a severe case of pneumonia. A set of X-rays revealed that the donkey had blood cloths in his lungs.
The frail little creature died less than 24 hours after his rescue. The staff at the San Vicente hospital made sure that he felt loved and taken care of during his last hours in this world.
‘We are terribly shaken,’ said Sue.
So far Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre has been able to rescue more than 160 equines. This donkey is the first one that passed away within hours of his rescue. And although Sue and Rod have worked with the police in extreme cases of abandonment and neglect, the conditions in which this donkey was found are some of the worst they have witnessed, particularly because it was dumped like rubbish in a place that was very hard to find.
A grey baby donkey covered in faeces with his intestines starting to come out of his body, laying down, unable to move because he was trapped inside a blue plastic bag big enough to cover most of his body. His head wasn’t covered and his eyes, tired and sad, were a testament to the horrors such a small creature had gone through during his life. Not a single animal should go through this.
Small acts of kindness can change the future and help Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre continue with its mission to rescue, rehabilitated and provide a home for equines in need.
After the baby donkey story was shared on social media, many people sent kisses to this poor creature. Sue and Rod decided to name him Kisses because that is one of the many things he needed to feel loved.
‘We just hope the story of baby Kisses helps us highlight the importance of animal rights not only in Spain but in the world,’ said Sue. ‘No animal should be treated like this’,
We would like to thank the two Rojales Police officers for their urgent response and help with this rescue.
The non-profit Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre relies entirely on donations to fund its important animal welfare work. Those interested in volunteering at the rescue centre or in the charity shops can call Sue on 652 021 980.
The Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre, located just outside Rojales at Partido Lo Garriga, 59, opens to the public on the first Sunday of every month between 1pm and 4pm. Free horse tours run throughout the afternoon and refreshments are available in the café. For more details and directions, please visit www.easyhorsecare.net
